Processor Upgrades - difficult? Will it void AppleCare?

[dubsac]

I am about to pull the trigger on a new Mac Pro, and thought I would get the base model and upgrade the processor in the future. My Apple store rep told me that "this would be difficult due to it being soldered to the logic board" and also that it would void the AppleCare if I were to purchase it. I am skeptical - is this at all true?

The 3.2 quad is +$400 and the 3.3 hex is +$1200 from the base 2.8 quad. I am tempted to go with one of those two but if I could just "drop in" a new processor in the future I would be tempted to save the money now. Is there any reason I should consider the 3.3 Westermere and its increased cache and faster RAM now?

Thanks

 

[mcnallym]

The CPU's are not soldered to the logic board at all on a Mac Pro. Maybe on a MacBook Pro (laptop) but not the Mac Pro (tower). Maybe the store rep was confused.

I believe however it would void your Applecare as Apple don't see the CPU as a user replaceable part. Ram, Hard Drive, PCI-E cards are user replaceable. It should just be a remove heatsink, apply little paste and tighten heatsink, pleanty of people on the forum have done it.

If it was a Dual Socket would be more work as they were liddless without the IHS so quite easy to crush the CPU. Not sure if the 2010 model is still or not.

Save the money and look at dropping in a CPU in future unless you actually need the 6 core now. Say in maybe 3 years time when AppleCare run out.

What are you actually looking at running on your Mac Pro.

 

[300D]

Any modifications involving the CPU will void the warranty.

 

[gnasher729]

I am about to pull the trigger on a new Mac Pro, and thought I would get the base model and upgrade the processor in the future. My Apple store rep told me that "this would be difficult due to it being soldered to the logic board" and also that it would void the AppleCare if I were to purchase it. I am skeptical - is this at all true?

Processor upgrades can be performed painlessly and without voiding AppleCare as follows:

Step 1: Sell your old Mac on eBay
Step 2: Buy a new Macintosh with a better processor.

Seriously. Google for "Intel Price List" and check what those processors cost and consider that you have no chance of selling the old used processors. eBay is the cheapest and easiest method of processor upgrade.

 

[dekka007]

In the coming year. What processors would be upgrade options without changing the logic board on the new 3.33ghz Hex Mac Pro.

 

[toxic]

In the coming year. What processors would be upgrade options without changing the logic board on the new 3.33ghz Hex Mac Pro.

I believe any W35xx or W36xx Xeon or i7 that uses socket 1366 will work.

 

[Transporteur]

I believe any W35xx or W36xx Xeon or i7 that uses socket 1366 will work.

Correct. But there is no point in swapping the processor if you've already got the 3.33GHz hex, as there will be only one processor that is faster for this socket, the 3.46GHz hex and this upgrade is definitely not worth it.

 

[dekka007]

So really the 3.33 hex has no upgradability in the future 1year-2years CPU wise as it is already the top chip in this form factor and no other will be released apart from the 3.46ghz hex?