2009 Octo MacPro

[robrose20]

Is the processor user upgradable? I have been without a desktop since my G4 Quicksilver died and am ready to get a new one. I don't want the quad because I want the ability to upgrade the memory beyond 8 gb, but don't want to shell out $5000.00 for the 2.93 Ghz version, I plan on getting the 2.26 octo and upgrading the processor down the road if needed. Any thought?

 

[Tallest Skil]

I believe that Gainestown is, yes.

 

[bozz2006]

sounds good to me.

 

[canonballs]

I believe that Gainestown is, yes.

That's interesting. I've been asking myself the same question as OP, and have been leaning towards the conclusion "don't bet on it". There used to be a cottage industry for G3/G4 upgrades, but none (commercially available) for G5.

What would be involved in replacing the processors (screwdrivers, chainsaws, explosives etc.)? Would one need to make sure that any switches and whatnots are set the right way? Have there been documented reports of processor upgradability (and, ideally, walkthroughs) for earlier Mac Pros?

Would you expect the price for the faster Gainestowns to go down? How about the higher power requirements for the higher-end procs?

 

[CaptainChunk]

That's interesting. I've been asking myself the same question as OP, and have been leaning towards the conclusion "don't bet on it". There used to be a cottage industry for G3/G4 upgrades, but none (commercially available) for G5.

What would be involved in replacing the processors (screwdrivers, chainsaws, explosives etc.)? Would one need to make sure that any switches and whatnots are set the right way? Have there been documented reports of processor upgradability (and, ideally, walkthroughs) for earlier Mac Pros?

Would you expect the price for the faster Gainestowns to go down? How about the higher power requirements for the higher-end procs?

But remember that PowerPC was a totally different animal. Only Macs and a few other obscure platforms actually G3/G4/G5 processors. That's where the cottage industry went. You couldn't go out and buy a bare PowerPC CPU upgrade like you can with Intel.

The Xeon processors you get on the Mac Pros are identical to what you would find in similar PC workstations. Thus, any Gainestown should work on the 2009 MP and any Harpertown processor should work on the 2008 MPs...provided you have the correct heat sink.

 

[canonballs]

The Xeon processors you get on the Mac Pros are identical to what you would find in similar PC workstations. Thus, any Gainestown should work on the 2009 MP and any Harpertown processor should work on the 2008 MPs...provided you have the correct heat sink.

Right, thanks. I guess I am concerned about the potential difference between "should work" and me being able to make it work.

 

[jgbr]

no way can you put a 2008 cpu in a 2009 model, different motherboard and ram

 

[nanofrog]

The chip will use an LGA1366 socket on the daughercard, so it will be upgradeable. Intel didn't make a special package for Apple. Too expensive.

 

[jgbr]

just checked, the motherboard on the 2008 Mac Pro is a 5400 Chipset, the new mac pro, sports a new Nehalem based server grade chipset due to the change of memory and removale of FSB.

You can not put a old xeon in a new mac pro. Although i see no reason why you cant put a higher speed gainstown nahalem in it.

 

[hajime]

Is Apple using the same heatsink which came with the retail version of the Nehalem CPU?

 

[bozz2006]

most certainly not.

 

[vogelhausdesign]

Is Apple using the same heatsink which came with the retail version of the Nehalem CPU?

not even close.

and to the OP, hope you know what you're doing that would be an expensive f'up if you didn't do it right.. In my experience, its a lot different than heat paste gluing a new chip in a windows home built computer haha

 

[Tesselator]

Is the processor user upgradable? I have been without a desktop since my G4 Quicksilver died and am ready to get a new one. I don't want the quad because I want the ability to upgrade the memory beyond 8 gb, but don't want to shell out $5000.00 for the 2.93 Ghz version, I plan on getting the 2.26 octo and upgrading the processor down the road if needed. Any thought?

You're choosing right, yes. You will be able do that. 100% sure. It's not even difficult.

I think you're going to be waiting a loooog time tho before the faster procs are cheep enough for that to make sense though. 4 years I would guess. By next year or the year after we will have 2x6 or 2x8 for a total of 12 or 16 cores. With HT technology that means 24 virtual cores or 32 virtual cores. At that time upgrading to the 3.2GHz version of your procs won't be making that much difference.

IMHO, if possible, this is the year to skip buying an Apple workstation. Get a $600 Mini in the mean-time and build up nice components like a primo monitor, mice and tablets. Then in a year there will actually be something worthy of consideration from Apple. Right now? Not so much.

 

[pilotError]

I would be careful with the upgradeable CPU path.

The Mini's have been socketed CPU's since they were introduced. This latest generation has soldered CPU's. I'm really baffled why they did it personally. I guess they don't like folks tearing them down and upgrading them.