Changing the CPU in a MacPro ?

[CHSeifert]

Hey,

I'm an experienced PC builder looking to buy some iMac's but thought about getting a cheapish MacPro and then just upgrade the CPU, ram and SSD drives myself - but what is allowed to upgrade in the MacPro and what is not ?

Can I just upgrade the CPU - remove the old thermal adhesive put on some new Arctic Silver 5 and then the CPU and everything is ok or what ?

What about the logic board / motherboard - can that be exchanged too without voiding Apples guarantee ?

 

[philipma1957]

the thread below covers the lowest priced 2010 mac pro


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1122551/



feel free to read it.. my machine now has;

a Intel w3670 hex 3.2 cpu

32gb ram

and on the 13th of this month i am getting an intel 300gb ssd.

with careful shopping in the usa this upgraded machine was under 4000 usd.

for the machine -------------------------------2300


the cpu after sale of the oem cpu------------400

ssd--------------------------------------------- 500

32gb ram--------------------------------------- 600


total --------------------------------------------3800 oh I have a better graphics card so add 200 more 4000

 

[alust2013]

It can be done, but not without voiding the warranty.

 

[CHSeifert]

the thread below covers the lowest priced 2010 mac pro


https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1122551/



feel free to read it.. my machine now has;

a Intel w3670 hex 3.2 cpu

32gb ram

and on the 13th of this month i am getting an intel 300gb ssd.

with careful shopping in the usa this upgraded machine was under 4000 usd.

for the machine -------------------------------2300


the cpu after sale of the oem cpu------------400

ssd--------------------------------------------- 500

32gb ram--------------------------------------- 600


total --------------------------------------------3800 oh I have a better graphics card so add 200 more 4000

Thanks

Interesting reading indeed.

But if I buy a MacPro now - it has to be able to serve my needs for the next 3 years time. Can't afford to get a new one sooner than that

I will save up for a CRAZY 3 ACD 27 setup. I do graphical work, web designing (just starting again after 8 years in the dark) and some photo shooting. No video shooting or video editing at all.

My favorite programs are:

Photoshop
Fireworks
Lightroom
Dreamweaver
Indesign
Iphoto
Iworks
Coda
CSS edit

Do I need a logicboard with two CPU sockets ?
I'm guessing yes, to be a bit better 'futureproof'

Thanks for your help

 

[satcomer]

Just follow the site Accelerate Your Macintosh and their CPU Upgrade Reports.

 

[alust2013]

Thanks

Interesting reading indeed.

But if I buy a MacPro now - it has to be able to serve my needs for the next 3 years time. Can't afford to get a new one sooner than that

I will save up for a CRAZY 3 ACD 27 setup. I do graphical work, web designing (just starting again after 8 years in the dark) and some photo shooting. No video shooting or video editing at all.

My favorite programs are:

Photoshop
Fireworks
Lightroom
Dreamweaver
Indesign
Iphoto
Iworks
Coda
CSS edit

Do I need a logicboard with two CPU sockets ?
I'm guessing yes, to be a bit better 'futureproof'

Thanks for your help

----
Vh/Regards
Claus - TapaTalk on my Ip4

I'd pass on the dual CPU. That's much more useful for video than photo type things. However, if you are going to go with 3 ACDs, you'll need two graphics cards, and the two 5770s would be the easiest. It looks like the base model will easily do what you need it to, and still be pretty darn fast in a few years.

 

[philipma1957]

Thanks

Interesting reading indeed.

But if I buy a MacPro now - it has to be able to serve my needs for the next 3 years time. Can't afford to get a new one sooner than that

...

Do I need a logicboard with two CPU sockets ?
I'm guessing yes, to be a bit better 'futureproof'

Thanks for your help

----
Vh/Regards
Claus - TapaTalk on my Ip4

If you said 5 or 6 years I would say you may out grow it. 3 years I am thinking you would be fine. Single hex core build.

I'd pass on the dual CPU. That's much more useful for video than photo type things. However, if you are going to go with 3 ACDs, you'll need two graphics cards, and the two 5770s would be the easiest. It looks like the base model will easily do what you need it to, and still be pretty darn fast in a few years.

The dual cpu is far more expensive So I agree you should pass on the dual. maybe 3k plus 3k is 6k with no ssd and no ram so 7k easy usa prices. more like 8k.


You would take a long time to outgrow it. heck a long time to grow into it!

If you spend 4k to kind of match my build and in 3 years sell it for 2k. you can go out and buy a killer diller then. you never went for more then 4k out of pocket. I did a lot of testing with my build vs a 3.33ghz hex core mac pro that i purchased to compare and test against the 3.2 ghz mod. I would say that for about 75 percent of the price the modded hex 3.2 is about 95 percent as good with as hex 3.33GH/z .

 

[CHSeifert]

I'd pass on the dual CPU. That's much more useful for video than photo type things. However, if you are going to go with 3 ACDs, you'll need two graphics cards, and the two 5770s would be the easiest. It looks like the base model will easily do what you need it to, and still be pretty darn fast in a few years.

Thanks for helping me

Here in Denmark where I live, the base MacPro with one ACD 27 is almost the same as an iMac 27 ultimate - so will still need to do some upgrading to it:

16 GB Ram (2x8)
2 OCZ Vertex 3 240 GB SSD for OSx and programs
1 WD CAVIAR BLACK 3 TB HDD for music and movies

With these extras this thing will fly almost fast as my selfdesigned LianLi PC selfbuilder

I might even afford getting new MacPro once every second year if I get the base single CPU with a small upgrade to a faster CPU and faster GPU - will keep my iMac 27 ultimate for now and buy the ACD 27 and work with this until the sandy bridge SATA 3 MacPro's are launched

If you said 5 or 6 years I would say you may out grow it. 3 years I am thinking you would be fine. Single hex core build.


The dual cpu is far more expensive So I agree you should pass on the dual. maybe 3k plus 3k is 6k with no ssd and no ram so 7k easy usa prices. more like 8k.


You would take a long time to outgrow it. heck a long time to grow into it!

If you spend 4k to kind of match my build and in 3 years sell it for 2k. you can go out and buy a killer diller then. you never went for more then 4k out of pocket. I did a lot of testing with my build vs a 3.33ghz hex core mac pro that i purchased to compare and test against the 3.2 ghz mod. I would say that for about 75 percent of the price the modded hex 3.2 is about 95 percent as good with as hex 3.33GH/z .

Nice

As stated in my answer above I may be able to afford new MacPro every 2 years if the single CPU model will fulfill my needs !