Looking for Clovertown CPUs [Mac Pro Upgrade]

[Edd.Dantes]

My 2006 Mac Pro is getting a little slow. She needs an upgrade but on the cheap.


I already have a perfect Hackintosh but I have no intention of selling, or retiring, my Mac Pro. I love it too much.


Now to the rub... I cannot find any affordable 53XX [Clovertown] processors.


They are old, by today's standards, yet their cost is sky high. I could build another Hackintosh or buy a brand new iMac for the cost of 2 Clovertowns.


Ebay's cheapest fall into the $300+/each.

700-800 [for the absolute cheapest upgrade] seems insane to me.

Prices seems to be going up instead of going down.

Can someone please advise.

TIA !

 

[calderone]

Prices are high due to their low availability. Most technology goes something like this:

1. Hardware released, pricing is moderatly high to high
2. Prices lower as production gets cheaper
3. Prices bottom
4. Hardware is replaced with newer technology
5. Sometimes production continues on the old hardware for a little longer, keeping prices steady
6. Prices increase as supply decreases
7. Prices eventually falloff once demand for the old hardware has dropped

Something like that at least. Clovertowns are likely still in demand due to existing implementations. It is cheaper to buy the parts than to replace all the hardware. Of course, this isn't just the hardware cost alone as many of these would be in server environments where replacing hardware is a significant project.

Best advice, find other ways to improve the speed of your box or replace it.

 

[Edd.Dantes]

Good points, many of which I considered.


I guess I will hold out another year or so before I upgrade.


I'll continue to watch ebay. I might get lucky


Coincidently, would the E5345 [2.33ghz Clovertown] work ? It is the 80 watt Clovertown that is clocked a little lower than the X5355.

It should work, right ?

 

[bearcatrp]

The 2.33 will work. I upgraded my 2ghz Quad core Mac pro to these before I sold it. I chose the 2.33 for their low voltage. Good boost for multithreaded apps. Should put you over until your ready for more cores.