Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Mac Pro '09 CPU upgrade

J

joshlac

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 22, 2014
11
0
Hi,

I've '09 Mac Pro 2x2.26GHz quadcore which I want to upgrade.
My question is:

Can I fit one W3690 3.46GHz CPU into my dual CPU board leaving one CPU socket empty?

I read somewhere that dual CPU Mac Pro can run just one CPU.
Or better option is to get single CPU socket board (I can get it cheap)
and replace the dual CPU board. Will it work:confused:
 
joshlac said:
Hi,

I've '09 Mac Pro 2x2.26GHz quadcore which I want to upgrade.
My question is:

Can I fit one W3690 3.46GHz CPU into my dual CPU board leaving one CPU socket empty?

I read somewhere that dual CPU Mac Pro can run just one CPU.
Or better option is to get single CPU socket board (I can get it cheap)
and replace the dual CPU board. Will it work:confused:
Click to expand...

It will work but the fans will run at 5,000 rpms after about 30 seconds. You'd be better off buying a used single core mac pro if you already have that w3690.
 
joshlac said:
Hi,

I've '09 Mac Pro 2x2.26GHz quadcore which I want to upgrade.
My question is:

Can I fit one W3690 3.46GHz CPU into my dual CPU board leaving one CPU socket empty?

I read somewhere that dual CPU Mac Pro can run just one CPU.
Or better option is to get single CPU socket board (I can get it cheap)
and replace the dual CPU board. Will it work:confused:
Click to expand...

2009 single board in 2009 dual machine will work that processor will not work in a dual board however. For that you need the x series of processor like x5690 and has been mentioned the fans will go crazy with only one processor in it.
 
MacUser2525 said:
2009 single board in 2009 dual machine will work that processor will not work in a dual board however. For that you need the x series of processor like x5690 and has been mentioned the fans will go crazy with only one processor in it.
Click to expand...

Actually not completely correct. The prefix alpha E, X or W have nothing to do with single or dual CPU capability. It is the first numeric after the Alpha that denotes single or dual CPU capability. The 3 is only for single CPU operation only, the 5 is for dual CPU Operation, but will also work in single CPU 5,1 or upgraded 4,1 Mac Pros.

Lou
 
joshlac said:
I
can I use 2010 single CPU board in my '09 dual CPU Mac?

what about i7-980x and i7-990x CPUs, are they good to go?
Click to expand...

I don't think that you can put a 2010 board in a 2009 Mac Pro. The fans may run full speed.

i7-9XX CPUs are known to work in the 2009-2010 Mac Pros.
 
To me it seems like what you are attempting to do is a waste of money considering you already have a dual CPU system.

What are you doing that requires you to have 3.46GHz all the time? Can something like dual x5570's do the job for very little money?

The 5690's are ridiculously expensive, but you can get the 5680's for nowhere near as high as them and they are not all that much slower.
I live in Australia and recently on eBay there was a server board with dual x5680's installed with 48GB RAM that sold for AUD$900. That is about US$800
 
If the OP is looking for six cores, why not just go for dual four core W5590s? He'll have eight cores running at 3.33GHz. And W5590s are very inexpensive right now. I'm running them in my 5,1 because I believe that for the tasks I do, CPU speed is more important than having twelve cores.

Lou
 
I'm thinking about W3690 because it can run 3.73GHz in turbo mode
and I need fastest possible clock speed for Illustrator CS6 (after work that CPU can handle Crysis 3 as well);)

Right now redrawing (after panning with hand tool) complex Illustrator files (http://download.macromedia.com/pub/illustrator/howto/cs6/Natures_Journey.ai)
takes about 5.5 sec....:(

But I will listen to all other options and advices how to upgrade '09 Mac Pro for heavy work in Illustrator CS6:)

ps.
Just found that X5677 runs the same clock speed, so maybe this is a winner for me?
 
Last edited:
joshlac said:
I'm thinking about W3690 because it can run 3.73GHz in turbo mode
and I need fastest possible clock speed for Illustrator CS6 (after work that CPU can handle Crysis 3 as well);)

ps.
Just found that X5677 runs the same clock speed, so maybe this is a winner for me?
Click to expand...

I'm a heavy illustrator user too. You are never going to hit the turbo boost for any extended period of time so that should not be your determining factor at all. The w5590 has a turbo of 3.6 and is plenty fast for Illustrator. That's what I run in my single cpu system, it would be great in a dual cpu system as well, as mentioned. More than speedy enough for illustrator.

There is no reason why the x5677 would not work on paper..however I've never seen that chip used in a Mac Pro. As far as I know, the fastest Quad is the 3.33. I would suspect that the x5677 isn't set up in the Mac Pros firmware as a compatible chip.
 
funwithdesign said:
I'm a heavy illustrator user too. You are never going to hit the turbo boost for any extended period of time so that should not be your determining factor at all. The w5590 has a turbo of 3.6 and is plenty fast for Illustrator. That's what I run in my single cpu system, it would be great in a dual cpu system as well, as mentioned. More than speedy enough for illustrator.

There is no reason why the x5677 would not work on paper..however I've never seen that chip used in a Mac Pro. As far as I know, the fastest Quad is the 3.33. I would suspect that the x5677 isn't set up in the Mac Pros firmware as a compatible chip.
Click to expand...

Could you please post your time for redraw this file?
http://download.macromedia.com/pub/illustrator/howto/cs6/Natures_Journey.ai

I found few benchmarks at geekbench with X5677 CPU's:
http://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench3/search?dir=desc&q=X5677&sort=score

just comparing W5590 vs. X5677 at geekbench website, they are quite similar...
 
funwithdesign said:
Sure thing, how would you like me to do that?
Click to expand...

Please open the file and zoom in to 100%.

Then zoom out to fit to window (cmd-0) and measure the time from pressing keys to the moment when the artwork is fully rendered.
My result: 2560x1440 screen: ~5.5sec.
Thanks and sorry for offtopic.
 
joshlac said:
Please open the file and zoom in to 100%.

Then zoom out to fit to window (cmd-0) and measure the time from pressing keys to the moment when the artwork is fully rendered.
My result: 2560x1440 screen: ~5.5sec.
Thanks and sorry for offtopic.
Click to expand...

With my highly unscientific method, I get <2.5 sec. Same resolution as you.
 
joshlac said:
Just to confirm, that was Illustrator CS6? thanks.


As for X5677, should I treat the benchmarks at geekbench site as hackintosh results?
I can't find X5677 Mac Pro on the net anywhere...
http://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench3/search?dir=desc&q=X5677&sort=score
Click to expand...

Indeed you should there was one poster here couple of weeks ago mentioned similar model number tried that did not work. The fastest I have ever seen posted that have worked are the x3690 and the x5690 3.46mhz single and dual cpus respectively.
 
joshlac said:
I'm thinking about W3690 because it can run 3.73GHz in turbo mode
and I need fastest possible clock speed for Illustrator CS6 (after work that CPU can handle Crysis 3 as well);)

Right now redrawing (after panning with hand tool) complex Illustrator files (http://download.macromedia.com/pub/illustrator/howto/cs6/Natures_Journey.ai)
takes about 5.5 sec....:(

But I will listen to all other options and advices how to upgrade '09 Mac Pro for heavy work in Illustrator CS6:)

ps.
Just found that X5677 runs the same clock speed, so maybe this is a winner for me?
Click to expand...

You will have no trouble finding someone to trade your 2009 Dual CPU board for a single. Takes about 10 seconds to switch.
 
Just one last question:
if I upgrade my Mac Pro 4,1 to 5,1 firmware can I use the 5,1 CPU board without fans issue?
 
So what's the fastest CPU you can upgrade to (2009 Mac Pro 2.26GHz) without upgrading memory or mnotherboard?
 
^^^^I think DOC meant, upgrading the firmware. And you don't usually upgrade (replace) RAM for "faster memory speeds. Although on the 4,1 and 5,1 you can, to realize the full potential of an upgraded CPU. You usually upgrade RAM (increase the RAM capacity) for faster computer operation.

Lou
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back