Upgrade 2009 Mac Pro 3.33GHz to 2010 6 Core 3.33GHz

[toby23]

I read that the new 6 core Mac Pro's use 32nm technology.
I guess this means a different mobo to the one in the 2009 4 core models?

Apple are offering an upgrade from 4 core to 6 core on the new models, so I'm wondering if I could do the same to my 2009 model or would it not be as simple to swap out the mobo as I think?

Thanks,

Toby

 

[Hellhammer]

The mobo is likely the same but the new 2010 models carries updated firmware which supports B1 stepping what is used by Gulftown&Westmere. If someone is able to flash the EFI from 2010 Mac Pro to 2009, you likely can but as for now, you can't. Wait till some further results

 

[0488568]

The mobo is likely the same but the new 2010 models carries updated firmware which supports B1 stepping what is used by Gulftown&Westmere. If someone is able to flash the EFI from 2010 Mac Pro to 2009, you likely can but as for now, you can't. Wait till some further results

That would be great! But I would just be happy with upgrading my 2 2,26 to 2 2,9. Have the 2,9 CPUs gone down in price?

 

[Hellhammer]

That would be great! But I would just be happy with upgrading my 2 2,26 to 2 2,9. Have the 2,9 CPUs gone down in price?

The list price is still the same but in eBay, you can get a pair of them for ~2000$. That's about 750$ less than the retail price

 

[0488568]

The list price is still the same but in eBay, you can get a pair of them for ~2000$. That's about 750$ less than the retail price

That still a lot of cash for me. Your talking about the normal retail version not the ones without the heatsink right?


I'm not really complaining for what I use it (music). But it would be nice =). I can probably still wait another year. What I should upgrade is to an SSD though. I have a Raptor but I believe is my current bottleneck.

 

[Hellhammer]

That still a lot of cash for me. Your talking about the normal retail version not the ones without the heatsink right?


I'm not really complaining for what I use it (music). But it would be nice =). I can probably still wait another year. What I should upgrade is to an SSD though. I have a Raptor but I believe is my current bottleneck.

Ummh, not sure about that but IMO they are just the chips, no thermal paste, fans etc included.

Definitely wait. If someone flashes the EFI, you can buy dual six-cores for the same money.

 

[0488568]

Ummh, not sure about that but IMO they are just the chips, no thermal paste, fans etc included.

Definitely wait. If someone flashes the EFI, you can buy dual six-cores for the same money.

I really doubt that 6 core Xeons would cost the same as 4 core Xeons....

 

[Hellhammer]

I really doubt that 6 core Xeons would cost the same as 4 core Xeons....

1k unit prices from Intel:

X5570 (2.93GHz) - 1386$
X5670 (2.93GHz) - 1440$

So for ~100$ more you get four extra cores.

 

[BillB50]

I too am interested in a retrofit - I can't find stepping information on intel's website, but there now is two hexacore processors offered. The i7 has a less expensive offering in the i7-970 which has a clock speed of 3.2 Ghz with a max frequency of 3.46, which would be a definite upgrade to the current 2.93 I have running now. NewEgg has this processor listed for $885.00.

Any information anyone has would be appreciated -

The specs from intel can be found here:
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=47933&processor=i7-970&spec-codes=SLBVF

thanks -

 

[Hellhammer]

I too am interested in a retrofit - I can't find stepping information on intel's website, but there now is two hexacore processors offered. The i7 has a less expensive offering in the i7-970 which has a clock speed of 3.2 Ghz with a max frequency of 3.46, which would be a definite upgrade to the current 2.93 I have running now. NewEgg has this processor listed for $885.00.

Any information anyone has would be appreciated -

The specs from intel can be found here:
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=47933&processor=i7-970&spec-codes=SLBVF

thanks -

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=47933&processor=i7-970&spec-codes=SLBVF

As you see there, it's B1 stepping.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?i...540+(8M+Cache,+2.93+GHz,+4.80+GT/s+Intel®+QPI)

That's your current CPU, it has D0 stepping. Click "Ordering/sSpecs/Steppings" in the left hand side to see the steppings in both. B1 stepping came after 2009 Mac Pro so the motherboard does not support it. A firmware update would add support for it but Apple hasn't released one

 

[Roman23]

Do the singles and duals support D0?

Is the firmware compatible with D0 also?? The lower quads are regular nehalems with D0 processors.. so I would think the same can be for the 8-core 2.4 as well.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=47933&processor=i7-970&spec-codes=SLBVF

As you see there, it's B1 stepping.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?i...540+(8M+Cache,+2.93+GHz,+4.80+GT/s+Intel®+QPI)

That's your current CPU, it has D0 stepping. Click "Ordering/sSpecs/Steppings" in the left hand side to see the steppings in both. B1 stepping came after 2009 Mac Pro so the motherboard does not support it. A firmware update would add support for it but Apple hasn't released one

 

[Hellhammer]

Is the firmware compatible with D0 also?? The lower quads are regular nehalems with D0 processors.. so I would think the same can be for the 8-core 2.4 as well.

Can't see why Apple would have disabled D0 from the EFI. They likely just added B1 support for the existing EFI but it's just my guess. Nobody knows anything so far