Mac Pro 2010, Possible W3670/80 upgrade from W3530

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Hi, looking around ebay for either a Xeon W3670 3.2GHz or W3680 3.33GHz hexa core. Would be upgrading from a W3530 2.8GHz quad in a 2010 Mac Pro. I have a few questions, since I'd rather know ahead of time. :D

1. Besides clock speed, the difference between the 3670 and 3680 is that the lower supports 1066MHz and the higher is 1333MHz. Is this correct?

2. What should I pay for a used tho working 6-core?

3. International shipping. What to expect from this, and what are the cautions? I'm not the best with eBay, and have always dealt with US transactions.

4. Is there a particular version of these CPUs that I must use in a Mac Pro? Initially, I was under the impression that a socket is a socket is a socket, as long it's the right one, but now I see extra info (example: SLBVE COSTA RICA 3.20GZ / 12M / 4.80 3035A996).

5. Is there anything else I am missing?

Thanks in advanced for any help!
 

pigoo3

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5. Is there anything else I am missing?

Yes. Upgrading the cpu's on Mac Pro's are not for the faint of heart...and not a common procedure.

- Nick
 
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markusaurileus
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Yes. Upgrading the cpu's on Mac Pro's are not for the faint of heart...and not a common procedure.

- Nick

Aw, I've been under the impression that it can be somewhat easy with a little hardware experience. :)


This may be a guide for you:-

Intel BX80613W3680 CPU Xeon SIX Core W3680 3 33GHz LGA1366 12MB 6 4GTS Turbo | eBay

The clock speed would be determined by the logic board.

Thanks : ) I'm a little bummed. At the time I posted this, I was eyeing a bid on a W3670 that ended at ~$210 USD


Btw, sorry for the late replies. I wanted to reply, but have been using all my free time on other things this winter, namely Battlefield 4 (-__ - i'll be honest lol…)
 

pigoo3

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Aw, I've been under the impression that it can be somewhat easy with a little hardware experience. :)

Sure it can be done. It's good to be confident & experienced. But since I do not know your experience level...I always warn that this is not a common/easy procedure.

I certainly don't want to tell the random person (who hasn't even installed ram)...that upgrading the cpu's on a Mac Pro is easy!;)

- Nick
 
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markusaurileus
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Sure it can be done. It's good to be confident & experienced. But since I do not know your experience level...I always warn that this is not a common/easy procedure.

I certainly don't want to tell the random person (who hasn't even installed ram)...that upgrading the cpu's on a Mac Pro is easy!;)

- Nick

Well thanks for the consideration haha ;) I'm definitely no expert, but I've worked with tower building and upgrades before.
 

pigoo3

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Well thanks for the consideration haha ;) I'm definitely no expert, but I've worked with tower building and upgrades before.

Like I already mentioned. Had no idea your expertise level. Identifying the correct parts is MUCH harder than the actual cpu swap.

Of course again...only "relatively easy" for someone who is comfortable & experienced working on computers...and realizing that there are few DIY instructions on the internet (unlike many other Mac upgrades). Some of the install/swap you may be on your own (which of course this is where the experience comes in).

Good luck,:)

- Nick
 
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markusaurileus
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Thanks guys for helping me cover the bases.

The researching part has definitely taken a much longer time than expected. Will be saving up probably for a new hexacore.
 

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