MP All Models Mac Pro CPU Compatibility List

[MrCheeto]

IDK how you seem to know these things inside out and upside down but...sheesh.

OK I'll concede that I may have yet another separate dedicated Leopard machine. Or something.

How about the wattage. Is 115W safe and reliable in the pre-revision board?

 

[tsialex]

How about the wattage. Is 115W safe and reliable in the pre-revision board?

A X5675 pair should work fine, once de-lided. Rev.A early-2009 dual CPU trays that can't run X5680/X5690 usually can run X5675 without any problems if the CPU tray solder mask is black.

Since it's a Rev.A Mac Pro, the main issue will be the BootROM. For all early-2009 Mac Pros made before June 2009, the NVRAM volume have only one VSS store, exactly like the MacPro3,1. This makes it incompatible with MP5,1 firmwares and will brick in the very near future. Long story short, you will also need a BootROM reconstruction service. Do it before upgrading the processors, to not risk bricking.

 

[MrCheeto]

YIKES! I've never heard this. So you're saying that since it's a Rev.A it simply can NOT have the 5,1 firmware and that means it can NOT ever use the Westmere chips?

 

[tsialex]

YIKES! I've never heard this. So you're saying that since it's a Rev.A it simply can NOT have the 5,1 firmware and that means it can NOT ever use the Westmere chips?

Nope. While you can cross-flash it, it will brick down the road, since the NVRAM volume is slightly incompatible.

The early-2009 Mac Pros NVRAM volume is made of:

• only one VSS store, like MacPro3,1
• a working FTW store
• Fsys store
• Gaid store

The mid-2010/mid-2012 Mac Pros NVRAM volume is made of

• two VSS stores, a primary and a secondary
• a non-working FTW store, just a place holder
• Fsys store
• Gaid store

This is not a new info, we know this since around 2018. That's why most bricked Mac Pros are the early-2009s, since it's so easy to corrupt the NVRAM volume while the firmware does the garbage collection.

You can solve this once and for all with a clean-up, upgrade and reconstruction service, when the early-2009 firmware will be upgraded to be exactly like the mid-2012s made back in October 2013.

 

[MrCheeto]

You can solve this once and for all with a clean-up, upgrade and reconstruction service, when the early-2009 firmware will be upgraded to be exactly like the mid-2012s made back in October 2013.

I'm sure the experts have been aware of this, but if you can't judge by my avitar, I'm r*tarded.

When you say service, does that imply that this upgrade requires sending it to a professional? Does it require any hardware modification?

 

[tsialex]

I'm sure the experts have been aware of this, but if you can't judge by my avitar, I'm r*tarded.

When you say service, does that imply that this upgrade requires sending it to a professional?

Not the Mac Pro, just a BootROM image dump made with ROMTool and some other necessary info (pictures of the MLB and ESN labels), after the reconstruction is completed you'll flash the never booted BootROM image back to your Mac Pro, also with ROMTool.

After you get your early-2009, send me a PM.

Does it require any hardware modification?

No, but be aware that since it's a 12+ years old Mac, sometime in the future you will need to replace the SPI flash memory - it's a component with limited lifetime, designed for just 100K cycles of non-contiguous NAND erases/re-writes (unfortunately, the Mac Pro NVRAM is contiguous).

Once replaced, your BootROM will work for another 10 years.

 

[MrCheeto]

Not the Mac Pro, just a BootROM image dump made with ROMTool and some other necessary info (pictures of the MLB and ESN labels), after the reconstruction is completed you flash the never booted BootROM image back your Mac Pro.

OH, so you fix these things. So I'd just send information through an email and you'd sell me a patch?

You said it will make it like a 2012/2013 Pro, so that would mean Snow Leopard wouldn't possibly boot on them, right?

 

[tsialex]

OH, so you fix these things. So I'd just send information through an email and you'd sell me a patch?

Correct.

You said it will make it like a 2012/2013 Pro, so that would mean Snow Leopard wouldn't possibly boot on them, right?

The late-2013 Mac Pros are based on a totally different Intel reference platform and firmware is completely incompatible.

What I wrote is that the mid-2012s made right before the closing of the production back in late October 2013 have the most updated firmware revision ever and this firmware revision is the golden standard for early-2009 to mid-2012 Mac Pros.

The mid-2012 Mac Pros also can run Snow Leopard - 10.6.4 special build and newer, while the MobileMe Snow Leopard upgrade DVDs that almost any old Mac user have and most retail Snow Leopard installer DVDs are also version 10.6.3 and won't work with mid-2010/mid-2012 or cross-flashed early-2009s.

 

[MrCheeto]

The mid-2012 Mac Pros also can run Snow Leopard (10.6.4 special build and newer, while the MobileMe upgrade DVDs and most retail ones are 10.6.3 and won't work with mid-2010/mid-2012 or cross-flashed early-2009s).

Aaaah, gotcha gotcha. I see how you are the go-to for this information.

I'll ask for your services if I go through with this deal. Considering the price and trouble to upgrade it, I may wait for a later model to show up.

I've had my heart set on getting the most powerful Leopard system I can, so what sort of advice can you offer there? No matter what Pro I end up with, I will certainly have something running 10.5.6, so i gotta know.

Thanks for all of this great info.

 

[tsialex]

I've had my heart set on getting the most powerful Leopard system I can, so what sort of advice can you offer there? No matter what Pro I end up with, I will certainly have something running 10.5.6, so i gotta know.

An early-2008 Mac Pro or early-2009 with the original firmware, not upgraded to MP5,1 and with a Nehalem Xeon processor (E55xx, L55xx, X55xx Xeons).

 

[Dayo]

I've had my heart set on getting the most powerful Leopard system I can, so what sort of advice can you offer there? No matter what Pro I end up with, I will certainly have something running 10.5.6, so i gotta know.

An early-2008 Mac Pro or early-2009 with the original firmware, not upgraded to MP5,1 and with a Nehalem Xeon processor (E55xx, L55xx, X55xx Xeons).

While native support is likely better, it is worth nothing that while most focus on OpenCore is on NEWER unsupported MacOS, it can do the job for OLDER unsupported MacOS as well and allow running MacOS back to v10.4 (Tiger).

 

[tsialex]

While native support is likely better, it is worth nothing that while most focus on OpenCore is on NEWER unsupported MacOS, it can do the job for OLDER unsupported MacOS as well and allow running MacOS back to v10.4 (Tiger).

Maybe I'm missing something, but how the user will install an unsupported release that the kernel don't even have support for the CPU? How you gonna run Tiger with a Westmere Xeon?

 

[Dayo]

Haven't looked in detail but I suppose it must involve more or less the same type of things that allow newer OS to run on older units (in reverse I suppose).

Section 12.1, Legacy Apple OS, of the OpenCore manual touches on running such. Haven't tried myself as said but do notice related commits going into the code now and then

 

[Dayo]

notice related commits going into the code

New example in merge queue:

OCAB: Implement macOS 10.4/10.5 relocation block support by Goldfish64 · Pull Request #373 · acidanthera/OpenCorePkg

Implements macOS 10.4 and 10.5 support for relocation blocks while using the AllowRelocationBlock booter quirk. This is required due to XNU in 10.4 and 10.5 having a _TEXT base address of 0x111000,...

github.com

 

[Aarongr]

Very helpful information. I just got a Mac Pro 5,1 2010 and was reading about upgrading the CPU to dual X5690. Question can I just go on Ebay and search for x5690.. does it have to be "pair" or "same serial number" or does any 2 X5690's work together.
Also can I boot into 10.6.8 if needed or is there a limit to the os that is used?
Thanks

 

[h9826790]

Very helpful information. I just got a Mac Pro 5,1 2010 and was reading about upgrading the CPU to dual X5690. Question can I just go on Ebay and search for x5690.. does it have to be "pair" or "same serial number" or does any 2 X5690's work together.
Also can I boot into 10.6.8 if needed or is there a limit to the os that is used?
Thanks

Any two official released (e.g. non engineering sample) X5690 are good to pair up.

And you can never get two CPU with identical serial number unless they are fake.

10.6.8 is fine.

 

[flowrider]

Any Intel X5690 will work in a dual CPU setup. They do not need to be a pair or "matched." As long as they are production models you'll be fine👍 - HOWEVER DO NOT GET ENGINEERING SAMPLES!!!!!!

Lou

 

[Charles1]

Bokkow and I have created a Mac Pro CPU compatibility list. The intent is to cover all relevant and compatible CPU upgrades for all Mac Pros. These are asked about over and over and over again, so I thought it would be nice to have it all in one place.

Constructive criticism, corrections to errors, pointing out omissions, etc. are all welcome. My intent is, after the content matures, to turn this first post into a wiki so that anyone can maintain it going forward from there.

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Notes:

• Any and all information here may be incorrect. Use at your own risk.
• This includes anything offered by Apple (BTO/CTO), third party upgrade guides and commercial services (such as Barefeats, OWC, or xlr8yourmac), or simply individuals claiming personal success in a forum somewhere (such as MacRumors and Netkas). There are probably many unverified CPUs that work, but these are not listed.
• Memory speed is included in these charts. This is important because in some cases the CPU choice makes a difference.
• Upgrading to a higher TDP (wattage) processor may increase temperatures and/or fan speed at max load. Macs Fan Control is a popular way to control your Mac's fan and it is available for both OS X and Windows, unlike most Mac fan software.
• Some used CPUs for sale on Ebay and elsewhere are Intel Engineering Samples. You can read more about these here, but they are basically "beta" versions of the CPU provided to OEMs for testing. These may or may not work in a Mac Pro. In my research at least one person bought an engineering sample that didn't work. Since Intel only loans them out and never sells them, they can also be considered stolen property. People have literally been arrested for selling Intel ES processors on Ebay.

Key	Description
-	Not compatible
x	Compatible
x*	Compatible, but see notes about firmware update

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Mac Pro 7,1

• 1TB or 2TB maximum RAM depending on processor

Architecture	Cores	Grade	CPU-Model	GHz	Turbo	RAM	Watt	Max RAM
Cascade Lake	28 core	Xeon W	W-3275M	2.5	4.4	2933	205W	2TB
Cascade Lake	28 core	Xeon W	W-3275	2.5	4.4	2933	205W	1TB
Cascade Lake	24 core	Xeon W	W-3265M	2.7	4.4	2933	205W	2TB
Cascade Lake	24 core	Xeon W	W-3265	2.7	4.4	2933	205W	1TB
Cascade Lake	16 core	Xeon W	W-3245M	3.2	4.4	2933	205W	2TB
Cascade Lake	16 core	Xeon W	W-3245	3.2	4.4	2933	205W	1TB
Cascade Lake	12 core	Xeon W	W-3235	3.3	4.4	2933	180W	1TB
Cascade Lake	8 core	Xeon W	W-3225	3.7	4.3	2666	160W	1TB
Cascade Lake	8 core	Xeon W	W-3223	3.5	4.0	2666	160W	1TB

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Mac Pro 6,1

• 128GB maximum RAM (reduced speed 1066Mhz)
• 64GB maximum RAM (full speed 1866Mhz)

Architecture	Cores	Grade	CPU-Model	GHz	Turbo	RAM	Watt
Ivy-Bridge	12 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2697 V2	2.7	3.5	1866	130W
Ivy-Bridge	12 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2696 V2	2.5	3.3	1866	130W
Ivy-Bridge	12 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2695 V2	2.4	3.2	1866	115W
Ivy-Bridge	10 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2690 V2	3.0	3.6	1866	130W
Ivy-Bridge	10 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2680 V2	2.8	3.6	1866	115W
Ivy-Bridge	8 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2687W V2	3.4	4.0	1866	150W
Ivy-Bridge	8 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2667 V2	3.3	4.0	1866	130W
Ivy-Bridge	8 core	Dual Xeon	E5-2673 V2	3.3	4.0	1866	110W
Ivy-Bridge	8 core	Xeon	E5-1680 V2	3.0	3.9	1866	130W
Ivy-Bridge	6 core	Xeon	E5-1660 V2	3.7	4.0	1866	130W
Ivy-Bridge	6 core	Xeon	E5-1650 V2	3.5	3.9	1866	130W
Ivy-Bridge	4 core	Xeon	E5-1620 V2	3.7	3.9	1866	130W

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Mac Pro 5,1 and 4,1
Xserve 3,1

• Maximum RAM:
  • 56GB in a single-processor Mac Pro using a single-processor-capable Xeon
  • 64GB in a single-processor Mac Pro using a dual-processor-capable Xeon
  • 160GB in a dual-processor Mac Pro
  • 48GB for a single-processor Xserve
  • 96GB in a dual-processor Xserve
• For the 4,1 to use Westmere CPUs and run RAM at 1333, it will need the firmware upgrade to 5,1, found here: http://forum.netkas.org/index.php/topic,852.0.html
• 5,1 Mac Pros shipped with 1333 RAM even when paired with a Nehalem (1066 only) processor. As shipped, the RAM runs at 1066 because of the CPU. However, if you upgrade to a 1333-capable CPU, your RAM will run at 1333 after an NVRAM reset.
• Consumer CPUs (i7 9xx) do not support ECC RAM, but Mac Pros 4,1 and 5,1 work fine with non-ECC RAM
• Installing a single "Dual Xeon" processor into a single-processor Mac Pro works fine, and actually increases its maximum RAM from 56 to 64GB.
• Installing just one single-processor-model CPU into a dual-processor Mac Pro technically works, but this causes an error state with the CPU fan going full blast.
• For two CPUs, you must install two "Dual Xeon" processors. You cannot use two i7 or single Xeon processors.
• The X#### CPU's tend to have a slightly higher maximum temperature rating than their W#### equivalents.
• 4,1 dual-processor CPU trays made before May 2009 are problematic with 130W Xeons.
• 4,1 dual-processor Mac Pro uses a special, "lidless" CPUs (the single-processor models use normal CPUs). This has a different height than the normal CPUs, so if you upgrade a dual-processor 4,1 Mac Pro with different processors, you need to deal with the height difference. There are several ways to do this:
  • Buy CPUs that someone has already de-lidded.
  • Buy normal CPUs and de-lid them yourself. Here is thread about delidding yourself and here is a video. (And here is a post warning against delidding yourself.)
  • Buy normal CPUs and pay for de-lidding service.
  • Keep the lids on, but be extremely careful about not tightening down the heat sink too much. (If you don't remove the lids it is very easy to tighten down the heat sink screws too much on a CPU that's too large, resulting in damage to the socket, CPU, and/or board.)
  • Other people have kept the lids on, but added washer stacks (of equivalent height to the lid difference) to where the tightening screws go--this is intended to prevent the heat sink from overtightening and causing damage. Here is an informational washer stack thread, and here is a really good post with pictures and a step-by-step procedure.
  • If you keep the lids on, the existing heat pad won't reach the heat sink due to the extra height of the lids. You need to make up for this gap by replacing the heat pad with a thicker pad.
• The Xserve 3,1 uses lidless CPUs for both single-CPU and double-CPU models. We don't know if the washer-stack trick will work in Xserves as they are physically different than MP, but the other solutions should work.
• No, the X5687 (3.6GHz quad-core) and the X5698 (4.4GHz dual-core) do not work in Mac Pros. I don't want to list every CPU that doesn't work with a Mac, but these two are asked about often enough to include here, and they've been verified as not working.

Architecture	Cores	Grade	CPU-Model	GHz	Turbo	RAM	Watt	MP4,1	MP5,1	XS3,1
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	X5690	3.46	3.73	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	X5680	3.33	3.60	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	X5679	3.20	3.60	1066	115W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	X5675	3.06	3.46	1333	95W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	X5670	2.93	3.33	1333	95W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	X5660	2.80	3.20	1333	95W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	X5650	2.66	3.06	1333	95W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	E5649	2.53	2.80	1333	80W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	E5645	2.40	2.67	1333	80W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Dual Xeon	L5639	2.13	2.67	1333	60W	x*	x	-
Gulftown	6 core	Xeon	W3690	3.46	3.73	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Xeon	W3680	3.33	3.60	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Westmere	6 core	Xeon	W3670	3.20	3.46	1066	130W	x*	x	-
Gulftown	6 core	Consumer	i7 990X	3.46	3.73	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Gulftown	6 core	Consumer	i7 980X	3.33	3.60	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Gulftown	6 core	Consumer	i7 970	3.20	3.46	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5687	3.60	3.86	1333	130W	-	-	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5677	3.46	3.73	1333	130W	x*	x	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5672	3.20	3.60	1333	95W	x*	x	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5667	3.06	3.46	1333	95W	x*	x	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5647	2.93	3.20	1066	130W	x*	x	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5640	2.66	2.93	1066	80W	x*	x	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5630	2.53	2.80	1066	80W	x*	x	-
Westmere	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5620	2.40	2.66	1066	80W	x*	x	-
Westmere	2 core	Dual Xeon	X5698	4.40	4.54	1333	130W	-	-	-
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	W5590	3.33	3.60	1333	130W	x	x	x
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	W5580	3.20	3.46	1333	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5570	2.93	3.33	1333	95W	x	x	x
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5560	2.80	3.20	1333	95W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5550	2.66	3.06	1333	95W	x	x	x
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5540	2.53	2.80	1066	80W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5530	2.40	2.66	1066	80W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5520	2.26	2.53	1066	80W	x	x	x
Nehalem	4 core	Xeon	W3580	3.33	3.60	1333	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Xeon	W3570	3.20	3.46	1333	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Xeon	W3565	3.20	3.46	1066	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Xeon	W3540	2.93	3.20	1066	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Xeon	W3530	2.80	3.06	1066	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Xeon	W3520	2.66	2.93	1066	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Consumer	i7 975	3.33	3.60	1333	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Consumer	i7 965	3.20	3.46	1066	130W	x**	x**	-
Nehalem	4 core	Consumer	i7 960	3.20	3.46	1066	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Consumer	i7 950	3.06	3.33	1066	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Consumer	i7 940	2.93	3.20	1066	130W	x**	x**	-
Nehalem	4 core	Consumer	i7 930	2.80	3.06	1066	130W	x	x	-
Nehalem	4 core	Consumer	i7 920	2.66	2.93	1066	130W	x**	x**	-

* Requires 4,1 to 5,1 firmware upgrade



** Some or all steppings of these CPUs don't work with certain newer Mac Pro firmware versions applied by High Sierra 10.13.5 updates and newer. See this thread. The thread also has a method for adding the code back to make the CPUs compatible again.

Note: Reports of GAINESTOWN (Xeon 5500-series) processors in Mojave experiencing audio related issues. See this thread for more information.

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Mac Pro 3,1
Xserve 2,1

• 64GB maximum RAM
• The 3,1 MP is not compatible with all steppings. Processors with a 5-digit sSpec starting with "SLB" do not work. Those that start with "SLA" work. The sSpec is marked on the top of the processor. sSpec numbers listed in this table should work.
• The 3,1 single-processor Mac Pro can be upgraded to dual-processor by adding a second CPU and appropriate heat sink. The CPUs must match including sSpec, so either get a second CPU that matches your existing CPU, or get two matching CPUs.

Architecture	Cores	Grade	CPU-Model	sSpec	GHz	RAM	Watt	MP3,1	XS2,1
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5482	SLANZ	3.2	800	150W	x	-
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5460	SLANP	3.16	667	120W	x	-
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5472	SLANR	3.0	800	80W	x	x
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5472	SLASA	3.0	800	120W	x	-
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5450	SLASB	3.0	667	120W	x	-
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5450	SLANQ	3.0	667	80W	x	-
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5440	SLANS	2.83	667	80W	x	-
Harpertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5462	SLANT	2.8	800	80W	x	x
Wolfdale	2 core	Dual Xeon	X5272	SLANH	3.40	800	80W	x	-
Wolfdale	2 core	Dual Xeon	X5260	SLANJ	3.33	667	80W	x	-

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Mac Pro 2,1 and 1,1
Xserve 1,1

• 32GB maximum RAM for 1,1 (increases to 64GB if flashed with 2,1 firmware)
• 64GB maximum RAM for 2,1
• For the 1,1 to use Clovertown CPUs properly, it needs a firmware flashed to 2,1.
• The 1,1 to 2,1 firmware flash requires Snow Leopard (or newer) to run. It can be found here: http://forum.netkas.org/index.php/topic,1094.0.html

Architecture	Cores	Grade	CPU-Model	sSpec	Stepping	GHz	RAM	Watt** (TDP)	Watt** (idle)	MP1,1	MP2,1	XS1,1
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5365	SLAC3	B3	3.0	667	150W	50W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5365	SLAED	G0	3.0	667	120W	25W	x*	x	x
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5355	SLAC4	B3	2.66	667	120W	50W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5355	SL9YM	B3	2.66	667	120W	50W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	X5355	SLAEG	G0	2.66	667	120W	25W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5345	SL9YL	B3	2.33	667	80W	n/a	x*	x	x
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5345	SLAC5	B3	2.33	667	80W	n/a	x*	x	x
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5345	SLAEJ	G0	2.33	667	80W	n/a	x*	x	x
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5340	SL9MY	n/a	2.4	533	80W	30W	x*	x	x
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5340	n/a	G0	2.4	667	80W	25W	x*	x	x
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	L5335	SLAEN	G0	2.0	667	50W	24W	x*	x	x
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	L5320	SLA4Q	B3	1.86	533	50W	24W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	L5320	SLAC9	B3	1.86	533	50W	24W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	L5320	SLAEP	G0	1.86	533	50W	24W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5320	SL9MV	B3	1.86	533	80W	30W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5320	SLACB	B3	1.86	533	80W	30W	x*	x	-
Clovertown	4 core	Dual Xeon	E5320	SLAEM	G0	1.86	533	80W	30W	x*	x	-
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5160	SL9RT	B2	3.0	667	80W	n/a	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5160	SLABS	B2	3.0	667	80W	n/a	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5160	SLAG9	G0	3.0	667	65W	8W	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5150	SL9RU	B2	2.66	667	65W	24W	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5150	SLABM	B2	2.66	667	65W	24W	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5150	SLAGA	G0	2.66	667	65W	8W	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5130	SL9RX	B2	2.0	667	65W	27W	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5130	SLABP	B2	2.0	667	65W	27W	x	x	x
Woodcrest	2 core	Dual Xeon	5130	SLAGC	G0	2.0	667	65W	27W	x	x	x

* 1,1 to 2,1 firmware upgrade recommended for stepping G0, _strongly_ recommended for earlier steppings.


** Values per CPU (-> x2 in a MP). Upgrade from DualCore to QuadCore CPU's usually requires fan control adjustments prior to stepping G0.

Sources used (among others): Techreport.com, Wikipedia.

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Credit

• Thanks to Bokkow for helping with this. The information is formatted and presented nicely due to his work with BBCode tables, and he has contributed with a lot of the data as well.
• Thanks to MacEFIROM and Netkas for creating and providing the firmware updates for Mac Pro. This has enabled countless people to upgrade to a newer generation of CPUs, which wouldn't be possible without the effort made by these two.
• Thanks to everyone who ever upgraded a CPU and took the time to post about it here--there's a chance it was your post I saw that led to a CPU being verified above.
• Thanks to those who took the time, money, and risk to shove more memory in their computer than others said was possible.
• Thanks to everyone who helps to push the limits and usefulness of our computers.
• Thanks to MacRumors and the mods for providing such a great forum for the above to happen in the first place. Especially the mod Arn, for enabling BBCode tables for this.

Hi Friends, I have a mac pro 4.1 with 4 core dual 2.93 CPU, and already flashed to 5.1, please see attached screen shot. I used 1333 RAM, but they run at 1066. I resetted NVRAM two times, but they seemed not work at 1333. Does anyone can provide some advices?

 

[tsialex]

Hi Friends, I have a mac pro 4.1 with 4 core dual 2.93 CPU, and already flashed to 5.1, please see attached screen shot. I used 1333 RAM, but they run at 1066. I resetted NVRAM two times, but they seemed not work at 1333. Does anyone can provide some advices?

RAM support is directly related to the model of the Xeon you have, if your CPU tray have two X5647, memory controller run at 1066MHz, while if you have X5570, the memory controller supports 1333MHz.

You can confirm with Terminal running sysctl -n machdep.cpu.brand_string.

 

[LightBulbFun]

X5570, the memory controller supports 1333MHz.

unless its one of Apple's Lid-less specials, those only do 1066Mhz regardless

 

[Mojoxer]

I posted about this in the Early Intel Mac forum ,and no one over there had any ideas, so I thought I would ask over here, just in case.

I upgraded my 1,1 CPUs from the base Xeon 5150s to a pair of Xeon X5355s (S-Spec SLAC4), after I ran the SMC update to change the MP to a 2,1. After install the CPUs both run with only 3 cores available, and with 6MB of cache. This is true in both OSX and Ubuntu 17.04, so it seems like a hardware issue and not a software issue. Does anyone have any ideas as to what might be going on here?

As far as trouble shooting, I've reset the PRAM and SMC several times, and reseated the CPUs twice. The computer works fine, but for the missing cores, which are missing in System Profiler and System Monitor. I do get a speedup in Handbrake, etc., but not what I would expect from 8 cores (I have a 3,1 w/2.8GHz 8-cores to compare), so the lack of cores is consistent. I have a couple more CPUs on order (SLAEG S-Spec) which I hope will fix things finally.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[MrScratchHook]

Hello everyone, longtime reader, first time poster.
I have a 2009 mac pro 4,1 flashed to 5,1 dual E5520 2.26ghz on bigsur(with martin lo opencore) i have been reading plenty of threads about this and many other issues over the last couple of years and recently about upgrading cpu and what the flashed mac pro can and cannot use. Ive looked on my cpu tray for the serial number to check if it can hold a x5680 or x5690 130 watts, or max it out with x5675 95 watts according to @tsialex's answers on other threads. My issue is i cant decipher the numbers the way he described, so figured I'd post it here and hopefully get a definitive answer. cpu tray serial number is: C07022400QCDCVHA6.
i understand the 3rd digit is the year and the 4th/5th digits are the weeks which should at least 20th week and beyond but the cpu serial isnt making sense to me in this way. im just looking for confirmation from some of your bright minds who can help me understand. (pic attached)Thank-you very much

 

[tsialex]

Why open a new thread and fragment information? You could have asked your question right were we discussed the early-2009 Rev.A dual CPU tray on the CPU compatibility stickie.

Backplanes and CPU trays with 17-digits serial numbers are from factory refurbs and follow a different logic for the production week since the factory/location have now three digits instead of two, so the year is now the 4th digit and the week digits are the 5th and 6th. Your CPU tray was factory refurbished in 2010, week 22.

We usually assume that all factory refurbished CPU trays were modified/corrected to the Rev.A.

Remember that not all early-2009 dual CPU trays can work with 130W Westmere Xeons, even Rev.A or the factory refurbs. My back of envelope calculation is that 95% of the early-2009 dual CPU trays after the 26 week of 2009 will work perfectly fine with 130W Westmere Xeons, some will need a pair of 95W Westmere Xeons instead, but you could be one of the rare unlucky ones that the CPU tray can't work with a Westmere Xeon at all.

 

[MrScratchHook]

Why open a new thread and fragment information? You could have asked your question right were we discussed the early-2009 Rev.A dual CPU tray on the CPU compatibility stickie.

Backplanes and CPU trays with 17-digits serial numbers are from factory refurbs and follow a different logic for the production week since the factory/location have now three digits instead of two, so the year is now the 4th digit and the week digits are the 5th and 6th. Your CPU tray was factory refurbished in 2010, week 22.

We usually assume that all factory refurbished CPU trays were modified/corrected to the Rev.A.

Remember that not all early-2009 dual CPU trays can work with 130W Westmere Xeons, even Rev.A or the factory refurbs. My back of envelope calculation is that 95% of the early-2009 dual CPU trays after the 26 week of 2009 will work perfectly fine with 130W Westmere Xeons, some will need a pair of 95W Westmere Xeons instead, but you could be one of the rare unlucky ones that the CPU tray can't work with a Westmere Xeon at all.

i apologize for what you say is fragmenting the info, im new to the way things work here and not clear on the unwritten rules, but i understand what you are saying about refurbs and want to thank you for providing me with the pertinent information i needed to know. Next time ill just ask on the specific thread. appreciate it very much

 

[Macschrauber]

the last messages (about the turbo and actual cpu frequencies was moved into a dedicated thread as requested)

Thanks a lot.

Link: a script for measuring CPU frequency in "normal" and "turbo boost" mode