Are all Xeon X5690 identical, regardless of use in HP, Apple, etc?

[REbbs]

I want to upgrade a 2010 Mac pro, and I see a variety of X5690 processors for sale online, with many varied descriptions and extra words/initials etc in the product name, like "Server", "HP", etc.

My question is -- if I buy any version of this processor (new), will it work for intended purpose, or are there subsets of this processor, tailored to different end-uses or manufacturers that may be incompatible with my computer?

If there are variations, how can I tell if it is compatible with Apple Mac Pro 5,1 with 2 processors?

Sorry for such a simple question!

[idata]

Hello GodzillaNM:

This is actually a pretty good question. And the thing is that for the processor to be compatible with an HP or Apple computer there are different things that need to be taken under consideration. The first thing is the socket type, it needs to be the same for the processor to fit on the board, and then there is also the microcode of the BIOS. Sometimes even if the processor fits on the board that does not mean that it will work with it, the microcode installed on the board BIOS by the manufacturer needs to support it as well, otherwise it will not work. That is why we always refer our customers to the manufacturer of the computer so they can confirm if it is fully compatible with their systems, most of the times they have a compatibility list of the processors that are fully compatible. On the following link you will see the list of boards that are fully compatible with the Intel® X5690 processor: http://ark.intel.com/products/52576/Intel-Xeon-Processor-X5690-12M-Cache-3_46-GHz-6_40-GTs-Intel-QPI http://ark.intel.com/products/52576/Intel-Xeon-Processor-X5690-12M-Cache-3_46-GHz-6_40-GTs-Intel-QPI For Apple products, Apple has requested that all questions regarding Apple systems and software be addressed directly with Apple support.I recommend checking the links below for troubleshooting assistance on your Apple computer: http://www.apple.com/support/imac/intel/ http://www.apple.com/support/mac/n https://www.apple.com/support/macbook/ http://www.apple.com/support/macmini/ Any further questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[REbbs]

Alberto:

Thank you for your reply. I think you answered the question "I want to upgrade my Mac Pro. Will an Intel processor work in it?"

That would not be a very good question.

My actual question was: Are all X5690 processors the same, or are there tailored versions, specific to a manufacturer or their model variant, that could be incompatible for my purpose?

The X5690 made the difference between Mac Pro 5,1 and 6,1. I believe (confirmed by my research) that this was the only change between these two models. So I know that at least some X5690s are compatible with my Apple computer. My question is: are all X5690s compatible, or only some of them?

You mention the socket type as an issue. On the spec page that you sent me a link to, there is only one socket-type mentioned: the LGA 1366. So I think it is perhaps not an issue, but that is part of the question. Are there variants of this processor that fit different sockets, or are different in other ways? If so, what variant do I need?

One Toyota Camry is probably not the same as another. Color, trim, leather or cloth, sound, wheels...

Are X5690 processors like that Camry, with variations around the same model name, or are they all the same as all the others, exact clones, just used for different purposes in different computers? Like a can of Campbell's Mushroom soup?

That is a simple question.

You didn't say yes, and you didn't say no.

Apple's position is that upgrading processors is not an option for users. (They would rather I buy a $10k trashcan Mac Pro with no upgrade path, than adapt my fine 2010 model with space for 16 TB of storage and memory upgrades for $1500 or so!) So I don't expect an answer from Apple.

I don't want to spend $800 on a couple of processors, only to find out that the X5690s that I have bought are an incompatible variant with the same X5690 model number as the compatible ones.

Having the answer to this question won't seal the deal, but it will tell me what questions I may need to ask vendors.

I understand that you sell a lot more processors to Apple than you ever will to me, and that you have to play by their rules.

If you are unable to answer my question for that reason, I understand. Someone else on the interwebs will know the answer.

But I thought I would ask the source, first. :-)

Again, thank you for your help.

Richard

[idata]

Hello GodzillaNM:

You are welcome. Are there tailored versions, specific to a manufacturer or their model variant, that could be incompatible for my purpose? On the link I gave you before, please look for the option that says "Ordering and Compliance" you will see that there are 2 different versions for this processor, one of them is tray version and the other one is the boxed version that is retired and discontinue. The boxed version will be fully compatible with the boards that you saw on the link I gave you previously, to find out if it is compatible with a mobile system, you will need to check that directly with the manufacturer of it. The tray version is sold only to the manufacturers of the computers so they can build their products, it is not sold to separately to end users. Are all X5690s compatible, or only some of them? To get any information related to an Apple or a mobile system you will need to get in contact directly with them. Are there variants of this processor that fit different sockets, or are different in other ways? If so, what variant do I need? That specific processor has the same socket for the tray and boxed versions, the reason why I provided that information is because the Apple computers might have a different socket, so that is something to always take under consideration. Are X5690 processors like that Camry, with variations around the same model name, or are they all the same as all the others, exact clones, just used for different purposes in different computers? There are only 2 variations for this processor, the tray and boxed versions, used for different purposes in different computers. The compatibility of the processor depends also on the microcode of the BIOS, to find out if it is fully compatible with your computer you will need to check that with the manufacturer of the system. I hope that information was useful for you, and also I encourage all the peers viewing this post that if they have additional information or suggestions on this matter to post their comments on this thread. Let me apologize for any inconvenience. Any questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto

[idata]

Hello GodzillaNM:

I just wanted to check if the information posted previously was useful for you and if you have further questions about this matter? Any questions, please let me know. Regards Alberto