Mac Pro 2013 teardown reveals upgradeable CPU

By David Nield December 28, 2013

mac pro 2013 teardown reveals upgradeable cpu — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Some diligent teardown work by the experts at Other World Computing has laid bare the innards of the new Apple Mac Pro 2013, and enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that it is possible to upgrade the CPU further down the line. The socketed Intel Xeon E5 processor can theoretically be replaced, according to Other World Computing.

The OWC team confirmed to MacRumors that the CPU is indeed removable, though the documentation of the process on their own site doesn’t go beyond a simple gallery of photos. All of the CPU options on the latest Mac Pro make use of the same LGA 2011 socket, the teardown revealed.

Most of Apple’s existing Macs use a soldered CPU that can’t be replaced as newer technology becomes available, so OWC’s findings are good news if you think you might want to splurge even more cash on your desktop setup in the future. The processor is one of the most expensive components in Apple’s new cylindrical computer — the top-of-the-range 2.7GHz 12-core variation will set you back a substantial $3,500 extra.

Apple’s new-look vision of the future of computing has attracted a lot of attention since it was announced in June, even if it’s beyond the price range of the average consumer — the most expensive Mac Pro comes in at $9,599 when configured on Apple’s website. A recent FutureLooks experiment found that the Windows equivalent could cost even more.

[Image courtesy of Other World Computing]

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Apple

Contributor

Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

Computing

The XPS 16 is fighting an uphill battle against the MacBook Pro

Dell XPS 16 sitting on desktop with flowers.

It took a few years, but Dell finally updated the design of its two largest XPS laptops. The XPS 15 gave way to the XPS 14, while the XPS 17 was replaced by the XPS 16. The latter gained the ultramodern look of the XPS 13 Plus, complete with a glass palm rest, a hidden haptic touchpad, and a row of LED function keys.

It's a significant update but places the XPS 16 in direct competition with the Apple MacBook Pro 16. That's an excellent matchup with proven performance and battery life and an elegant design that's solid, if a lot more conservative.
Specs and configurations

Computing

These 6 tweaks take MacBooks from great to nearly perfect

The MacBook Air on a white table.

I love getting a new MacBook. The slow-opening box, the fresh install of macOS, even the enchanting new Mac smell (which people have been rhapsodizing about for decades) -- it’s all part of the experience.

But you know what? MacBooks don't arrive perfect out of the box. There are a few things that I always have to adjust, regardless of how powerful the laptop is. From changing the default apps to unlocking a few hidden extras, here are the first six things to do with your new MacBook before putting it to work.
Unlock some trackpad tricks

Computing

Best Buy’s deal of the day is $150 off the MacBook Air M2

A woman working on a 2023 MacBook Air with M2 chip.

For Mac lovers, Best Buy has one of the best laptop deals at the moment with $150 off the MacBook Air M2. Usually priced at $999, you can buy it for $849 right now making it great value for anyone who wants to get involved with the Apple ecosystem without breaking the bank. Stylish and speedy, this is a laptop that will suit mostly everyone from students to people working from home or commuters. Here’s what you need to know before you hit the buy button. As always with such good deals, bear in mind that you could miss out if you wait too long.

Why you should buy the MacBook Air M2
One of the best laptop brands for reliability and being high quality, buying a MacBook Air is an investment that will last. While Windows-based laptops can lose their lustre over time, MacBooks tend to keep going for longer. While the MacBook Air M2 doesn’t have the latest Apple silicon -- the M3 -- it still offers fantastic performance. The M2 chip has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU and this model is still considered to be the best MacBook for everyone. This particular model comes with 8GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage which is sufficient for all everyday tasks and saving documents easily.