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Says the quad core models are 2 dual core cpus. At least according to the manual.

From the names, one might suspect Icks is the OP and already knows that.

Anyone care to run an IP trace?

(I'm not surprised Kirtana wouldn't go for 8 cores; you won't need more than four for quite some time. But IIRC you can swap quad-cores for duals later; vague memory from AnandTech. Don't count on it, but a good place to look).

Last edited by Bat (2008-02-13 12:55 am)

That is correct...

Quad-core: One 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5400 series processor

Remaining questions are: is it the same two socket board, and if so could a second CPU be successfully added later. Which was pretty much the original question... 'two processor modules' might well mean all boards are the same, with the base model having only an inert placeholder in socket 2.

Answer should be available today, so we wait.


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Last edited by Bat (2008-02-13 9:20 am)

I had my order filled out for the single and then thought it through again and decided the dual was the better and longer life option.
The benchmarks I've seen now show the single doing very well against the dual so maybe I made a mistake but it's one I can live with.

When ZDNet upgraded their older Mac Pro with quad-core CPUs, they mentioned cuts and bruises. I guess CPU swaps aren't quite as easy as we would like.

IcarusFountain wrote:

..either Apple uses the exact same logic boards on all their Mac Pros, and there should therefore be a 2nd unused processor socket; alternatively, if they use a single-socket logic board, then there's no hope for me adding a 2nd processor, but yes I should be able to swap out the existing processor for a newer, better one later on (as long as its compatible with the currently-used socket).  I'm just waiting to hear back at this point.

There is a third way that's likelier than the second: they use boards that all look & begin life the same, to obtain economies of scale, but decide to be spoilsports and cut a few traces, disabling the second socket. I'm thinking that might not be worth their while, tho. Just make sure it's out of warranty, and others have tried it successfully. (It'll be out of warranty by the time consumer apps scale beyond 4 cores, but you might need a firmware/EFI upgrade or some such).

He responded via PM over at the 'Stack.  Basically, the one he has in the shop has two sockets, but only the one heat sink, so if I want to add a proc I'll have to acquire an extra sink.  He also said that documentation does state that the quads and the dual-quads supposedly have different logic boards, so there may be something under the hood that's different that he couldn't identify right away.

So it could go either way, but he said he'd keep looking into it.

Personal preference, I'd guess. 

Different boards might or might not be tricky. As for the 'sink, you know I can help out with that should you want it.

Good to hear they have two sockets. Really, the more likely third option would be the same logic board, but no second socket soldered onto the pads.
Not that that would be much hindrance, really.