Mac Pro 2013 teardown reveals upgradeable CPU

By David Nield Published December 28, 2013

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.

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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]

Former Contributor

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

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