Buy with confidence - I have many happy customers with my upgrade kit. Upgrade your Mac Pro in 30 min or less!
This direct fit upgrade kit provides you the fastest dual 6-core 3.46GHz CPUs for total 12-Core upgrade for your Mac! CPU are with lids removed and this is fully-compliant with Mac 2009 heat sink and mounting specs. This is the *BEST* safe upgrade option for Mac Pro 2009 Dual CPU! Other upgrade kits are cheaper but these are just a plain X5690 CPUs with lids. Don't risk damaging your system board and/or CPUs by using upgrade kits with plain CPUs with lids!!! Mac Pro 4,1 was designed for CPUs without lids. Removing lids takes skills, effort and professional equipment.
This kit includes everything you'll need to perform very easy CPU upgrade:
2x Xeon X5690 6-Core 3.46GHz SLBVX with the IHS(metal lid) professionally removed
1x 3mm Hex key used to remove the heat sinks to access the processors
1x Tube of Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound (Others sell you cheap ProtonX compound which results in higher CPU temps)
1x Chem Pad to clean both heat sink & CPU before installing them
1x Information page with links to installation process video and firmware if you'll need one.
CPU Upgrade process is straight forward ~30min. Just unscrew heat sinks, clean old thermal compound, install new CPUs, add Arctic Silver and put heat sinks back!Prior to installing X5690 CPU, make sure to upgrade firmware from Mac 4,1 to to 5,1
Will include instruction with links to both CPU and Firmware upgrade videos and needed files.
What are benefits of this kit?- Peace of mind - not having issues with using non-lidded CPUs.
- Simple upgrade process.
- Max out performance of your Mac Pro for cheap!
- All X5690 CPUs are manufactured with IHS(metal lid). IHS removal for these CPUs is difficult and requires professional skills due to lids being soldered to the core. This is difficult DIY comparing with other non-soldered CPUs and going DIY could damage your CPU.
- Proper heat sink position
Why CPUs need to be with IHS removed?
- Mac Pro 2009 heat sinks are designed for CPUs with no IHS and use proper pressure on the CPU and Socket!
- See the picture in the listing which demonstrates why CPU has to be of the certain height with no lid.
Why not just buy 2 CPUs with lids and save $$$?
Use CPUs with lids in MacPro 4,1 and run into risks and results like these:
- Not able to have sink properly tighten.
- Over tighten it - and break socket and/or CPU due to exceeding designated height.
- Not tighten it enough - sensors are loose, no contact, no adequate cooling - boot issues. Loose CPU contact with socket - all kinds of hardware issues.
Why not to get Mac Pro upgrade kits with X5690 IHS?- Removing IHS requires time, skills and professional equipment - they are not capable or just don't want to take time removing IHS.
What about cheaper delidded pair of CPU?
- Cheap delidded CPUs could be with rough surface, leading to CPU overheat risks at higher loads. Also remaining IHS glue obstructs plastic rectangle CPU spacer for proper pressure from heatsink on CPU.
- My CPUs are all having smooth surface with nothing blocking plastic rectangle insert for proper pressure from the heatsink. See example in the pictures.
What about using delid tool?- Mechanical delid tool works well with non-soldered IHS. x5690 needs a lot of pressure for solder to be torn apart from the surface of the core. That puts CPU at high risk of damaging.
Both CPUs are tested in real Mac Pro and cleaned again prior to shipping.