If you routinely use your 2013 Mac Pro for running software that are optimized for a relatively lower thread count (e.g., Adobe Photoshop CC), this upgrade kit will give you the best possible performance. See this review for many real-world performance comparison charts. The upgraded Mac Pro with a Xeon E5-2667 v2 processor is inarguably the best suitable one for photographers, even better than the 12-core top configuration provided by Apple. Apple made a mistake by omitting E5-2667 v2 for the 2013 Mac Pro processor selection. This processor actually surpasses the stock 8-core E5-1680 v2 in almost every aspects (see the Processor Comparison Chart below). Now it's time to correct the mistake since the E5 v2 processors have become much more affordable. And this can be done by yourself (DIY) when given suitable parts, correct tools, and sufficient guidance.

What's Included in the Upgrade Kit:

  • 3.3GHz 8-core Intel Xeon processor with 25MB L3 cache (E5-2667 v2 SR19W)
  • Micron 64GB (4x16GB) 1866MHz DDR3 ECC memory for Mac Pro 6.1 with lifetime warranty
  • Mac Pro 6.1 Torx screwdriver set (T5, T8, T10)
  • ESD safe repair pry tool
  • Two thermal surface cleaning wipes (for original CPU and heatsink)
  • High performance thermal paste
  • Thermal paste spreading card

Processor Comparison Chart:

  E5-1620 v2
(Apple)
E5-1650 v2
(Apple)
E5-1680 v2
(Apple)
E5-2667 v2
(Included)
E5-2697 v2
(Apple/Available)
Numer of Cores 4 6 8 8 12
Base Frequency 3.7 GHz 3.5 GHz 3.0 GHz 3.3 GHz 2.7 GHz
Turbo Frequency 3.9 GHz (1 core)
3.7 GHz (2-4 cores)
3.9 GHz (1 core)
3.7 GHz (2-4 cores)
3.6 GHz (5-6 cores)
3.9 GHz (1 core)
3.8 GHz (2 cores)
3.7 GHz (3 cores)
3.5 GHz (4 cores)
3.4 GHz (5+ cores)
4.0 GHz (1 core)
3.9 GHz (2 cores)
3.8 GHz (3 cores)
3.7 GHz (4 cores)
3.6 GHz (5+ cores)
3.5 GHz (1 core)
3.4 GHz (2 cores)
3.3 GHz (3 cores)
3.2 GHz (4 cores)
3.1 GHz (5 cores)
3.0 GHz (6+ cores)
L3 Cache Size 10 MB 12 MB 25 MB 25 MB 30 MB
Single-Core 64-bit
Geekbench Score
3600 3600 3600 3750 3250
Multi-Core 64-bit
Geekbench Score
14300 20500 25500 27500 33300

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Will the upgrades void Apple's warranty?

Upgrading your Mac does not void its warranty. This consumer protection is owed to the little known Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975. Put simply, the act states that a company can't require you to upgrade with only its own branded parts to retain the warranty. Hence you can install third-party upgrades with peace of mind confidence.

2. How difficult will it be to install the upgrades?

Please click here for a detailed step-by-step instruction video. The procedures are extremely easy to follow and do not require any special training to be performed. To make sure you're comfortable performing these procedures, we strongly recommend you to watch the entire video before making the purchase. If you encounter any kinds of problems during the upgrading process, please contact us immediately. We'll respond as promptly as we can.

All included components have been thoroughly tested on our workbench using professional diagnosis tools (IPDT & Memtest86+). We offer a 30 days' money back guarantee and a 90 days' exchange warranty with no questions asked. However, the warranty doesn't cover any damage incurred to your Mac while installing the upgrades.

Still lack of confidence for doing it yourself? Click here to buy a brand new upgraded system in our store!