Chip swapping with Intel

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
an exciting part of switching to Intel is in theory we should be able to buy faster chips online and swap them out. I'd like to see if somebody could put a 3.8ghz chip inside the 3.6ghz test machines.



:-) Think about it, chip gets old, get one for $200 online and a huge instant upgrade... windows is good about having replacement chips for down the road that still use the same socket.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    spyderspyder Posts: 170member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by webmail

    an exciting part of switching to Intel is in theory we should be able to buy faster chips online and swap them out. I'd like to see if somebody could put a 3.8ghz chip inside the 3.6ghz test machines.



    :-) Think about it, chip gets old, get one for $200 online and a huge instant upgrade... windows is good about having replacement chips for down the road that still use the same socket.




    It would rule, but that's the problem. Easily upgrade an Apple machine for under 500 dollars? HAH, they don't love us that much.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    Apple should allow this in my opinion. Disallowing easy CPU upgrades is not going to engender Apple with switchers and new users.



    Typically a Socket only lasts 2-3 years before the next generation chip requires a new one. You'll have happier customers if you aren't thwarting their attempts to gain some life out of their computer.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    onyx-pbonyx-pb Posts: 26member
    What needs to be done to allow a processor upgrade?

    BIOS settings, jumper settings? or something else?



    What needs to be done to prevent a processor upgrade?

    motherboard? ?????



    I haven't done an Intel CPU upgrade in years (DX4-100 btw) so I'm clueless on socket numbers, bios etc. My point is... Would Apple have to spend money to allow cpu upgrades or spend money to prevent them?



    I think they'll go for the cheapest option, if that happen to let people upgrade - cool, enjoy.



    I can't see them spending money to stop you doing it.
  • Reply 4 of 8
    tomjtomj Posts: 120member
    it's not all up to apple to keep this from happening. there's all kinds of voltage issues to deal with in switching out the chips and bus multipliers. I'm sure you'll be able to do that, but it would void your warranty if apple doesn't go out of their way to ensure that you don't do it.
  • Reply 5 of 8
    dr. jdr. j Posts: 39member
    Perhaps Apple will do a throw back and have upgrades installed through their warrenty program. Imagine being able to send a machine to Apple, and two weeks later you get your machine back, upgraded, and still covered under the warrenty. Obviously there may (read: will) be a luxury tax on it of $100 or so plus processor cost, but that would be more welcome then shelling out the cost of a new machine. I could see that as being economical to both Apple and users. Just a thought.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    I think this will be standard PC motherboard and socket fare, so this should be possible.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    thereubsterthereubster Posts: 402member
    It should work if the socket and core voltage is the same and the motherboard Chipset supports the new CPU you want to upgrade to. Remember Intel chose to not support the Pentium D (Dual Core) with the 915/925 chipset, even though its only about 8 months old. So I would guess the limiting factor will be Intel not Apple (assuming Intel makes the chipsts for IntelMacs as well). For example, if you brought an Intel 875 Socket 478 chipset motherboard about 2 years ago when it first came out, the fastest P4 you could get then was 2.8Ghz (I think) now you could only upgrade that to a 3.4Ghz max P4 Prescott/Skt478. Intel likes to make their chipset obsolete even faster than their CPU's !
  • Reply 8 of 8
    aquamacaquamac Posts: 585member
    This is a very good point. I got acclimated to the idea the G5s were hard wired in processors. Hope it is as easy as putting my G4 into my G3.

    . A q u a M a c .
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