Folks at New Mac Pro 2013 Teardown have dismantled the Mac Pro 2013 model as part of tradition to reveal the various upgrade options the machine has to offer. But the most interesting finding of all is what seems to be a socketed Intel Xeon processor. The OCW team has confirmed the suspicion that the CPU is indeed removable. That opens a world of DIY possibilities when it comes to CPU upgrades which were previously merely limited to built-to order options at the time of an Apple purchase. While Apple offered choices ranging from base quad-core CPU to 12-core configurations, soldered CPUs only make you temporarily content. Come newer technology and you realize you don't have the freedom to tinker. That and churning out $3500 for the 12-core variant is a big deal. Then again, while soldering RAM takes away from the enthusiasts, it is the trade-off one has to sign for to aim for thinner and more portable Apple designs.


But apparently, Apple has nouveau plans for the cylindrical Mac Pro 2013. Besides having a socketed CPU, Apple has also switched to traditional RAM slots, making it user-upgradeable. While internal hard drives cannot be added to, the "most expandable Mac yet" offers four USB 3.0 ports, two Gigabit Ethernet inputs and an HDMI 1.4 video output. It remains to be seen how well do third-party CPUs fare in Apple's territory and how easy or difficult is it to get affordable compatible hardware but at least this unlocks some domains for the motivated.

Source: Teardown of Apple's new Mac Pro reveals socketed, removable Intel CPU | AppleInsider