CPU upgrade question: Dell Precision T3600 & Xeon E5-2670

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classguy

classguy

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Nov 28, 2012
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I have a Dell Precision T3600 workstation that currently has a pokey Intel Xeon E5-1603 processor which is socket 2011 (NOT 2011-3). While the 1603 has 4 cores, the silly thing doesn't even have Hyperthreading. Plus it has a fairly slow clock frequency.

The T3600 has an Intel C602 Chipset which supports Sandy Bridge-E processors. The spec page says the T3600 supports "Intel® Xeon® processor E5-1600 or E5-2600 family". However, I'm not seeing any specifics about which processors in those families it actually, really supports or which processors are supported by the various BIOS versions. I will be upgrading it to the latest available version which is A14.

Based on what I can find online, it should (lol) support any Sandy Bridge-E processor that is either the 1600 Series or the 2600 Series (no version number meaning version 1) but with Dell, many times there's a "Gotcha!" between what the Marketing Department likes to claim and what Dell actually lets you do.

I'm specifically interested in upgrading to another Sandy Bridge-E processor, the Xeon E5-2670. Apparently a lot of them had flooded the market a while back and they can be had used for a pretty reasonable price. I have a source that has them, it says they are tested, working, and they have a return policy so that sounds good to me.

My question is, can anyone think of a reason why an E5-2670 Sandy Bridge-E processor, which is designed to work in the 2011 socket the 1603 is currently in, would not work?

Has anyone upgraded a Precision T3600 to the Xeon E5-2670 and has it working okay?

Thanks,
Mark
 
Solution
captaincharisma
that's one of the big issues with pre-built workstations. they are normally built for what they were originally configured for and the BIOS and motherboard are very limited and locked down. the only way to know for sure is to contact dell
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classguy

classguy

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Very good point. I checked on the Dell Forum and found someone else had installed an E5-2670 successfully so I should be able to do the same. With used prices between $90 to $130 USD or so, it's a nice upgrade. Thanks.
 
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ChrisMoore2

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Mar 29, 2015
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As a general rule, if you could order that model Dell system configured that way, it is supported. A good example is the Dell Precision T3500. Dell sold that unit with a dual core 2.2 GHz processors or all the way up to a six core 3.4 GHz processor. With the exception of the very early units, all of them shipped with the same heatsync and you could change the low power CPU for the high power CPU at will. As long as the BIOS was updated. Dell did not change the design of the system board at all, the only update was to the BIOS, even though they produced that same system from 2009 until at least 2012. We were still deploying them in 2012 where I work.
 
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Sapper1123

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Mar 18, 2017
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Hi did you end up finding out if this CPU worked in the T3600? I also changed the CPU in a T3600 to a E5-1660, however I cannot get it to work. I believe the motherboard I'm using is dead, however I'm confused by what I'm finding everywhere. There seems to be two types of motherboards that were in the T3600 a model 08HPGT and a 0RCPW3. The one I have currently is 08HPGT and I believe it is dead or incompatible with the CPU. Should I try purchasing the other model? I apologize if I jack your thread, but I'm just looking to upgrade my CPU as well.
 
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