Upgrading the X58A-UD3R rev2

Exploring the possibilities; can some eBay fun-money catapult this workhorse into 2015?

BIOS

To use Xeon processors make sure you are running BIOS version FF or later (FH is the newest official build).  Not sure about the tweaked versions; can’t see why they wouldn’t be an improvement.  You paid for a board with a backup BIOS–might as well put it to use, right?

Processor

For a brief period eBay was flooded with Xeon L5639 processors running about $75.  Now it seems they’ve crept up to $100, which has pushed them out of impulse purchase territory for me.

Further research shows this board will additionally support a number of higher clocked Xeons, including the X5650, and the X5660.

These processors aren’t cutting edge by any stretch of the imagination, but even running them stock would be an improvement over my i7-950.

Where things start to get interesting is when you overclock them.  My motherboard has never overclocked successfully, but I believe I’ve narrowed it down to the RAM I have installed.  Half is spec’d at 1.65V and the other half is 1.5V; a recipe for disaster.  You learn something new every day.

An overclocked X5660 can hit 5.2GHz when water cooled.  That’s impressive.  I have no water cooling aspirations; I’ll be sticking with air.  Anything over $200 is out of the question, but included to be thorough.

Success Stories

Gulftown & Westmere-EP Series

Processor      Multiplier    Overclock    eBay Price
X5650              20                    4.60GHz        SLBV3 – $120
X5660              21                    5.20GHz        SLBV6 – $150
X5670              22                    4.50GHz        SLBV7 – $170
X5675              23                    4.31GHz        SLBYL – $180
X5680              25                    N/A                SLBV5 – $260
X5690              26                    N/A                SLBVX – $290

An intel ARK comparison table.

Looks like I might entertain an X5650…