Precision T3500 Processor Upgrade

DELL DPN: XPDFK Precision Workstation T3500 Motherboard

Supported Processors:

Intel Xeon 6-Core (X5670, X5650),

Intel Xeon Quad Core (W3550, W3565, W3530, E5640, E5630, E5507),

Intel Xeon Dual Core (W3505, W3503),

Intel Xeon (W3680)

Does any intel Xeon (above) work or does it have to be from Dell? Dell is x2 the price with its 6core..

Dell doesn't make Xeon processors.  That does not mean that ANY Xeon ANY series ANY vendor works.

If more than 1 is used they must match exactly stepping and revision aka "S" Spec.

Some vendors with cheap price cheat remarking processors. (I'm not going to get into how this is done) When you put it in your Dell and it frys or otherwise doesn't work they say you did something to it and refuse to refund your money.

It is a good idea to upgrade bios to the latest BEFORE trying to change to a different cpu.

Flash ahead to 2014, is it safe to say all Westmere family (5600 series) processors can be used in a XPDFK motherboard?

Yes I would very much like to know the answer to that question as well. Maybe it will be able to run all X56xx and W36xx CPU:s.

Also, I would love to know the maximum amount of RAM. There is a lot of conflicting data on this over the google searches I´ve run.

The technical manual says is only supports 24GB (if it´s ECC ram, not buffered) and only 12GB if its normal DDR3 10600 1333mhz standard ram. All dimms must be dual rank if you want to be able to run these configs, says the manual.

Then there are other sources saying that it can work using 6 x 8GB normal dimms, non buffered, non ECC - as long as it is Double/dual rank dimms in all dimm-slots.

What´s the correct answer? To know what you get on ebay, you really need to get all the data from the dimms to be able to tell these things. And If I contact Corsair about XMS-ram - they can not even answer me it their ram is dual, single or quad rank! Very confusing for someone who is not a wizard in ram-tech.

What kind of ram and how much in what configuration is well documented. If you want ram and want it to work use crucial's ram configurator and you are fine.

Any ole joes crab shack ram isnt compatible.  If you get it from cruical or from dell its guaranteed to be compatible.  The speed you need depends on which cpu you have and its FSB.  Ranks count also you cannot mix single rank and 2 rank and 4 rank ram.  Its not required but being all from the same vendor for the sets of 3 helps. There are also xeon processors that the 3500 motherboard supports that do not support ECC ram.

YOU CANNOT USE 8 GIG Dimms ever.

Recommended Upgrade

My Guess is that all of these work

X58 Chipset

DELL PRECISION T3500 MOTHERBOARD

DP/N 9KPNV K095G XPDFK LGA1366 DDR3

Processor Name                                             Cores    TDP

Intel® Xeon® Processor W3565
(8M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     4     130 W     
    
Intel® Xeon® Processor W3550
(8M Cache, 3.06 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     4     130 W     
     
Intel® Xeon® Processor W3580
(8M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI)     4     130 W     
    
Intel® Xeon® Processor W3520
(8M Cache, 2.66 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     4     130 W     
    
Intel® Xeon® Processor W3540
(8M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     4     130 W     
     
Intel® Xeon® Processor W3570
(8M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI)     4     130 W     
     
Intel® Xeon® Processor W3503
(4M Cache, 2.40 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     2     130 W         

Intel® Xeon® Processor W3505
(4M Cache, 2.53 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     2     130 W         

Intel® Xeon® Processor W3530
(8M Cache, 2.80 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     4     130 W    

***********************************

Its NOT Clear that these will work but they might.

However ECC wouldn't be supported.

Intel® Core™ i7-980 Processor
(12M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 4.8 GT/s Intel® QPI)     6     130 W         

Intel® Core™ i7-990X Processor Extreme Edition
(12M Cache, 3.46 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI)     6     130 W          

Intel® Core™ i7-980X Processor Extreme Edition
(12M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI)     6     130 W   

Intel® Core™ i7-970 Processor
(12M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 4.80 GT/s Intel® QPI)     6     130 W           

I'm running 24GB in my T3500 machine.  I wouldn't try anything more than the recommended.  If you need more memory capability, pick up a used T5500.  It is capable of 72GB & Dual Processors (5500 & 5600 series).  

Part Numbers I've found for the T3500 memory.

Dell P/N - SNPT192HC/4G

Hynix - HMT351U7AFR8C-H9 T0 AB

Samsung - M391B5273BH0-CH9

Hello,

What about Xeon X5650 with this motherboard - Dell LGA1366 XPDFK 9KPNV for Precision T3500?

Will it work?

Regards,

Nirav

Its unclear as there are T3500's on ebay that say X5675

This may be a revised motherboard and chipset.

X5650 6 Cores Requires Intel® Server Board S5520HCT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DELL-PRECISION-T3500-XEON-X5675-SIX-CORE-3-06GHZ-CPU-24GB-MEM-160GB-FX1800-/171383001511?pt=Desktop_PCs&hash=item27e73911a7

W3520 4 Cores

Cannot advise as this product AND those CPU's are no longer made and haven't been for 4 years. 

The Dell Site DOES SAY

Lithography 45 nm

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&sku=317-1329

Manufacturer Part# : J703R
Dell Part# : 317-1329

Xeon X5570 2.93 GHz Quad Core Processor for Dell Precision WorkStation T3500/ T5500/ T7500

T3500 Motherboard LGA1366 XPDFK K095G 9KPNV

I do not know what the difference is between the 3 versions of the motherboard or why the Supported Processors are listed as:

The 5570 is 45nm

http://ark.intel.com/products/37111/Intel-Xeon-Processor-X5570-8M-Cache-2_93-GHz-6_40-GTs-Intel-QPI

Intel Xeon 6-Core (X5670, X5650) 32nm ???

Intel Xeon Quad Core (W3550, W3565, W3530, E5640, E5630, E5507),

Intel Xeon Dual Core (W3505, W3503),

Intel Xeon (W3680)

The Original spec sheet says

http://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/shared-content/data-sheets/en/Documents/Dell-Precision-T3500-Spec-Sheet.pdf

Intel® Xeon® 3600 or 3500 series processors with up to six-cores and up to 6.4GT/s (Intel QuickPath Interconnect) and up to 12MB shared cache; Turbo Boost Mode on select processors; All processors are 64-bit, support Intel DBS (demand-based switching) and Intel VT (Intel Virtualization Technology) Note: Intel TXT is not supported. Turbo Mode and HyperThreading technology on select processors.

 The Late 2010 Spec sheet says.

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/precn/en/q2wk6_dell_precision_t3500_spec_sheet.pdf

  Intel® Xeon® 5600 series processors up to six-cores with up to 6.4GT/s (Intel QuickPath Interconnect) and up to 12MB shared cache. Turbo Boost Mode on select processors
All processors are 64-bit, support Intel DBS (demand-based switching) and Intel VT (Intel Virtualization Technology) Note: Intel TXT is not supported. Turbo Mode and HyperThreading technology on select processors

 Which leads me to believe that there is more than one motherboard Revision.

Hi,

You said above like..

DELL DPN: XPDFK Precision Workstation T3500 Motherboard

Supported Processors:

Intel Xeon 6-Core (X5670, X5650),...... etc/

I could also find the referance manual of T3500 mentioning that it supports XEON 5600 series. but in some manuals its written as it supports 5500 or 3500. 

This link says it does : http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/precn/en/q2wk6_dell_precision_t3500_spec_sheet.pdf

This says it does not :

http://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/shared-content/data-sheets/en/Documents/Dell-Precision-T3500-Spec-Sheet.pdf

http://data.technimax.cz/attach/artilky/precisiont3500technickymanual.pdf

Can you advise?

Regards,

Nirav

hello,

Thanks a ton for detailed answer and your help.

My motherboard is something like this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181528911055?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Regards,

Nirav

I'm not willing to damage my T3500 trying out CPU'S that may kill the motherboard.

If you stick with 45nm processors you are likely fine.

There may also be bios version requirements for specific cpus.

I am NOT dell engineering and I do not have access to that information. A17 is the current Bios dated 06/07/2013.

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverid=CN9VG

 http://downloads.dell.com/FOLDER01514371M/1/T3500A17.exe

Just be be more precise..

Though Intel Xeon X5550 and X5650, both being in different range of families, they have been built on same architecture, built for same chitset, same connectors, except litho and TDP.

So my question is, if a board that supports Xeon 55XX series, would support Xeon X56XX series processors?

Thanks,

Nirav