Apple Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem) Specs
Identifiers: Early 2009 - BTO/CTO - MacPro4,1 - A1289 - 2314
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The Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.66 (Early 2009/Nehalem), technically is a "build-to-order" configuration of the Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.26 (Early 2009/Nehalem), but also is documented as a separate model for reader convenience. Other than the speed of the processors, these two models are identical.
The Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.66 (Early 2009/Nehalem) is powered by two 2.66 GHz Quad Core 45-nm Xeon X5550 (Nehalem) processors with a dedicated 256k of level 2 cache for each core and 8 MB of "fully shared" level 3 cache per processor.
By default, it was configured with 6 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM, a 640 GB (7200 RPM, 16 MB cache) 3Gb/s Serial ATA hard drive, an 18X dual-layer "SuperDrive" and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512 MB of GDDR3 memory.
Expansion includes two external 5.25" "optical" bays (one free by default), four internal 3.5" "cable-free, direct attach" hard drive bays (three free by default), and four PCIe 2.0 slots (one free PCIe 2.0 x16 slot and two free PCIe 2.0 x4 slots with the default single graphics card installed).
Ports include five USB 2.0 ports, four Firewire "800" ports, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and both a Mini DisplayPort and a dual-link DVI port, among others. Bluetooth 2.1+EDR is standard, AirPort Extreme (802.11g/n) is optional.
Although the "Early 2009/Nehalem" models look practically the same externally as the "Early 2008" models, there are major technical differences. The 64-bit "Nehalem" architecture is substantially faster and supports "Hyper-Threading" -- which "allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core" (so MacOS X recognizes sixteen "virtual cores" on this model) -- and "Turbo Boost" -- which "automatically boosts the processor speed based on workload" (so if an application is only using one of the eight cores it will automatically increase the speed of the core in use and turn off the unused cores).
It also replaces the frontside bus with a new "QuickPath Interconnect" (QPI) system described as a "bidrectional, point-to-point connection" that provides "quick access to the disk, I/O, and other Mac Pro subsystems".
Other changes include four PCIe 2.0 slots (instead of two PCIe and two PCIe 2.0 slots), four Firewire "800" ports (instead of two Firewire "400" and "800" ports), and a redesigned interior case with the processors and memory on a removable "tray".
Also see:
- What are the differences between the "Early 2009/Nehalem" Mac Pro models?
- What are the differences between the "Early 2009/Nehalem" Mac Pro models and the "Early 2008" Mac Pro models that they replaced?
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Click on the underlined category text for related details. The most commonly needed info is "open" by default, but all info is important.
| Introduction Date: |
March 3, 2009 |
Discontinued Date: |
July 27, 2010* |
| Details: |
The "Introduction Date" refers to the date a model was introduced via press release. The "Discontinued Date" refers to the date a model either was replaced by a subsequent system or production otherwise ended.
Also see: All Macs introduced in 2009. |
| Processors: |
2 (8 Cores) |
Geekbench: |
14317/16093* |
| Details: |
*These Geekbench 2 benchmarks are in 32-bit and 64-bit modes, respectively.
Geekbench 2 benchmarks reflect results as submitted to the Geekbench website. Higher numbers are better. Individual user-submitted benchmarks can vary, but an average can be useful to get an idea of the relative performance of different Macs. You also might be interested in combing through all Geekbench user-submissions for Macs with the MacPro4,1 Model Identifier, which may include multiple models.
To dynamically compare Geekbench results from different Macs side-by-side, please see EveryMac.com's Ultimate Mac Comparison.
|
| Processor Speed: |
2.66 GHz |
Processor Type: |
Q. Core Xeon X5550 x2 |
| Details: |
The 64-bit 45-nm Xeon X5550 (Gainestown/Nehalem) processors each have four independent processor "cores" each with a dedicated 256k level 2 cache, 8 MB of "fully shared" level 3 cache per processor, an integrated memory controller, and "a 128-bit SSE4 SIMD engine". It also supports "Hyper-Threading" -- which "allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core" (so Mac OS X recognizes sixteen "virtual cores" on this model) -- and "Turbo Boost" -- which "automatically boosts the processor speed based on workload" (so if an application is only using one of the four cores it will automatically increase the speed of the core in use and turn off the unused cores).
Also see: How much faster are the "Early 2009/Nehalem" Mac Pro models than the "Early 2008" Mac Pro models? |
| Custom Speeds: |
N/A |
Architecture: |
64-Bit |
| Processor Upgrade: |
LGA 1366 Sockets |
FPU: |
Integrated |
| Details: |
Also see: How do you upgrade the processors in the "Early 2009/Nehalem" Mac Pro models? How are the processors mounted? |
| System Bus Speed: |
6.4 GT/s* |
Cache Bus Speed: |
2.66 GHz (Built-in) |
| Details: |
*This system replaces the frontside bus with a new "QuickPath Interconnect" (QPI) system described as a "bidirectional, point-to-point connection" that provides "quick access to the disk, I/O, and other Mac Pro subsystems". The system self reports that it has a 6.4 GT/s "processor interconnect speed". |
| ROM/Firmware Type: |
EFI |
EFI Architecture: |
64-Bit |
| L1 Cache: |
32k/32k x8 |
L2/L3 Cache: |
256k (x8), 8 MB (x2)* |
| Details: |
*Each core has its own dedicated 256k level 2 cache and the system has 8 MB of "fully shared" level 3 cache as well per processor (16 MB total). |
| RAM Type: |
PC3-8500 DDR3 ECC |
Min. RAM Speed: |
1066 MHz |
| Details: |
Uses "1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM" (PC3-8500) modules.
Also see: How do you upgrade the RAM in the "Early 2009/Nehalem" Mac Pro? How much RAM of what type does it support? |
| Standard RAM: |
6 GB |
Maximum RAM: |
128 GB* |
| Details: |
By default, 6 GB of RAM was installed as six 1 GB modules. Two slots free.
*Apple officially supports 32 GB of RAM in this model, but site sponsor OWC first discovered that it is capable of using 64 GB of RAM when booting MacOS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" in 64-bit mode. Later, OWC bumped this unofficial maximum RAM to 96 GB running Mac OS X 10.6 or 10.7, and yet again to 128 GB, but only when running a 64-bit version of Windows XP or later or Linux. Mac OS X only can support 96 GB of RAM.
In the US (and many other countries), site sponsor Other World Computing sells memory -- as well as other upgrades -- for this Mac Pro.
In Canada, site sponsor The Mac Market sells memory and other upgrades for this Mac Pro.
In Australia, site sponsor RamCity sells memory and other upgrades for this Mac Pro.
In Southeast Asia, site sponsor SimplyMac.sg sells memory and other upgrades for this Mac Pro.
Also see: Actual Max RAM of All G3 & Later Macs. |
| Motherboard RAM: |
None |
RAM Slots: |
8* |
| Details: |
*Eight memory slots -- four per processor -- are provided on "slide out" processor trays. Note that this model supports triple channel memory addressing and performance is improved by installing memory in groups of three. |
| Video Card: |
GeForce GT 120 |
VRAM Type: |
GDDR3 SDRAM |
| Details: |
By default, a NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512 MB of GDDR3 memory was installed in a double-wide, 16-lane PCI Express 2.0 graphics slot. It has both a Mini DisplayPort and a dual-link DVI port. By custom configuration, this model also was available with as many as four NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 graphics cards (for US$150/each after the first one) or an ATI Radeon HD 4870 with 512 MB of GDDR5 memory, for an additional US$200.
Also see: What graphics cards are available for the Mac Pro? Which models have which ports? |
| Standard VRAM: |
512 MB |
Maximum VRAM: |
512 MB |
| Details: |
Other graphics cards could be pre-installed at the time of purchase or can be installed later.
Also see: How does the gaming performance of the "Early 2009/Nehalem" Mac Pro compare to earlier models? |
| Display Support: |
Up to 8 Displays* |
Resolution Support: |
2560x1600* |
| Details: |
*With four video cards installed. By default, one NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 was installed and it can support two 30-inch displays. The default video card is capable of supporting digital resolutions up to 2560x1600 and analog resolutions up to 2048x1536. |
| 2nd Display Support: |
Dual/Mirroring |
2nd Max. Resolution: |
2560x1600 |
| Details: |
The NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 is capable of supporting two 30-inch displays with a resolution of 2560x1600 in either dual display or mirrored mode.
Also see: Apple Cinema Displays. |
| Standard Hard Drive: |
640 GB (7200 RPM) |
Int. HD Interface: |
Serial ATA (3 Gb/s) |
| Details: |
By default, this system shipped with a single 640 GB (7200 RPM, 16 MB cache) Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive. Apple formally supports up to 8 TB of storage with four 2 TB hard drives (one in each internal bay).
Also see: How do you upgrade the hard drives in the Mac Pro models? How many drives of what type are supported? |
| Standard Optical: |
18X DL "SuperDrive" |
Standard Disk: |
None |
| Details: |
Apple reports that this SATA "18X" double layer DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW SuperDrive "writes DVD+R and DVD-R discs at up to 18x speed, DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 8x speed, DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed, DVD-RW discs at up to 6x speed, reads DVDs at up to 18x speed writes CD-R and CD-RW discs at up to 32x speed, [and] reads CDs at up to 32x speed."
Also see: What options are available for the second "optical drive bay" on the Mac Pro? How do you install a second optical drive or replace the primary one? |
| Standard Modem: |
None |
Standard Ethernet: |
Gigabit (x2) |
| Details: |
External Apple USB Modem offered for US$49. The system has
"two independent 10/100/1000BASE-T [Gigabit] Ethernet (RJ-45) interfaces with support for jumbo frames." |
| Standard AirPort: |
802.11a/b/g/n (Opt) |
Standard Bluetooth: |
2.1+EDR |
| Details: |
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR is standard. AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g) can be installed at additional cost. |
| USB Ports: |
5 (2.0) |
Firewire Ports: |
4 (800) |
| Details: |
This Mac Pro model has five USB 2.0 ports on the system (two on the front panel and three on the back) and four Firewire "800" ports (two on the front and two on the back). Apple also advertises that there are "two USB 2.0 ports on [the] included keyboard". |
| Expansion Slots: |
4 PCIe 2.0, AP* |
Expansion Bays: |
4 3.5", 2 5.25" |
| Details: |
*This model has four full-length PCI Express (PCIe) 2.0 expansion slots, two x16 slots and two x4 slots. In the default configuration, one PCIe 2.0 x16 slot is occupied by the graphics card. Apple also reports that "all slots provide mechanical support for 16-lane cards" and there is a "300W combined maximum for all PCI Express slots."
AirPort Extreme (802.11g/n) additionally could be installed at extra cost.
In the default configuration, one internal 3.5" bay is occupied by a hard drive and three are free, and one external 5.25" bay is occupied by a "SuperDrive" and the other is free. |
| Incl. Keyboard: |
Apple Aluminum KB |
Incl. Input: |
Mighty Mouse |
| Details: |
Shipped with an "ultra-thin aluminum" Apple Keyboard with an embedded numeric keypad (0.33 inches at the front edge) based on the polarizing keyboard design introduced with the MacBook.
Also see: How does the "ultra thin" aluminum keyboard compare to a more traditional desktop keyboard? How does it feel? |
| Case Type: |
Tower |
Form Factor: |
Mac Pro |
| Apple Order No: |
BTO/CTO |
Apple Subfamily: |
Early 2009 |
| Apple Model No: |
A1289 (EMC 2314) |
Model ID: |
MacPro4,1 |
| Details: |
Please note that these identifiers refer to more than one model.
Also see: All Macs with the A1289 Model Number, the 2314 EMC Number, and the MacPro4,1 Model Identifier.
For more about these identifiers and how to locate them on each Mac, please refer to EveryMac.com's Mac Identification section. |
| Battery Type: |
N/A |
Battery Life: |
N/A |
| Pre-Installed MacOS: |
X 10.5.6 (9G3553) |
Maximum MacOS: |
Current* |
| Details: |
*This system fully supports the current version of OS X 10.8 "Mountain Lion," with the exception of the "AirPlay Mirroring" feature (AirDrop is supported, but only if an AirPort Extreme card is installed) Please note that OS X Lion and OS X Mountain Lion are not capable of running Mac OS X apps originally written for the PowerPC processor as neither supports the "Rosetta" environment. |
| Minimum Windows: |
XP SP2 (32-Bit)* |
Maximum Windows: |
7 (64-Bit)** |
| Details: |
*Apple's Boot Camp only supports the 32-Bit version of Windows XP SP2 or higher.
**Apple formally supports both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7 on this model. MacOS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" is required to run Windows 7 via Boot Camp.
Also see: Which Intel Macs are capable of booting the 32-Bit and 64-Bit versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7? Which are supported by Apple's Boot Camp? |
| MacOS 9 Support: |
None |
Windows Support: |
Boot/Virtualization |
| Details: |
Also see: Are there any third-party programs to run Mac OS 9/Classic applications on Intel Macs?
Site sponsor OHS specializes in heavily upgraded Macs capable of running both Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 applications.
For more on running Windows on Intel Macs, please refer to the exhaustive Windows on Mac Q&A. |
| Dimensions: |
20.1 x 8.1 x 18.7 |
Avg. Weight: |
41.2 lbs. (18.7 kg) |
| Details: |
In inches - height by width by depth, (51.1 cm, 20.6 cm, 47.5 cm). |
| Original Price (US): |
US$4699 |
Est. Current Retail: |
US$2400-US$2800 |
| Details: |
Please note that on average the estimated current retail pricing of used systems is updated twice a year (please refer to the date on the bottom of the page for the date last updated).
Photo Credit: Apple Computer. |
Global original prices for the Mac Pro "Eight Core" 2.66 (2009/Nehalem) in 24 different countries and territories follow; organized alphabetically by region.
For global original prices for Intel Macs in one particular country on a single page, please refer to EveryMac.com's Global Original Prices section.
Original Prices - North America
| Canada: |
N/A |
United States: |
US$4699 |
Original Prices - Europe
| Austria: |
N/A |
Belgium: |
N/A |
| Denmark: |
N/A |
Finland: |
N/A |
| Netherlands: |
N/A |
Norway: |
N/A |
| Sweden: |
N/A |
Switzerland: |
N/A |
Original Prices - Asia
| China: |
N/A |
Hong Kong: |
N/A |
| Japan: |
N/A |
Singapore: |
N/A |
Original Prices - Australia & New Zealand
| Australia: |
N/A |
New Zealand: |
N/A |
Ten of the most popular Q&As about the Mac Pro models follow.
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None* 
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5 (2.0)
4 (800)
2 (RJ-45)
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None
2
2
1
N/A
None
1
N/A