When the Mac Pro was first introduced, there was a lot of discussion about the potential for user upgradeability. Back in January, Other World Computing (OWC) confirmed that they were able to upgrade a Mac Pro in-house. Now they are making processor and memory upgrades available to the rest of us.

From the OWC press release:

Other World Computing today officially introduced Intel Xeon processor and OWC memory turnkey upgrades for the latest AppleMac Pro 2013. Options include 8-Core, 10-Core, and 12-Core models. The processors are fully compliant with Apple technical specifications and power requirements and are fully tested, qualified, and guaranteed to meet or exceed the processors available from Apple.

Note that the install is done by them, not via a kit:

The OWC Turnkey Upgrade Program includes professional installation and testing by OWC’s Apple Certified technicians, shipping both ways, and options to upgrade memory, add Thunderbolt technology external storage solutions to your order and extend the included OWC one-year limited warranty to three years.

Interestingly, if you order a Mac Pro from the Apple Store, the expected ship time is 5-6 weeks. That’s for the US store, not sure what the delay is outside the US. This is not much different than the ship time we reported back in February.

It’s been suggested that the delay is due to the high percentage of customized orders. That may be, but it doesn’t click for me. I think the long lead time is a combination of high demand and (my speculation) delays in the manufacture of a critical component. It is what it is. The Mac Pro has been well received and, I suspect, demand has been even higher than anticipated.