Intel delays USB 3.0 chipset until 2012

05 Jun 10 00:43 by Randomus in category Netbooks, Notebooks/Laptops

Intel announced it will wait an additional year before adopting the newer, faster USB 3.0 format by delaying the format’s motherboard chipset.

This recent news announcement will likely only anger some of Intel’s OEM partners, as the companies look to try and integrate USB 3.0 support into new product lineups.

The USB 3.0 format was first introduced in November 2008, but many people doubted the industry-wide demand for such a format.  In 2009, some PCs announced they’ll release USB 3.0 products, but very few were released.  Since then, more companies have launched USB 3.0 chipsets, HDDs, and other devices using the preceding USB 2.0 technology.

In April, it was revealed Intel doesn’t plan to support USB 3.0 until 2011 — but recently said it will wait until 2012 — with the company unveiling the Light Peak platform that could be a USB 3.0 successor.  Light Peak promises a launch speed of 10 Gb/s, with a maximum speed of 100 Gb/s expected over the next 10 years.

Not only is Light Peak faster than USB 3.0, the optical cable is able to carry the signal with a range up to 100 meters in distance.  Furthermore, USB, HDMI, SATA, PCI-E and DVI can all be supported at the same time using Light Peak, which should give it a major advantage over USB 3.0.

Asus, ASRock and Gigabyte already are shipping USB 3.0 compatible motherboards, with other manufacturers expected to make similar announcements.

I think this is a very disappointing — albeit not surprising — decision by Intel.  I would have liked to see the company support USB 3.0, but it doesn’t look like that will happen until 2012, at the earliest.

14 Comments on Intel delays USB 3.0 chipset until 2012

Zod
Posts: 724
Posted on: 05 Jun 10 05:08
Si if you want USB 3.0 just avoid intel motherboards? I was thinking of buying a new computer in the fall. Most of my computers have used gigabyte mobo's. Suppose I get another gigabyte mobo with an intel cpu? (and chipset).
RJL65
Posts: 916
Posted on: 05 Jun 10 05:44
Actually, this means that Intel core-logic chipsets will not only not natively support USB 3.0, but will also not natively support SATA 6 Gbps, for the foreseeable future. As a result, SATA 6 Gbps and USB 3.0 support will continue to be provided by third-party controllers on Intel chipset-based motherboards.
paulw2
Posts: 312
Posted on: 05 Jun 10 22:25
I smell a vested interest here by Intel in delaying this..
Anthony1uk
Posts: 386
Posted on: 07 Jun 10 11:26
Swines!.

I was planning my next upgrade when I can get a motherboard with USB3 integrated.

First it was to be 2010, then 2011, now 2012.

Someone correct me but aren't AMD already integrating USB3 to its motherboard south bridge? so there is no reason for the delay.

Lets hope Bulldozer is any good.
DrageMester
Posts: 19885
Posted on: 07 Jun 10 11:57
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1uk View Post
I was planning my next upgrade when I can get a motherboard with USB3 integrated.
You can get some non-Intel motherboards with integrated USB 3.0 now, even motherboards with Intel chipsets for Intel processors - but the USB 3.0 support is not provided by the Intel chipset itself.

Examples: Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 Socket 1156 & Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 Socket 1156
Anthony1uk
Posts: 386
Posted on: 07 Jun 10 12:03
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrageMester View Post
You can get some non-Intel motherboards with integrated USB 3.0 now, even motherboards with Intel chipsets for Intel processors - but the USB 3.0 support is not provided by the Intel chipset itself.

Examples: Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 Socket 1156 & Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 Socket 1156
Thanks, and I know this, but after my current motherboard had two Jmicron SATA ports I would rather not have USB3 at all then mess around with these terrible additions from third party developers and their never working drivers.
debro
Posts: 13326
Posted on: 07 Jun 10 13:02
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1uk View Post
Swines!.

I was planning my next upgrade when I can get a motherboard with USB3 integrated.

First it was to be 2010, then 2011, now 2012.

Someone correct me but aren't AMD already integrating USB3 to its motherboard south bridge? so there is no reason for the delay.

Lets hope Bulldozer is any good.
I was shopping around earlier .. and no .. the recently release AMD chipsets don't have USB3. 3rd party chips are required, and common.
mciahel
Posts: 17048
Posted on: 07 Jun 10 20:54
But current AMD chipsets have better support for USB3 controllers (unlike Intel who managed to introduce some bottlenecks).
Plus AMD has built-in Sata3 support.

Michael
Anthony1uk
Posts: 386
Posted on: 07 Jun 10 21:00
Quote:
Originally Posted by mciahel View Post
But current AMD chipsets have better support for USB3 controllers (unlike Intel who managed to introduce some bottlenecks).
Plus AMD has built-in Sata3 support.

Michael
Yeah AMD boards have PCIe 1x 2.0 meaning you can get full speed out of the cards, Intel have only PCIe 1x 1.0 so you are bottlenecked.

AMD are fantastic and innovators with every component they make (and that is including ATI graphics), except for the most critical component; the CPU which they are way behind Intel.

Intel are too arrogant, costly and like to bring out new CPU's which immediately make their motherboards obsolete.

I am just hoping AMD get things right with Bulldozer as if so there is no need to go to Intel for some time.
debro
Posts: 13326
Posted on: 08 Jun 10 01:09
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony1uk View Post
AMD are fantastic and innovators with every component they make (and that is including ATI graphics), except for the most critical component; the CPU which they are way behind Intel.
CPU's became insignificant once they hit 3Ghz and Multi-cores .....
Now, it's all about clocking single cores higher to get performance for all those poorly structured single core applications over the last 20years



I have a lighting simulation program, AGI32, the core program is still single core ... WTF? I've had a dual core or better at work for almost 4 years ... and I've been using the program for longer than that .. FSS.

If it's any consolation, the raytracing is multi-threaded. I think I've used the raytracing about 3 times in the same time ... I suspect the ray-tracing portion of the software is based on another companies work ...
_chef_
Posts: 30613
Posted on: 09 Jun 10 20:41
At last, intel has made the correct choice in case of usb3!!!
Anthony1uk
Posts: 386
Posted on: 09 Jun 10 20:47
Quote:
Originally Posted by _chef_ View Post
At last, intel has made the correct choice in case of usb3!!!
What makes you think that way about USB3?
_chef_
Posts: 30613
Posted on: 09 Jun 10 21:22
Just read about the intel based troubles concering usb3 within the last 2 months.....
Chriscreative
Posts: 72
Posted on: 10 Jun 10 04:21
I was planning my next upgrade when I can get a motherboard with USB3 integrated And SATA 6GB/s. Two years of waiting will cost Intel a bag of money.
Tell us, what do you think about

Intel delays USB 3.0 chipset until 2012

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