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ThomasJL

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 16, 2008
1,600
3,516
If you had to make an educated guess, when would you guess that USB 3.0 will arrive on MacBooks?
 

ThomasJL

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 16, 2008
1,600
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Second to last paragraph; article used as a source from the Wikipedia article on USB 3.0

Thanks for the link to the article. It does seem credible. However, there are other articles which report contradictory information.

I'm curious if anyone has any recent information, and by "recent," I mean information that's only a couple of weeks old.
 

Lava Lamp Freak

macrumors 68000
Jun 1, 2006
1,570
620
Thanks for the link to the article. It does seem credible. However, there are other articles which report contradictory information.

I'm curious if anyone has any recent information, and by "recent," I mean information that's only a couple of weeks old.

This is the most recent article I've read and it states 2010. I'm not sure who their source is, though. Perhaps someone at CES.

http://tech.blorge.com/Structure: /2009/01/07/usb-30-is-ten-times-faster-get-it-in-2010/
 

ThomasJL

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 16, 2008
1,600
3,516
I remember how frustrating it was in late 2003 when buying a Mac that was great in every way, except it only had USB 1.1 and then Apple released revision with USB 2.0 only a few months later.

To this day, that machine is severely crippled as a result. There are so many things I cannot do with it. I gave it to my dad so we can video chat with Skype, but the video quality is so poor, even though he is using the absolute best (in terms of picture quality) webcam that has ever been created: Logitech's QuickCam Vision Pro. It's a USB 2.0 webcam, and the drop in bandwith due to the USB 1.1 connection on the Mac negates any positives of this camera. (A girl I'm dating uses the exact same camera with a USB 2.0 connection, and the picture quality is by far the best I've ever seen for a webcam).

A common topic of discussion on this forum is the pros and cons of waiting to purchase. USB 3.0 will be one of those rare monumental leaps in technology. The bottom line should be this: If someone replaces his Mac every year with a new revision, then he should buy immediately. However, if he is one who only buys a computer once every four or five years, he should wait for USB 3.0.
 

nfable

macrumors regular
Apr 9, 2007
179
26
I have a MBP late 2006, will it be possible to replace the current USB ports with USB 3 when they come out? I've looked at some teardown pix from ifixit, but I can't determine how the ports are attached; I assume if the USB ports can be replaced they could be replaced w/usb3 if the pipeline is there to support it... any thoughts?

/edit to follow
 

reebzor

macrumors 6502a
Jul 18, 2008
869
1
Philadelphia, PA
I have a MBP late 2006, will it be possible to replace the current USB ports with USB 3 when they come out? I've looked at some teardown pix from ifixit, but I can't determine how the ports are attached; I assume if the USB ports can be replaced they could be replaced w/usb3 if the pipeline is there to support it... any thoughts?

/edit to follow

absolutely not. You'll need to buy a new computer, or get an expresscard USB 3.0 hub.
 

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
I have a MBP late 2006, will it be possible to replace the current USB ports with USB 3 when they come out? I've looked at some teardown pix from ifixit, but I can't determine how the ports are attached; I assume if the USB ports can be replaced they could be replaced w/usb3 if the pipeline is there to support it... any thoughts?

No way.

/edit to follow

Pulls up chair. This should be good.
 

nfable

macrumors regular
Apr 9, 2007
179
26
well poo. I'm good now w/eSata thru express card, just thinking about the future and really :( about lack of expresscard slot in new 15" MBPs, so I guess I'll hold out til usb3 adoption in new models.
 

PracticalMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,857
5,242
Houston, TX
If you had to make an educated guess, when would you guess that USB 3.0 will arrive on MacBooks?

WOW, old thread!

With Intel putting brakes on USB3 will 2011, it is very unlikely we see any Mac with USB3 (and if we do its on the Mac Pro).

....

MAYBE Apple will put USB3 in the MBAir first. It will overcome the massive shortfall with its design.
 

PracticalMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,857
5,242
Houston, TX
well poo. I'm good now w/eSata thru express card, just thinking about the future and really :( about lack of expresscard slot in new 15" MBPs, so I guess I'll hold out til usb3 adoption in new models.

If your HDD has FW800, try a speed test between it and eSATA.

On write speed, FW800 = eSATA just about (limit of the HDD, not eSATA).


...
This will help you understand USB3
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/742865/
 

nfable

macrumors regular
Apr 9, 2007
179
26
Thanks for the sug, here's the tally

File size 1.09GB

eSATA -> MBP 43.3
MBP -> eSATA 43.6

FW800 -> MBP 51.6
MBP -> FW800 49

Average of 13.5% faster w/eSATA on this extremely limited test (if my math is right)

For kicks I transferred a 4.36GB file and the times were
eSATA 2:58.4 vs. FW800 2:53.6 ... FW800 was 2.7% faster in this case...hmm.

In day to day use, I probably wouldn't notice 7 seconds here or there. I mainly use it for scratch disk connection and don't know how to perform a test along those lines.

...
Thx for the info link, ya learned me.
 

PracticalMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,857
5,242
Houston, TX
Thanks for the sug, here's the tally

For kicks I transferred a 4.36GB file and the times were
eSATA 2:58.4 vs. FW800 2:53.6 ... FW800 was 2.7% faster in this case...hmm.

In day to day use, I probably wouldn't notice 7 seconds here or there. I mainly use it for scratch disk connection and don't know how to perform a test along those lines.

...
Thx for the info link, ya learned me.

Thanks for the test.

According to Toms Hardware site, eSATA was actually slower then FW800.
And the write test using USB3 was only a few % better then FW800.

I think the HDD is too slow to take advantage of the top speeds of eSATA and USB3. FW800 works pretty good.
 

kigru

macrumors newbie
Jan 3, 2008
26
0
absolutely not. You'll need to buy a new computer, or get an expresscard USB 3.0 hub.



im a mobile djay, and ive been experiencing lag with my external 2.5 when i have it connected through usb. This is my only option since im still in college and can not store all my music on my mbp. im wondering if this set up
will help, whats your opinion. i have a mbp 2.33 (one before santa rosa)
thanks.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817729021
 

miicah

macrumors regular
Apr 14, 2010
134
0
Considering USB3.0 is only making it to high end X-58 mobos NOW, we won't see it in the normal Macbooks till 2012, maybe MBP's in 2011.

Although depending on when the iMac refresh is, you might see USB 3.0 in that.
 
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