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Usb 3.0

Z

Z1NX

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 10, 2009
73
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Do you think the rumoured Macbook Pros (Coming out in Q1 2010) will have USB 3.0 built in?
If not, do you think it's worth waiting for the [even] next Macbook Pro update which will hopefully have it?

It might sound silly but I feel it's a big investment - if you're planning on keeping the MBP for years, USB 3.0 is SO going to help speed up transferring data.

Opinions?
 
Z1NX said:
Do you think the rumoured Macbook Pros (Coming out in Q1 2010) will have USB 3.0 built in?
If not, do you think it's worth waiting for the [even] next Macbook Pro update which will hopefully have it?

It might sound silly but I feel it's a big investment - if you're planning on keeping the MBP for years, USB 3.0 is SO going to help speed up transferring data.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

Do you have any USB3 devices? Imo for the transfer needs of most peripherials USB2 is more than enough. Only external HDD's will benefit and they can't even saturate SATA 2 which is slower than USB3.
 
Z1NX said:
Do you think the rumoured Macbook Pros (Coming out in Q1 2010) will have USB 3.0 built in?
If not, do you think it's worth waiting for the [even] next Macbook Pro update which will hopefully have it?

It might sound silly but I feel it's a big investment - if you're planning on keeping the MBP for years, USB 3.0 is SO going to help speed up transferring data.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

I'd put a lot of money on the new macbook pros not having usb3.
 
I'd read that intel does not intend to include USB 3 until 2011 so I'm guessing we wont see it until then. I agree it would be great to have it though.
 
Gabriel GR said:
Do you have any USB3 devices? Imo for the transfer needs of most peripherials USB2 is more than enough. Only external HDD's will benefit and they can't even saturate SATA 2 which is slower than USB3.
Click to expand...

No, but I would buy a USB3 enclosure in a second if my MBP had USB3. There is currently no good way for me to connect my external drive to my MBP at full speed. It saturates even FW800, and all the eSATA expresscards are unreliable.

SSDs are approaching the point where they can saturate SATA2, which is why SATA3 (6gbps) was created.

We've had USB2 for almost a decade now, and it's surprising that it hasn't become outdated sooner. USB2 might be good enough for mice and keyboards, but for just about anything else, the speed is becoming a limitation.

I really hope the next MBPs have some kind of fast disk interface, such as USB3, Lightpeak, or eSATA. If I was looking to upgrade right now, I would probable get a PC because the 15" MBPs don't even have expresscard slots.
 
m85476585 said:
No, but I would buy a USB3 enclosure in a second if my MBP had USB3. There is currently no good way for me to connect my external drive to my MBP at full speed. It saturates even FW800, and all the eSATA expresscards are unreliable.

SSDs are approaching the point where they can saturate SATA2, which is why SATA3 (6gbps) was created.

We've had USB2 for almost a decade now, and it's surprising that it hasn't become outdated sooner. USB2 might be good enough for mice and keyboards, but for just about anything else, the speed is becoming a limitation.

I really hope the next MBPs have some kind of fast disk interface, such as USB3, Lightpeak, or eSATA. If I was looking to upgrade right now, I would probable get a PC because the 15" MBPs don't even have expresscard slots.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see e-sata. But I doubt it will ever happen. Somehow it's not plug 'n' play enough to be on a mac. SSD's are saturating SATA 2 but they are not big enough for backup drives. And that's the usual use for external storage. Data transfers from cameras and mp3 players aren't really limited by the usb interface.

Don't get me wrong, the more ports, the higher compatibility, the happier I will be. But I can't see USB3 as a decisive factor to postpone a laptop purchase. As for the express card, getting rid of it was a mistake. And I really wish that they bring it back to every MBP.
 
Z1NX said:
Do you think the rumoured Macbook Pros (Coming out in Q1 2010) will have USB 3.0 built in?
Click to expand...
No, I highly doubt it. Especially when there's almost no motherboard makers putting in on and nearly zero usb 3.0 devices available.

If not, do you think it's worth waiting for the [even] next Macbook Pro update which will hopefully have it?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. I think the Arrandale chipset will represent a sizable increase in performance.

It might sound silly but I feel it's a big investment - if you're planning on keeping the MBP for years, USB 3.0 is SO going to help speed up transferring data.
Click to expand...
Its a worthwhile investment if you have a lot of USB 3.0 devices, since you (and nobody) has devices at this point, I don't see USB being a make or break decision for purchasing a MBP. Pumping > 2k into a new laptop means you may want to wait till the Arrandale chipset is in the new MBPs but USB, meh. I don't see that waiting is a good thing.
 
maflynn said:
Its a worthwhile investment if you have a lot of USB 3.0 devices, since you (and nobody) has devices at this point, I don't see USB being a make or break decision for purchasing a MBP. Pumping > 2k into a new laptop means you may want to wait till the Arrandale chipset is in the new MBPs but USB, meh. I don't see that waiting is a good thing.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say nobody. You might not, but my buddy has a 2TB Buffalo external HD with USB 3.0. Bought a Gigabyte AM3 motherboard with USB 3.0 and gets crazy fast speeds. Like 80-100MB/s. Burst speed of 120MB/s with a WD Caviar Black.
 
2010 is rumoured to be the year of LightPeak..

Not really heard much about that recently though.
 
I did read somewhere that late 2010 might get 3.0 but not the early 2010 model. If you are for some strange reason waiting to buy a MBP with 3.0 I personally don't think its worth the wait. And like someone already hinted at there's not too many devices with 3.0 at the moment.
 
FWIW If you're serious about data size and throughput, a laptop is not the answer. After owning a Mac Pro, I realized internal bays will always be faster than any external solution.
 
Kilamite said:
2010 is rumoured to be the year of LightPeak..

Not really heard much about that recently though.
Click to expand...

Can you imagine LightPeak replacing USB, FW, SATA, and more?

Speeds of 10Gbps and higher plus daisy chain capability? Yes, please.
 
maflynn said:
Its a worthwhile investment if you have a lot of USB 3.0 devices, since you (and nobody) has devices at this point, I don't see USB being a make or break decision for purchasing a MBP. Pumping > 2k into a new laptop means you may want to wait till the Arrandale chipset is in the new MBPs but USB, meh. I don't see that waiting is a good thing.
Click to expand...

But a year after you buy the laptop, you might have a lot of USB3 devices, at which point there is no way to upgrade, if you have a laptop with USB2, without selling the laptop.


In my opinion, LightPeak won't be successful unless it is included on a significant number of computers in the first quarter of this year. I think if Apple added lightpeak ports to the soon-to-be-released MBPs, LP would have a chance of success. Otherwise, USB3 will take off and LP will go the way of Firewire, not a common option on computers and only used by some specialized devices. Intel might be trying to delay USB3 by not putting it on their chipsets until 2011, but more and more computers are going to include USB3 whether Intel offers it or not.

I want LP to win over USB3 for the next high speed peripheral interface because like Firewire, it is technically superior to USB. LP is faster and the cables and connectors can support essentially any protocol, so it could be used for all kinds of devices, even displays, and longer cable lengths are possible. Having just one kind of connector for everything would be great (if that's what Intel is going for), and I could throw out my giant collection of cables and adapters and just buy a few LP cables. Unfortunately, USB3 looks like it will be first to the market, and it has the advantage that it is backwards-compatible with the millions of USB2 devices out there. I think LP is not really ready, though, which is why Intel would have to delay USB3.

There is a fair chance that Apple would be the first manufacturer to get LP, since Intel has given Apple special treatment before, and since Apple doesn't mind using different connectors (Firewire, Displayport). Unfortunately, Apple seems to be becoming more consumer oriented, so they might stick with the normal USB and Firewire combo, possibly going to USB3 when they see fit.
 
m85476585 said:
I want LP to win over USB3 for the next high speed peripheral interface because like Firewire, it is technically superior to USB. LP is faster and the cables and connectors can support essentially any protocol, so it could be used for all kinds of devices, even displays, and longer cable lengths are possible. Having just one kind of connector for everything would be great (if that's what Intel is going for), and I could throw out my giant collection of cables and adapters and just buy a few LP cables.
Click to expand...

You'd have four or five identical ports on your laptop, aside power adapter and maybe one or two more. Now that's compatibility.

However, consumers at this point are very accustomed to USB cables which are quite flexible, and the transition to fiber will require much stronger encasing.
 
Repo said:
Can you imagine LightPeak replacing USB, FW, SATA, and more?

Speeds of 10Gbps and higher plus daisy chain capability? Yes, please.
Click to expand...

You mean eSATA (external SATA) right? SATA will still be the internal standard.
 
From USB 2.0 to Light peak ... No Apple USB 3.0 adoptation

Z1NX said:
Do you think the rumoured Macbook Pros (Coming out in Q1 2010) will have USB 3.0 built in?
If not, do you think it's worth waiting for the [even] next Macbook Pro update which will hopefully have it?

It might sound silly but I feel it's a big investment - if you're planning on keeping the MBP for years, USB 3.0 is SO going to help speed up transferring data.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

Apple will Adopt Light peak in Q4 of 2010. Will have USB 2.0 until then.

"In any event, Intel has suggested that systems using Light Peak are already being designed, and there are rumors that Apple intends to introduce Light Peak-equipped systems in Q4 of 2010.In addition to the demonstrated system, Intel has also announced that they will introduce a smaller low-power version for portable devices in 2011. They have also stated that the system will allow future expansion to 100 Gbps throughput."

Expand your knowledge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_Peak

iDisk


:apple:
 
Aww man.

I was feeling hopeful, but now it seems the chances of seeing USB 3.0 are pretty slim :(

I guess we'll have to survive with USB 2, until the time comes for me to get a new laptop (Yeaaaaaars to come)
 
I wonder if Lightpeak will allow for any kind of backward compatibility with USB and maybe even FireWire devices. Possibly via adapters. That would help its adoption tremendously.
 
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