Why do many Windows laptops have a mix of USB2 and USB3?

[mrsir2009]

Pretty much every Windows based laptop I've looked at that has USB3 also has USB2 - In other words, they have a mix of USB3 ports and USB2 ports. This Asus laptop, for example, has one USB3 port and two USB2 ports. Is there any technical reason why they can't just make all of the USB ports USB3? Apple did it - The 15" rMBP has two USB3 ports. So why do many Windows laptops have the older technology alongside the new technology? I don't understand

 

[TSE]

Because it has a 2011 Sandy Bridge processor where Intel didn't make USB 3.0 built in or standard, therefore to get USB 3 capability manufacturers had to put in a USB 3.0 card add-on in the inside, to get 3 USB 3.0 ports would take 3 USB 3.0 cards.

At the time Apple didn't have any USB 3.0 ports.

 

[mrsir2009]

Because it has a 2011 Sandy Bridge processor where Intel didn't make USB 3.0 built in or standard, therefore to get USB 3 capability manufacturers had to put in a USB 3.0 card add-on in the inside, to get 3 USB 3.0 ports would take 3 USB 3.0 cards.

At the time Apple didn't have any USB 3.0 ports.

Ah, I see. Thanks

 

[velocityg4]

Because it has a 2011 Sandy Bridge processor where Intel didn't make USB 3.0 built in or standard, therefore to get USB 3 capability manufacturers had to put in a USB 3.0 card add-on in the inside, to get 3 USB 3.0 ports would take 3 USB 3.0 cards.

At the time Apple didn't have any USB 3.0 ports.

Why would that be? You can connect a USB 3.0 hub to a port for multiple devices. You can also get a USB 3.0 PCI-e card with multiple ports which does not use multiple USB 3.0 controllers.

I figured it was more along the lines of no native support in Windows 7. So no keyboard or mouse would work after a fresh reinstall or if there was a driver bug.

 

[TSE]

Why would that be? You can connect a USB 3.0 hub to a port for multiple devices. You can also get a USB 3.0 PCI-e card with multiple ports which does not use multiple USB 3.0 controllers.

I figured it was more along the lines of no native support in Windows 7. So no keyboard or mouse would work after a fresh reinstall or if there was a driver bug.

That might be it too, I remember reading that each USB 3.0 port with Sandy Bridge took up a USB 3.0 chip on the notebookreview forums, but your answer seems more logical.