... Intel may be holding back but mobo manufactures like ASUS aren't waiting. I guess they too belong to that segment dividedbyzero accused me and a bunch of teach readers who are okay with using third party controllers. I didn't even know I belonged to a "segment."
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The point is that unless you specifically want an Intel branded board, as opposed to an Intel chipset board then getting USB3 on a X58/P55/H55/H57 platform doesn't represent a problem. Motherboard manufacturers are only willing and able to add new bells and bows to their lineup if there is a buck to be made.
The issue I take with a "segment" of the readership is that the title of the thread is "Manufacturers push for USB 3.0 adoption, Intel holds back" so...
(these are the questions that naturally came to mind when I read the title and then the article)
QUESTION: How many mainstream consumer motherboard chipset manufacturers are there ?
ANSWER: Two. Intel and AMD
If, judging by the facts in the article, Intel is holding up adoption of USB3 because of Light Peak until 2012. I would ask myself
1. Why
2. Since there are only two mobo chipset makers then the article infers via omission that AMD has USB3 support-or at least will have much sooner than 2012, otherwise the article would read "...chipset makers (or Intel and AMD) holds it back"
So...
As for the 1.Why...
X58 currently uses the ICH10R I/O controller hub. To implement USB3 would require a re-working (ICH 11R ?). So between the present day and when the X58 is scheduled for replacement -probably a year more or less, Intel would need to build, test and qualify the I/O hub and motherboard manufacturers would then need to implement it (revise layout, rearrange traces, reconfigure PCI lanes for increased bandwidth) and then get it onto shelves.
P55/H55/H57/Q57...Same deal...except the timeframe is around six months since Sandy Bridge (LGA1155)
is pretty much here.....and since Sandy Bridge is already done and dusted, you would need to scrap the CPU (including the ES already in the hands of motherboard manufacturers, third party controllers etc.) and retool the architecture since the USB controller is part of the CPU....Sandy Bridge is due to be replaced by Haswell in...you guessed it...2012 - the next architecture from Intel that isn't already made.
As for 2. AMD adoption of USB3...
This is AMD's latest architecture. You'll notice no USB3 support. Bulldozer is AMD's next desktop architecture to replace Phenom/Athlon II CPU's- it will also likely be a
drop-in replacement on these AM3 boards. Moreover AMD has announced no USB3 support for any upcoming southbridge...
So basically the story should have read: " USB3 is made available via third party controller at the motherboard makers discretion, neither consumer motherboard chipset manufacturer will be offering on-die or southbridge support before the 2012 timeframe"....not very sensational as a story line is it?
So basically, when I read a tech story like this I look at what isn't said as well as what is. All I did was a little reseach to acquaint myself with the facts that were missing from my knowlege base- and indeed from the article before commenting.
It is the nature of such articles that they are designed to polarize opinion and generate comment (and of course pageviews)- some of it immediate and assumptive in nature, and some of it deliberately placed there by a few well placed trolls and shills. Unfortunately, it is my nature to call-it-as-I see-it if I see false, manipulative or incorrect information represented as fact- Hence the frequent links I use to help distinguish my opinion from those of others (or known fact as the case may be). I also don't believe in sugar-coating my comments if a short-sharp-shock is likely to generate more thought from the recipient.
