USB 3.0 ports will start arriving by the end of this year. Here's what you need to know
Posted 07.02.2009 at 7:11 am
27 Comments
USB 3.0
Andreas Frank
That Universal Serial Bus port in your computer is about to get an upgrade. You know, the one where you plug in all your external hard drives, digital cameras, MP3 players, thumb drives, and USB heated-slippers? If you bought your computer any time after the year 2000, it probably came equipped with a USB 2.0 port. However, later this year computers will start shipping that include USB 3.0 ports, which can transmit data up to ten times as fast. Here's what to expect.
What is USB 3.0?
Dubbed "SuperSpeed," USB 3.0 is much faster at transferring data than its predecessor. The current 2.0 ports can transfer packets of information at speeds of 480Mbit/s, but the 3.0 spec will be able to handle 4.8 to 5Gbit/s. This tenfold increase in speed is accomplished by increasing the number of wires used for transfer from 4 to 9 and more efficient handling of the traffic throughout the data bus. This large flow of information can also be split into several different streams of information being transferred at once.
USB ports can transfer not only information but also electricity to peripherals, which has yielded many kooky results. While energy transfer is nothing new in USB ports, the new version will help conserve energy. As it stands, USB connections are not specialized, and information packets are broadcast to all peripherals attached. The new ports and cables, however, will target the necessary device and send packets only to the devices that need to receive them. That allows conservation of power on portions of the cable that are not being used.
The best part is backwards and forwards compatibility. New cables will work in old ports (although not with the increased speed), and old cables will work in new ports. When confronted with disparate ports and cables, the computer will initiate polling to decide what the highest speed is that both ends can support.
What will USB 3.0 do for you?
Of course, there's the increase in speed of packet transfer. That'll mean faster uploads of photos or MP3s to and from your cellphone, and drastically better performance for USB mass storage devices like external hard drives. There's also the potential for hi-def streaming: 5Gbit/s speeds offer the ability to cleanly stream video at 1080i definition. The process is also scalable for any future developments that Moore's Law will throw our way: USB 3.0 was made in preparation for future computing.
When will you get USB 3.0?
Taiwanese PC manufacturers claim they will start shipping 3.0-compatible computers by the end of this year. However, it's estimated that these initial models will only be able to reach about a quarter of the port's potential speed. The technology will evolve over time to reach its maximal rates. Meanwhile, the port will become much more ubiquitous: About 140 million units will be produced in 2011 and up to 340 million units by 2012.
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Nice, just what I need. The ability to transfer all the data on my external hard drive to my internal hard drive in 100 seconds. And power my heated slippers too. ^_~
The media companies might not like it, but imagine the ability to stream HD off a portable 1TB+ hard drive attached to your PS3 or Xbox - you could have your library (legal hopefully) completely portable.
Editor and builder of http://www.toyreviewworld.com
hmmmm, very interesting.... not only the implications this has for the standard usb data transfer speed but also may mean that along with the new (usb modems) comming (late june is the date for virgin mobile new usb prepaid modem) so im sure this is an upgrade to a cell phone broardband service upgrade in data transfer and providing internet on the go..... this can set us on a ubiquitous use of knowledge and data transfer that can save all... 1 live is more than enough... dont you think 2011 is to late?
USB 2.0 is already 10x faster than required for streaming of 1080i or p video. Typical 1080p video uses around 30-40Mbps. So as I often do, streaming 1080i video via usb cable from the video camera is no problem at all.
The main use for this would be for external drives, faster reading of usb memory sticks, writing to them is limited by the memory, and very fast peer to peer networking between 2 puters.
will this help latency between usb midi controllers or what?
from piscataway, NJ
Why are we still using wires? Why aren't they getting these speeds wirelessly. I don't want to be bothered with plugging things in.
A big reason for wires as opposed to wireless is so the device doesnt have to be powered on its own. Until Wi-Tricity catches on wires will still be easier, for me at least.
USB3.0 with high transfer rate will be very effective as RAM Booster.Hoping to get 1 soon.
my security system will not like it because it scans it as it comes in to my system.
why don't we use the USB port for audio, video, and networking? it would be nice to have one type of port for everything.
that is so cool, i mean i could download the pictures from my camera faster, yes!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj3SzOxsLqQ
I don't know if this has been said before but the problem with USB is that the computer/processor can't actually use all of the USB speed.
Can we FINALLY use USB for video capture? Or do another million consumers have to find out the hard way they need firewire.
The suggestion that USB 3.0 will speed up transfers from your cellphone is totally ludicrous. As if the tiny cellphone processor can even max out the transfer bandwidth of USB 2.0!
I just got my new computer a month ago! And normally with a desktop, you can just put in a new card into the back of the computer, but mine is an all-in-one, so there are no removable parts, or places to put new parts! Which sucks, because I do video editing, so transfer of large files over USB is crucial to me!
Portillo > Why are we still using wires? Why aren't they getting these speeds wirelessly. I don't want to be bothered with plugging things in.
because getting such a speed on wireless with current technology level will immediately fry your brainz up! as opposed to doing it slowly, as it does now...
(by frying I mean not heating /though a 5GBs wireless may really do!/, but rather changing genes' expressions, that cause cell apoptosis and bad results, like cancer)
Why do you hate wires so much, you lazy animal(s)?!
Zurin >USB 2.0 is already 10x faster than required for streaming of 1080i or p video.
I suppose, they meant an uncompressed one, like that coming through a DVI(HDMI) interface.
lunarleif > I don't know if this has been said before but the problem with USB is that the computer/processor can't actually use all of the USB speed.
It depends on the processor ;) I bet new Xeons or POWER5&6 or PowerXCell8i can really do! Even if the USB bus is not their dedication. Of course, a shitty CoreDuo or Quad can't! Not sure about the Opteron, though..
rocketwings> why don't we use the USB port for audio, video, and networking? it would be nice to have one type of port for everything.
there is USB-everything, but it stil has a standard connertor on the other side. I have seen USB-speakers (with a builtin soundcard) so they really do look like true-usb thing. And a USB small LCD. And, of course, the heated slippers! ;)
But with datarates allowing uncompressed (soon it can become compressed on the fly too) HDMI data to pass through, the HDMI connector may be defeated in the future with a USB one.. watch the rise of USB!!! bwa-ha-ha-ha!!!
kyleb2112> Can we FINALLY use USB for video capture? Or do another million consumers have to find out the hard way they need firewire.
Oh, come on, FireWire's datarate is not much bigger than of USB2.0. Or, there's a new standard I'm not aware of..
Cheers!
Charlie Knickersman (not a real name)
anonymous person with some knowledge in the areas of biology, physics and math
that is sweet. downloading things 10 times faster would help anybody.
ummmmm if i buy a computer with 3.0 usb wil i have to change all of my cords D:
It's a shame, though, that most of that high speed capability will be wasted on the average user; we will, of course, have graphics and games for them, right?
from Sierra Vista, AZ
Wow some of u guys are really lazy. If you cant lift your had to put in the USB cable the wow. O well I am happy there putting USB 3.0 out but not happy because you have to have a new computer to use it.
Robert1234: Why isn't Moore's law still applicable to processor speed? I use an Intel 3Ghz processor that is clock-speed doubled, thus actually running at about 5.8 MHz. They don't even make a 3MHz processor any more, the best are quad units that actually run about 2.85 MHz. I'm trying to buy another machine as fast as my five year old model and I can't! That really sucks.
I bought a computer (imac g4) in 2004 and it only had usb1.1, WTF APPLE?
So, how much solar energy have you used today?
One thing for damn sure I will not buy another computer until it has the USB3.
So, how much solar energy converted to electricity have you made today?
I wish the port and jack would be designed so that it's just not possible to insert the USB the wrong way. Believe it or not I've shorted out an external hard drive this way. It's not always easy to see which side to insert. The slots could be a sort of flattened T-shape instead. Anyway thats all moot.
I wish the port and jack would be designed so that it's just not possible to insert the USB the wrong way. Believe it or not I've shorted out an external hard drive this way. It's not always easy to see which side to insert. The slots could be a sort of flattened T-shape instead. Anyway thats all moot.
I wish the port and jack would be designed so that it's just not possible to insert the USB the wrong way. Believe it or not I've shorted out an external hard drive this way. It's not always easy to see which side to insert. The slots could be a sort of flattened T-shape instead. Anyway thats all moot.
from Mukwonago, Wisconsin.
Alright, what im looking to know is when is this ACTUALLY gonna start coming standard on laptops? All im hearing is a bunch of imaginary dates being thrown out by greedy executives trying to get their face on the USB 3.0 scene and after a couple hours of research and still not answer ill admit im a tad frusturated. I need a computer for college and to be honest it seems foolish for me to buy a 2.0 now, than have the 3.0 come standard 4 months afterwards. However, i do need a laptop(a bird in hand is better than 2 in the bush kinda thing) So thats my delemia at the moment and why im looking for a date thats both realistic and credible, not just some exec trying to get ahead of the curve.