Everything You Need To Know About Thunderbolt

[acku]

A year after its debut on Apple platforms, Thunderbolt is finally available for PCs. Both fast and scalable, the technology’s 10 Gb/s connectivity and potential for external graphics promises to inspire innovation. But is it ready for prime time?

Everything You Need To Know About Thunderbolt : Read more

 

[Pyree]

I was really hoping to see some eGPU benchmark. Oh well, I guess I have to wait.

 

[mayankleoboy1]

thunderbolt will fail after external PCIE standard is implemented

 

[mayankleoboy1]

for more insight of thunderbolt fail and Intel's lying :

http://semiaccurate.com/2012/06/06/intel-talks-about-thunderbolt/

 

[shoelessinsight]

Active cables are more likely to have defects or break down over time. This, plus their high expense, is not going to go over well with most people.

 

[A Bad Day]

Looks like I'm going to steer clear of Copperpeak for my future build.

 

[GI_JONES]

Cost is going to kill this.

 

[mayankleoboy1]

^
because "thunderbolt" sounds much sexier than "HDBaseT " ?

and with apple, its all about the sexiness, not functionality/practicality.

 

[JOSHSKORN]

Prediction: We will see Thunderbolt available on SmartPhones. When we do, this port will be able to handle a monitor, external hard drives, speakers and many other USB devices through its Thunderbolt docking station. Obviously a SmartPhone won't need to be attached to a webcam. This will become the future desktop...that is, if it can run Crysis. LOL Had to add that in there.

 

[pepsimtl]

I remenber scsi interface ,so expensive ,just the company (server) use it .
and sata interface replace it.
For me Thunderbolt is the same song
I predict a sata 4 (12gb) or usb 4 ,soon

 

[archange]

Hot, expensive active cables cannot be anything else than niche.

 

[emad_ramlawi]

Technology for the rich ...

i can wait a couple of minutes for files to be copied on USB 3.0 which is universal and open standard .

thanks intel but ill pass

 

[rex86]

I really hope that this is going to be another flop. USB3 is just fine for almost everything. I do agree that we need open external PCIe standard. We're already paying too much to Intel.

 

[beetlejuicegr]

Only thing usefull i can see right now is a laptop with intel/amd gpu using it to get access to high end external discrete gpu. All the other possibilities are not needed to be through thunderbolt.

 

[Guest]

What is 125oF in real measurements?

 

[chesteracorgi]

Thunderbolt is a wonderful innovation and alternative, but hardly ready for prime-time. Even on the Mac platform there is a derth of devices that use thunderbolt. Will thunderbolt be USB or Firewire?

 

[A Bad Day]

[citation][nom]emad_ramlawi[/nom]Technology for the rich ...i can wait a couple of minutes for files to be copied on USB 3.0 which is universal and open standard . thanks intel but ill pass[/citation]

And if USB 3.0 is too slow, then use two of them (flashdrives in RAID 0 anyone?).

 

[Guest]

I can't believe how narrow some other people comments are. This new standard is for high end users and later others as well once prices start to drop. USB3 eSata when you are working with files that are 10s of Gigs in size are just too slow. Thunderbolt is fast plus easy plug and play for so many future possibilities. There are already a number of hard drives, raids arrays, Displays and now expansion Link PCIe adapter from Mlogic. Already it's potential is becoming interesting.

 

[josejones]

What are the costs of these new Thunderbolt ports on new z77 motherboards and are they 3rd party?

I was considering getting the new Gigabyte Z77X-UP5 TH for my new i7 build but, not because of the Thunderbolt ports, but rather, due to the alleged lower mobo temps, which I'm concerned about with our 85F (31C) indoor temps. I await a serious review. These new boards are supposed to be available by the end of June:

Gigabyte's Hardcore Thunderbolt Demo with GA-Z77X-UP5 TH Motherboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deImUH8aUHQ

Gigabyte Ultra Durable 5 at Computex, shows much lower temperatures
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLggGetNR14

z77 Motherboard Discussion
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/308058-30-motherboard-discussion

 

[josejones]

^ "are they 3rd party?"

of course not = Intel

 

[rantoc]

I don't see this tech taking off in the consumer sector any day soon, its to expensive compared to the alternatives and with active cables it ensures that it will remain so! Few have use of the extra bandwidth provided where an usb3 will remain more than sufficient for the masses and the equipment/cables remain cheap!

 

[josejones]

Will the new ipad, iphone etc have a Thunderbolt port?

 

[bigjuliefromchicago]

Considering that the number of peripherals available is approximately zero, I'd say this theoretically great technology is practically useless.

 

[xenol]

Thunderbolt has all the signs of FireWire: it's faster and can provide power. It also has the added effect of "we already having something universal".

 

[jimmysmitty]

[citation][nom]rex86[/nom]I really hope that this is going to be another flop. USB3 is just fine for almost everything. I do agree that we need open external PCIe standard. We're already paying too much to Intel.[/citation]

Yea because paying $220 for a 2500K is too much.....

Honestly its suprising to me to see people talk like this. Technology has to move forward. USB 3.0 is fine for some applications but the interface was not designed for high bandwidth operations such as flash drives/eHDDs. It chokes thanks to the 8b/10b encoding that causes a large drop in thoroghput.

And people act as if USB 3.0 was as cheap as USB 2.0 to start and it wasn't. Everything new starts at a higher price and drops when it becomes more widley used.

Thunderbolt has a lot of potential to increase external devices capabilities. I don't see myself ever using it but it will probably be used in places that need that kind of speed and when it hits 50Gbps via optical I am sure those same people will love it.