Next-Gen Intel Chipsets To Support USB 3.0

By Douglas Perry
published

Heise

found a recent presentation that provides details about the Panther Point chipset series as well as its USB 3.0 integration. The presentation is apparently targeted at mainboard manufactureres as it is positioned as an effective appetizer to advertise the benefits of 5 Gbps USB 3.0 versus the current 480 Kbps USB 2.0.

According to Intel, Ivy Bridge and Panther Point boards should integrate four USB 3.0 ports. The technology will support Windows 7 and Windows 8, whiel Windows XP systems will run USB 3.0 ports as USB 2.0 interfaces via a native Windows EHCI driver.

There is no information when Intel's USB 3.0 integration will be available, but Heise speculates that Panther Point could be announced as series 7 chipsets at CES 2012.   

Douglas Perry
36 Comments Comment from the forums
  • nevertell
    About damn time.
    Reply
  • rmmil978
    An Ivy Bridge build will be my next PC.
    Reply
  • jdamon113
    okay. what is wrong with the nec chipset.
    not a big deal. I am looking ahead to intel light peak
    Reply
  • jrharbort
    "The presentation is apparently targeted at mainboard manufactureres as it is positioned as an effective appetizer to advertise the benefits of 5 Gbps USB 3.0 versus the current 480 Kbps USB 2.0."
    I thought USB 2.0 was 480Mbps? :P

    Also, Intel is a little late to the party. NEC has been enjoying a nice monopoly on the USB 3.0 market.
    Reply
  • dan55
    Uh, wait, weren't they supposed to have USB 3.0 native support in Sandy Bridge? And what is with Intel right now? Why don't they just make Light peak part of Ivy Bridge natively, then have the adapters as motherboard extras with the board when you buy it, instead of all this screwing around with trying to get USB 3.0 support, but continuously pushing it back? Semms pretty backwards to me.
    Reply
  • silverblue
    Weren't Intel supposed pioneers of USB 3.0? Better late than never, I guess.
    Reply
  • orbitron
    So no CPU supports USB 3.0 at this time? So right now Motherboards with USB 3.0 support runs at USB 2.0 speed?
    Reply
  • XD_dued
    Hmm...wasn't intel looking for lightpeak (or should i say copperpeak) to replace usb? Hmmm...
    Reply
  • slycraft
    Well too bad the world ENDS in 2012....looks like no USB 3.0 before our extinction haha
    Reply
  • sixbone
    @orbitron

    CPU has nothing to do with it. USB 3.0 is not built into the chipset yet, that's all. if you have a mobo with USB 3.0, you will have USB 3.0 speeds, apparantly XP will see USB 2.0 speeds.
    Reply