Intel "Light Peak" renamed to "Thunderbolt", first implementation in MacBook Pro.
82 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Engadget][img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/02/thunderbolt-2011-02-24-02-600.jpg[/img]
So it's perhaps not the most original moniker that Apple and Intel could have chosen, but it's here just the same. After years of waiting Apple has launched its implementation of Intel's Light Peak standard and it's called Thunderbolt. It's making its appearance on new MacBook Pro models and it's promising 10Gb/second transfer rates. That's dual-channel, too so you'll get 10Gb/sec both to and from your devices. Apple suggests this will be useful for external RAID arrays, Gigabit Ethernet adapters, and also mentions support for "FireWire and USB consumer devices" along with HDMI, DVI, and VGA over DisplayPort. Apple expects that Thunderbolt will be "widely adopted as a new standard for high performance I/O," but we think the USB 3.0 crew might have a thing or two to say about that.
Intel has [url=http://www.intel.com/technology/io/thunderbolt/index.htm]thrown up its page[/url] on the technology, and it looks like the Light Peak name is officially no more. Intel indicates this speed will be enough to transfer a full-length HD movie (roughly 10 - 20GB in size) in less than 30 seconds. Intel also reinforces that this is compatible with existing DisplayPort devices and it also uses the PCI Express protocol for enhanced compatibility. Daisy-chaining will be possible, along with bus-powered devices, and cables can be made using either optical or electrical construction.[/QUOTE]
[b][i]Source: [url=http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt/]Apple[/url], [url=http://www.intel.com/technology/io/thunderbolt/index.htm]Intel[/url][/i][/b]
Intel and Apple did a really fine job with this. It is amazing what Intel has achieved.
[img]http://files.droplr.com/files/165064558/YVJO.Screen%20shot%202011-02-24%20at%2008%3A27%3A36.png[/img]
A crazy improvement from the speeds of USB 3.0. Can't wait to see these integrated into some official Intel chipsets.
It does not seem as easily networkable as Firewire was but I'm impressed.
10 Gbps? Holy shit
Now we just need something non-overpriced with a thunderbolt port
[QUOTE=Tobba;28257479]10 Gbps? Holy shit
Now we just need something non-overpriced with a thunderbolt port[/QUOTE]
And some peripherals that support Thunderbolt as well.
I think USB is still the best for flash drives and such. It's got the perfect size. I can't imagine a flash drive with such a small connector like Thunderbolt.
I think Thunderport would have been a more suitable name.
Hopefully AMD can license this soon so we start seeing devices that actually use it.
[QUOTE=the_grul;28257597]I think USB is still the best for flash drives and such. It's got the perfect size. I can't imagine a flash drive with such a small connector like Thunderbolt.[/QUOTE]
why not?
[QUOTE=Wiggles;28257684]Hopefully AMD can license this soon so we start seeing devices that actually use it.[/QUOTE]
I'm betting intel will charge AMD an assload to license it. That, and they should make their own inventions to compete, not just adopt intel's innovations.
I don't give a donkey dick if it never appears anywhere but Apple products.
But considering it's Intel's thing, maybe it'll appear in some Intel motherboards.
[QUOTE=nikomo;28257769]I don't give a donkey dick if it never appears anywhere but Apple products.
But considering it's Intel's thing, maybe it'll appear in some Intel motherboards.[/QUOTE]
Thats probably what will happen.
[QUOTE=the_grul;28257597]I think USB is still the best for flash drives and such. It's got the perfect size. I can't imagine a flash drive with such a small connector like Thunderbolt.[/QUOTE]
Wouldn't you want a smaller connector for flash drives?
I wouldn't mind a smaller connector for flash drives, but i'd want it secure too, not easy to snap-off.
but doesnt light peak use fiber optics?
thunderbolt is just a normal display port that allows file transfer
[QUOTE=meppers;28258067]but doesnt light peak use fiber optics?
thunderbolt is just a normal display port that allows file transfer[/QUOTE]
According to Engadgets preview on the new MBP.
[quote=Engadget]Apple also told us that ThunderBolt is running on copper and not optical cables (like the Light Peak protoypes) so that it can support bus-powered devices -- there's 10 watts of power available on the bus, up slightly from FireWire's 8 watts. Up to six devices can be daisy-chained from one port, and since ThunderBolt is based on PCI Express, it can even support FireWire and USB adapters.[/quote]
Very impressive tech, 5GB in 5 seconds, 20-30GB in 30 seconds.
[QUOTE=meppers;28258067]but doesnt light peak use fiber optics?
thunderbolt is just a normal display port that allows file transfer[/QUOTE]
Do you see any optical glass in that port?
[editline]24th February 2011[/editline]
I really hope there will be a standard pc protocol though.
iThunder external 500GB hard drive. Only 500$
Light peak used to be fiber optic, but they dropped that and went with regular 'ol wire.
I hope this takes off, it's literally a mini pci express port.
[QUOTE=Bonzai11;28258316]Light peak used to be fiber optic, but they dropped that and went with regular 'ol wire.[/QUOTE]
What a shame... the copper severely limits the speed breakthrough from what it could have been to what we got.
[QUOTE=Rusty99;28258343]What a shame... the copper severely limits the speed breakthrough from what it could have been to what we got.[/QUOTE]
I guarantee you the only noticeable difference is the size of your wallet.
If no others than Apple implements this, it'll never catch on. I hope it does, but it's simply a very big change from the hundreds of milllions USB devices.
Annnddd the 13" just got intel GMAs.
Was wondering what happened to LightPeak.
I hope this means cheaper 10Gbps network cards.
[QUOTE=MisterM;28258152]According to Engadgets preview on the new MBP.
Very impressive tech, 5GB in 5 seconds, 20-30GB in 30 seconds.[/QUOTE]
Bit not byte.
Woo, that's fast.
huh I still need USB 3.0
But since this is a different fit than USB, I don't know how popular it can be.
Apple did a pretty decent job of encouraging the market to use Firewire where appropriate (like for HD camera equipment and fast external drives) so I have high hopes that can do the same with Thunderbolt.
Now we just need things that can read/write that fast.
Aww, I liked the Light Peak name.
i guess now mini display ports can begin the complete replacement of DVI on all computers
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