News NEC triples USB 3.0 speed

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2010/02/18/nec-triples-usb-3-0-speed/1

 

So this is or isn't compatible with current USB 3? I assume both the devices would have to be upgraded to the new spec to work and that it is just backwards compatible. Wouldn't that make this more USB 4? The speed is awesome, and I would love to hookup my 1 TB external drive with something this fast, but I feel like it will be a while before this is in the wild, especially with USB 3 just coming out and whatnot.

 

You realise that it's not April 1st yet?

I jest - this sounds like some awesome Engineering by NEC. It'll be even better if it makes it into the official standards as, say, 3.1. Though you would imagine they're more likely to want to keep it to themselves.

What will be interesting is if they can apply the same techniques to SATA/SAS, or perhaps even PCI-Express - though the cost of improved components may well be the inhibitor for some time. USB 3.0/SATA 6G kit is already expensive enough.

 

Wouldn't they need to call it USB4? I know this will be USB3 compatible, but unless both the controller and external device support it, it'll be limited to normal USB3 speeds. Consumers may not find it easy to find out which devices are which if they have the same name.

EDIT

As was said above, USB3.1 is probably a better name than USB4 now I think about it.

 

I think ESATA just got owned

 

It's all well and good, but what can actually use this? Atm we've got most hard drives struggling to saturate a SATA 3Gbps bus, and only some gain an advantage from SATA 6Gbps, so what use is 16Gbps? The article mentions copying DVDs and Blu Ray discs, but how fast can these actually be read?

The only way I could see this being practical is if USB replaced SATA as the main interface, and then someone made a monster RAID array or something.

 

SSDs?

 

"The article mentions copying DVDs and Blu Ray discs, but how fast can these actually be read?" - that's very true

 

I guess Ill just hold off getting a PCI-E add in card now. Is this a software update or hardware based? From the article they just overclocked it really lol

 

You could do something ridiculous like have external usb video cards with shiz like this...the next 10 years is going to be interesting for the pc!

 

you are forgetting that with usb2.0 there are low speed and high speed devices and most dont mention which of these there particle device, anyway they wont call it usb4.0 becasue it is just a change in hte controller not the actual lead (if im not mistaken)
which would mean that this is backwards compatible.

im just so glad i havent bought a usb3.0 expansion card yet i guess ill wait till this come outs XP (or till it becomes the industry standed)

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know SSDs just about saturate SATA 3Gbps but not SATA 6Gbps. When I mentioned the monster RAID array I was thinking of SSDs, but then you'd lose TRIM support.

 

True, I suppose its all just future proofing then.

 

We need LightPeek, not this

 

wow thought the 5 gig was fast.. esata is a bit faster but not that fast

 

Its nice to know that we have pipes with a two hundred foot diameter that we average people can only run the equivalent of a garden hose's throughput though. <innuendo>But it is nice to have a really big pipe. </innuendo> Cant wait for affordable hardware to come about that will actually utilize all that bandwidth.

 

Currently, but I'd expect SSD performance to improve a lot over the next few years. External ones may soon need the extra bandwidth.

 

Always wondered what NEC did. Go them.

 

I don't get the point of this. Though I totally support it. What combination of devices could possibly use 16Gb/s of bandwidth? Multiple SSD RAID arrays running off of USB? You've got to be kidding me. That would be retarded...

 

vaporware approved