Acer, Asustek, Lenovo expected to begin adopting Thunderbolt this spring
Apple won't be the only PC maker selling high-end notebooks that look like the MacBook Air and pack Thunderbolt connectivity; Acer, Asustek, Lenovo are expected to introduce new Thunderbolt-equipped Ultrabooks in the second quarter of 2012.
According to a report by DigiTimes, all three PC makers are expected to introduce new Ultrabooks incorporating Intel's Ivy Bridge platform with support for Thunderbolt.
The site also says logic board maker Gigabyte Technology "will take the initiative to offer Thunderbolt-enabled motherboards."
Intel's next Ivy Bridge chip platform, the successor to Sandy Bridge, includes native support for USB 3.0, but does not support Thunderbolt across the board. Support for Thunderbolt increases the cost of PCs by more than $20, it said.
As a result, Thunderbolt is "only expected to be adopted among high-end notebooks or desktops in 2012." The new Intel-driven standard for PCI Express data paired with DisplayPort video is however expected to be "fully standardized by 2013."
Apple aggressively rolled out support for Thunderbolt last year, adding it to all of its Mac product lines apart from the Mac Pro, which already has PCI Express slots. Thunderbolt hard drives and other devices have started to trickle into the market behind Apple's own Thunderbolt Display, with docks and external PCIe slot enclosures being shown at CES this month.
DigiTimes previously forecast last month that "several first-tier" PC vendors would be readying Thunderbolt-equipped motherboards, notebooks and desktop computers for release by April, naming only Sony and Asus (a brand built by Asustek).
Sony released a VAIO laptop and dock that was initially described as the first non-Mac system to use the standard, but it was later revealed that the company had used an early version of Intel's technology that did not match the Thunderbolt specification.
HP, currently the world's largest PC maker, has stated it would exclusively support USB 3.0 because it could not see the "value proposition" of Thunderbolt.
Intel describes both standards as complementary, while some in the PC supply chain have expressed concern that Thunderbolt and its 10Gbps data connection speed could "greatly affect" adoption of the competing USB 3.0 port in the future.
DigiTimes has a somewhat spotty record in reporting future developments, predicting last fall, for example, that Apple's next iPhone would have a metal back and that its screen would use a larger, nearly 4 inch panel. However, the site seems to have better accuracy in reporting on general industry trends among PC makers, where secrecy isn't regarded as paramount.
Comments
Bravo... Sony already does as well, so maybe now we'll finally see more TB compatible accessories/peripherals.
Will the Windows versions have the same connector as apple or will it use the intel standard connector?
There is only ONE connector. There's no "Intel standard" or "Apple standard". There is Thunderbolt.
Sony's crap shouldn't be considered part of the standard.
Oh, look at that. DIGITIMES. AppleInsider, I don't care what it is they're talking about; you really need to stop posting stuff from them on principle.
I won`t be buy the only PC maker buy high end notebook that look the MacBook Air and pack Thunderbolt connectivity
UA Apollo.
Apogee Symphony 64.
Bravo... Sony already does as well, so maybe now we'll finally see more TB compatible accessories/peripherals.
1) Please link to the model categories from Sony are shipping with Thunderbolt right now?
2) I want to hit you with a rolled up newspaper and say "No! No! No!" when you post stuff like that. Sony's forking of Thunderbolt to be used via a converted USB Type-A port interface will not be the reason Thunderbolt with the mDP port interface sees more accessories and peripherals. Bad, DaHarder, bad!
Will the Windows versions have the same connector as apple or will it use the intel standard connector?
The mDP port interface was designed by Apple. VESA adopted it as part of the free DisplayPort standard. Intel uses the port interface but it's owned by Apple but free for any and all to license.
Support for Thunderbolt increases the cost of PCs by more than $20, it said.
It must suck for PC makers/buyers if they can't afford $20
It must suck for PC makers/buyers if they can't afford $20
FireWire was $1-5 per port, I believe. And look where that got them.
If Intel really wants this thing to catch on, they'll make it mandatory on all new chipsets.
It must suck for PC makers/buyers if they can't afford $20
That's a lot for most PC makers. The average person buying a PC or laptop is buying some low end crap. Apple owns the high end market. Just look at all of the people whining about tablets being too expensive and every extra dollar added on to the price is not good for attracting those kind of customers.
Thunderbolt is mostly a pro solution today and it's not targeting the average consumer.
FireWire was $1-5 per port, I believe. And look where that got them.
If Intel really wants this thing to catch on, they'll make it mandatory on all new chipsets.
There was a rumour of $1 per port licensing but then I heard it was 25¢ per port. Regardless, this is about the cost of the chipset not the port interface. I can't imagine that FireWire was cheaper than Thunderbolt when it first came to market.
vs thunderbolt, firewire, usb 2.0
apple will gain usb 3.0 with ivb
HP, currently the world's largest PC maker, has stated it would exclusively support USB 3.0 because it could not see the "value proposition" of Thunderbolt.
Yeah, HP didn't see the "value proposition" of Woz's original Apple I computer, either.
2) I want to hit you with a rolled up newspaper and say "No! No! No!" when you post stuff like that.
LOL.
Most prefer USB 3.0, DVI and esata due to cost efficiency and product availability
vs thunderbolt, firewire, usb 2.0
apple will gain usb 3.0 with ivb
USB 3.0 is fast serial, DVI is video, eSATA is fast serial pretty much exclusively for disk volumes.
Firewire is a smart, sophisticated serial port with features beyond USB, but not enough to make it attractive to the cheap-o PC market.
Thunderbolt is PCI Express. Not serial, not a HD interface. A system level interconnect.
You might as well say "I prefer cables to slots." It makes no sense.
With Thunderbolt, you have a docking option (put USB, audio, and other stuff on a dock), external slots for portable systems, and the ability to drop big ports from Ultrabooks so you can make them thinner. It has lots of value for high end PCs that everyone is desperately trying to move to now.
PC makers are tired of losing money on cheap PCs and netbooks. They want to do what Apple is doing: sell premium notebooks and higher end all-in-ones. Thunderbolt is far more attractive that Firewire ever was, and isn't "mostly covered" by the functionality of USB 3.0 apart from the kind of customers that don't matter to PC makers trying to sell premium PCs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbolt_(interface)
See the graph at:
http://www.apple.com/thunderbolt
Sony's crap shouldn't be considered part of the standard.
True but I prefer their way of doing it. Thunderbolt is more of a data protocol than video so IMO, it would have made more sense to put Thunderbolt over the USB port and leave the display ports alone. This would mean having to attach another cable for a monitor dock though.
The advantage is that hard drive manufacturers can build them with just a single standard USB 3/Thunderbolt connection, which would be compatible with every machine.
AMD has started trying to confuse people too:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/computers/...underbolt/7388
They are using Mini-DP but it squeezes USB 3 on there instead of PCI and ends up reducing USB 3 bandwidth.
Now that PC manufacturers are on board with Thunderbolt, I imagine we will start to see a shift in the comments from the anti-Apple crowd. Oh, Thunderbolt was going to fail vs USB 3 was it? Oh, Thunderbolt is just Apple's proprietary crap like Firewire and USB 3 is so much better? Well, I guess we'll just wait and see - Intel is going to ship both together with Ivy Bridge.
True but I prefer their way of doing it. Thunderbolt is more of a data protocol than video so IMO, it would have made more sense to put Thunderbolt over the USB port and leave the display ports alone. This would mean having to attach another cable for a monitor dock though.
Which undermines the 'you'll only need two cables plugged into your computer ever again' mindset.
The advantage is that hard drive manufacturers can build them with just a single standard USB 3/Thunderbolt connection, which would be compatible with every machine.
Well, two. Daisy-chaining. And when Thunderbolt PCs are actually made, accessories will be compatible with every machine, too.
You're basically saying they should have kept USB the same shape and the same pins as PS/2 because it would've been "compatible with existing machines" then.
AMD has started trying to confuse people too:
Okay. I'm sorry. Is that legal? Will AMD be fined hundreds of millions for that? You can't DO that.
That's like creating a computer company and selling a "Red Delicious" line of computers.
I imagine if Intel had kept the name "Light Peak" that AMD would have called this "Photon Apex".
And of course they need to finish rollout on the Mac lineup with Mac Pro.
DigiTimes has a somewhat spotty record in reporting future developments
There's the understatement of the century!
Been embarrassed in peddling their link baiting schlock enough that you finally feel compelled to put a cursory disclaimer?
Even if you did then immediately backpedal away from it?
Which undermines the 'you'll only need two cables plugged into your computer ever again' mindset.
The reality is always different anyway though. People typically don't buy $1000 displays that double as a dock so they would end up using multiple ports. Using a display other than Apple's Thunderbolt display pretty much leaves you without the ability to use the Thunderbolt capabilities with only USB 2 ports free.
I think this will change soon though. I reckon Apple will put an extra Thunderbolt port on the MBPs in place of the ethernet and FW800 ports (given that they have put these on the Thunderbolt display now), maybe even an extra USB port and all USB 3.
You're basically saying they should have kept USB the same shape and the same pins as PS/2 because it would've been "compatible with existing machines" then.
Perhaps, although the PS/2 port was too big. While USB ports are bigger length-wise than Mini-DP/TB, they are the same height. I can see the reasons to go with a new port but Sony's port setup looked like a better choice to me - they could have used the USB port design for everything, including displays.
Okay. I'm sorry. Is that legal? Will AMD be fined hundreds of millions for that?
I'm sure that, like Samsung, they will have consulted with their lawyers to agree on what they could do close enough to the competition without being forced to back down. I suspect they may have gone a bit too far on this but that's for the suits to decide.