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photoflow · Oct 2, 2009, 04:23 PM

I was thinking of waiting to buy an iMac until it supports USB 3.0 since that seems to be the next high speed communication standard. Any chance these soon to be released iMacs will support 3.0? Not sure I'd be happy if I bought a new iMac, then shortly thereafter it gets upgraded again with 3.0 capability (since from what I read, 3.0 will be much much faster than 2.0, like if I had an external 3.0 hard drive or something like that).

Any ideas on this one?

CharlesS · Oct 2, 2009, 06:31 PM

My guess is that Apple may skip USB 3.0 and go straight to Light Peak. None of us really knows what is going to happen, though.

If you get a machine with some basic expandability, you could add a PCI-Express or ExpressCard slot to add USB 3.0 after it comes out. Unfortunately, with Apple your options are currently limited to the 17" MacBook Pro, the Mac Pro, or a hackintosh.

photoflow · Oct 2, 2009, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

My guess is that Apple may skip USB 3.0 and go straight to Light Peak. None of us really knows what is going to happen, though.

If you get a machine with some basic expandability, you could add a PCI-Express or ExpressCard slot to add USB 3.0 after it comes out. Unfortunately, with Apple your options are currently limited to the 17" MacBook Pro, the Mac Pro, or a hackintosh.

Is it even possible to upgrade an iMac with new ports? I didn't think this was possible with an all in one design such as the iMac.

CharlesS · Oct 2, 2009, 07:33 PM

It's not, which is why I said your only options in that regard are the Mac Pro or 17" MBP (or a hackintosh).

It's lame, because the iMac is quite large, and there's no way that they couldn't figure out a way to fit two or three ExpressCard slots on it at least. But they don't, so you're stuck if you get an iMac.

I don't like the iMac.

turtle777 · Oct 2, 2009, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by photoflow

Is it even possible to upgrade an iMac with new ports? I didn't think this was possible with an all in one design such as the iMac.

No, not the iMacs.

Charles talked about the Mac Pro.

Aaarg, I'm typing to slowly...

-t

reader50 · Oct 2, 2009, 07:39 PM

19K+ posts. turtle not typing fast enough. What an odd thought.

turtle777 · Oct 2, 2009, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by reader50

turtle not typing fast enough. What an odd thought.

huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?

-t

mduell · Oct 4, 2009, 03:19 PM

It's possible, but I don't expect it.

imitchellg5 · Oct 4, 2009, 05:15 PM

Seems a little soon for me, but then again, Apple has never had problems adopting USB early

slugslugslug · Oct 4, 2009, 06:58 PM

Is the smiley an acknowledgement of how ridiculously late they were w/USB 2.0?

Spheric Harlot · Oct 5, 2009, 01:35 AM

Might have forgotten that over how early they were with USB 1.0

CharlesS · Oct 5, 2009, 02:22 AM

Which might be relevant if someone had claimed Apple had always had problems adopting USB early, rather than that they never had.

(BTW: Apple never used USB 1.0 at all)

Spheric Harlot · Oct 5, 2009, 02:49 AM

Hey, it wasn't my point.

I really couldn't care less. USB 3 would be nice, but I really don't care whether it comes next spring or the year after that.

I'd be very surprised if it showed up *before* next spring, though.

CharlesS · Oct 5, 2009, 03:11 AM

Someone else did, though, and let's face it, claiming Apple has never had trouble adopting USB early is like saying Microsoft has never had trouble releasing its OS on time (well hey! I forgot about Vista because Windows 98 was released right on time).

imitchellg5 · Oct 5, 2009, 03:42 PM

I meant that with an ironic tone, in reference to the fact that Apple initially adopted USB very early, but was then slow to adopt 2.0.

P · Oct 5, 2009, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

(well hey! I forgot about Vista because Windows 98 was released right on time).

No it wasn't - they even had to rename it from Windows 97 because it was so late.

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

CharlesS · Oct 5, 2009, 06:38 PM

Ah. Well, Windows 95, then.

Same idea.

Simon · Oct 6, 2009, 08:50 AM

I'd say the new iMacs won't have USB3. Give Apple at least another three months. I do expect it to ship in Macs before LP though.

Eug · Oct 6, 2009, 09:35 AM

Are there ANY motherboards or laptops with USB 3 built in?

slugslugslug · Oct 6, 2009, 12:41 PM

I was just double-checking engadget’s posts the other night and it seems the only announced end-user product w/it is a hard drive. I’d be a bit surprised if Apple managed to ship a computer w/USB 3.0 before anyone else even announced one.

I’m really curious as to how imminent the finalized Light Peak is. If it’s really plausible early in 2H10, I can totally see Apple doing what CharlesS said: skipping USB3 and being the first big name to ship Light Peak.

mduell · Oct 6, 2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

Are there ANY motherboards or laptops with USB 3 built in?

Retail? I don't think so. ASUS canceled theirs.