USB2/USB3

Hal Emmerich

If you bought a Laptop now with no USB3, could you run into problems in 2 years or so with external devices....say for example Harddrives, if manufacturers stop making them with the two connections for the extra power needed to run USB3 off of USB2 ports?

What yas think?

Teutorix

If that happens, there will probably be thrid party adapters to do the job. Somehow i dont think any company would be stupid enough to cut out a large part of their market for something so small. Not everyone upgrades their computers often, i know people still using pentium 3 computers from donkeys years ago.

cookie1977

think about the move from usb1.1 to 2.0. there were no major issues

Fluffy88

I think what cookie is saying is, USB3.0 is backward compatible. So when devices are no longer available with 2.0 connectors you can just buy a 3.0 device and it will work perfectly on your USB2.0 port.

The only difference is, if you have a 3.0 HDD the speeds that you will get plugging it into a 2.0 port will be less than that of a 3.0 port.

cookie1977

exactly

Hal Emmerich

Teutorix wrote: »

If that happens, there will probably be thrid party adapters to do the job. Somehow i dont think any company would be stupid enough to cut out a large part of their market for something so small. Not everyone upgrades their computers often, i know people still using pentium 3 computers from donkeys years ago.

Ah yes, hadn't thought of third party adapters.

Fluffy88 wrote: »

I think what cookie is saying is, USB3.0 is backward compatible. So when devices are no longer available with 2.0 connectors you can just buy a 3.0 device and it will work perfectly on your USB2.0 port.

The only difference is, if you have a 3.0 HDD the speeds that you will get plugging it into a 2.0 port will be less than that of a 3.0 port.

But on portable harddrives it takes two USB2 ports to power a USB3 device and if they stopped making them with the extra connector it'd be a pain if someone was after spending alot on a new lappy now with no USB3. I didn't see it happening but was cautious.

cookie1977

Not all portable drives require 2 usb ports. I've 3 portable drives and only the western digital requires two ports to power it. My two seagates dont. But I take your point

Hal Emmerich

cookie1977 wrote: »

Not all portable drives require 2 usb ports. I've 3 portable drives and only the western digital requires two ports to power it. My two seagates dont. But I take your point

Oh, I didn't know there was models that didn't need the extra one. Great, thanks.

cookie1977

It can be due to the motherboard and usb ports attached. Some are under powered and wont on their own power a hard drive.