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I'm not in the market for a Mac Pro, but I keep thinking that something like this is the future for high-end computers—a capable base system with the ability ex

I'm not in the market for a Mac Pro, but I keep thinking that something like this is the future for high-end computers—a capable base system with the ability expand virtually infinitely by attaching another Thunderbolt 3 component.

kakarot 10y ago
What's wrong with eSATA/SATA/PCIe/USB/other existing technologies? I don't fault Intel for wanting to try their chops in the data transfer tech market but it's saturated enough as it is and real high end computers will make use of eSATA/SATA.
- DuskStar 10y ago
  Thunderbolt - all of the versions - can be summarized as "External PCIe". It's just that ePCIe isn't nearly as marketable a name as Thunderbolt.
  - Sanddancer 10y ago
    It's not. Thunderbolt is a very very closed standard by Intel. With standardized protocols, like regular PCIe, to start building a device, getting started is pretty much a case of ordering a few chips, reading the datasheets, and starting up in a design program. Thunderbolt, on the other hand, in order to even start looking at the datasheets, you have to apply to the developer program, and wait an unknown amount of time for intel to decide if you can even start to develop. Once your device is ready, you have to wait again for intel to approve it, and there is a chance they won't -- the first Thunderbolt GPUs were promised 5+ years ago, but Intel wouldn't approve for them being sold.
    - coldtea 10y ago
      >Thunderbolt, on the other hand, in order to even start looking at the datasheets, you have to apply to the developer program, and wait an unknown amount of time for intel to decide if you can even start to develop. That sounds excellent. Fewer amateur hour broken, incomplete and potentially computer damaging implementations!
- coldtea 10y ago
  >What's wrong with eSATA/SATA/PCIe/USB/other existing technologies? That they are all multiple specifications to bother with (you mentioned 4+others), and that they don't offer the full capabilities, speed and power draw TB3 does. Not to mention the ugly cabling. >and real high end computers will make use of eSATA/SATA. There's nothing unreal about a pro wanting an expandable portable compute to function as high end.

kakarot 10y ago

What's wrong with eSATA/SATA/PCIe/USB/other existing technologies? I don't fault Intel for wanting to try their chops in the data transfer tech market but it's saturated enough as it is and real high end computers will make use of eSATA/SATA.

DuskStar 10y ago
Thunderbolt - all of the versions - can be summarized as "External PCIe". It's just that ePCIe isn't nearly as marketable a name as Thunderbolt.
- Sanddancer 10y ago
  It's not. Thunderbolt is a very very closed standard by Intel. With standardized protocols, like regular PCIe, to start building a device, getting started is pretty much a case of ordering a few chips, reading the datasheets, and starting up in a design program. Thunderbolt, on the other hand, in order to even start looking at the datasheets, you have to apply to the developer program, and wait an unknown amount of time for intel to decide if you can even start to develop. Once your device is ready, you have to wait again for intel to approve it, and there is a chance they won't -- the first Thunderbolt GPUs were promised 5+ years ago, but Intel wouldn't approve for them being sold.
  - coldtea 10y ago
    >Thunderbolt, on the other hand, in order to even start looking at the datasheets, you have to apply to the developer program, and wait an unknown amount of time for intel to decide if you can even start to develop. That sounds excellent. Fewer amateur hour broken, incomplete and potentially computer damaging implementations!
coldtea 10y ago
>What's wrong with eSATA/SATA/PCIe/USB/other existing technologies? That they are all multiple specifications to bother with (you mentioned 4+others), and that they don't offer the full capabilities, speed and power draw TB3 does. Not to mention the ugly cabling. >and real high end computers will make use of eSATA/SATA. There's nothing unreal about a pro wanting an expandable portable compute to function as high end.