Intel just emailed me to clarify a point from its Ivy Bridge presentation on Tuesday. While USB 3.0 will finally be integrated into the chipset, Thunderbolt will not. Intel clarified that the interface will be featured on some 2012 platforms but it wouldn't be on all and it won't be integrated into the chipset.

Thanks to the readers who questioned our original interpretation of the slide and my apologies for the confusion.

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  • MonkeyPaw - Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - link

    Same thing as always. Intel pushes a new standard, then waits a few chipsets to integrate it. That way even the board you haven't even bought yet will be outdated. Considering how little today's chipsets actually do, this is even more obsurd. I admire Intel for their CPU designs, but I loathe their chipset schedule.
  • Hrel - Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - link

    I agree
  • jeff11 - Sunday, July 10, 2011 - link

    yes
  • gevorg - Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - link

    Sadly this is true, which is why I will avoid Thunderbolt as much as possible and use USB 3.0
  • michael2k - Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - link

    How are you going to avoid Thunderbolt if the platform you want happens to have Thunderbolt?
  • Exodite - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link

    Many motherboards today still come with Firewire ports, that doesn't mean you have to buy devices to plug into those ports just because.

    Unless Intel integrates Thunderbolt natively in the chipset I doubt we'll see that many devices making use of it.
  • softdrinkviking - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link

    yeah, and wasn't intel hinting that they are going to actually push the optical implementation of lightpeak/thunderbolt sometime next year?
    maybe intel is holding off on integration until they get closer to the optical implementation.

    i guess we might hear about it at IDF later this year if intel so chooses to grace us with that info.
    seriously starting to get tired of intel's secrecy tactics.
  • gevorg - Thursday, June 2, 2011 - link

    Let me guess... hmm.... Oh yeah, I won't use Thunderbolt connection even if its there!
  • MobiusStrip - Friday, June 3, 2011 - link

    Why would you "avoid" it? It's not like it detracts from any other aspect of the computer.

    WTF?
  • MobiusStrip - Friday, June 3, 2011 - link

    Good job, Intel. Compound the widespread ignorance and FUD already surrounding Thunderbolt with this stupid maneuver.

    They never learn. Last time around, Intel reps literally pretended not to know what Firewire was. When asked at SIGGRAPH when they were going to integrate it into their motherboards, they smugly retorted, "Isn't that some Apple thing?" This was about a decade ago, when there was no alternative to Firewire.

    Now there is, and it's from Intel. But there simply not going to put it out.

    Pathetic.

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