USB 3.0 on Z?

I'm planning to buy a Sony Vaio Z as a very fancy college laptop, but because of the high cost of the large-capacity SSD drives I'm planning to use an external HD to store anything that doesn't need to be on the computer. Since I'm planning on using this for several years, I'd like the notebook I buy to have USB 3.0 so I can quickly transfer anything between the external hard drive and the Z. I don't want to buy it and have Sony come out with a 3.0 USB version shortly after (other companies are already releasing USB 3.0 laptops). Is there any way to easily (I'm not much of a computer-person) modify it from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0? If not (or even if there is), can I expect an update to the Vaio Z within the next several months so at least one of the three USB ports is a 3.0 one?

 

No and nobody knows except sony

 

Same remark as Qwaarjet: not sure when (if it's going to happen).

If you really need USB 3.0 an expresscard add-in might help.

 

Other companies are only doing USB 3.0 via a separate dedicated USB 3.0 chipset. Sony won't be doing that on the Z, so you'll have to wait for whenever Intel adds USB 3.0 support to their own chipset (which I don't think has been announced).

 

AFAIK there is no simply (or even complicated) way to modify USB 2.0 in USB 3.0.

Only Sony will know if and when in future there will be USB 3.0 available on a Z series.

In the meantime you can use express card slot with this BlackArmor® PS 110 USB 3.0 Performance Kit:

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/pr...karmor_ps_110_usb3/#tTabContentSpecifications

 

Disappointing. Thank you. Well, you folks know better how Sony tends to upgrade their laptops - do you think there's a good chance that there'll be an update for this within the next several months?

 

imho i highly doubt that there will be USB3 in the near future, if ever at all. intel neglects USB3 due to pushing lightpeak. there won't be a practical USB3 chipset until next year, which is - besides sony's intention to upgrade the whole chipset - the main requirement for USB3 on the Z.

buy an expansion card or wait for lightpeak, which is definitly worth waiting.

 

Intel did say that Light peak and USB 3 will coexist....and they will according to them.

 

Strange, never heard about lightpeak before. From "http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10360047-264.html":

"here and said components for the technology, though not Light Peak-enabled PCs, will be ready in 2010."

I can't wait until next year. I suppose I'll wait two months or so, and if nothing more about it comes out I'll just buy something else. For something that's supposed to be, according so several articles, public by early 2010, information seems scarce...

 

USB 2 is fast enough unless you are transferring >500GB regularly.

 

Exactly what I thought. And even if you have 1GB to put on an extrenal drive daily, with the Z being so fast, you could multi-task in the mean time and you would not even notice it.

 

So just confirming, i own the VPCZ1, if i wanted to utilize usb 3.0 technology, I could use an express card usb 3.0 slot? Can you give me any examples?

 

http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/external/blackarmor/blackarmor_ps_110_usb3/

 

The reason why the Z lacks USB 3.0 is because of sony, but Intel that isn't supporting USB 3 in the Arrandale chipset.