DisplayPort and USB 3.0 Named Among Top Technologies of 2010

December 17th, 2009
Earlier this quarter, Maximum PC compiled a list of top technologies in 2010. We think this list is worth sharing as it gives some insight into where the industry is headed which will influence the test, validation and certification ecosystem. Several technologies we regularly cover on the Blog including USB, PCI, SATA and DisplayPort are listed. We think this is a good indication that many emerging technologies are poised to make a big splash both within the industry and with consumers next year.

Maximum PC’s full list of top 2010 technologies includes:

Intel Core i7 chip going mainstream – Intel’s new series of CPUs are affordable yet appealing to power users
AMD Orochi chip – the next generation chip can be built on the 32nm processor, rather than the current 45 mn process. This processor will feature more than four cores, over 8 MB of L3 cache and a DDR3 integrated memory controller.
PCI Express 3.0 – significantly increases bandwidth and efficiency over the existing PCIe 2.0.
Graphics - graphics chips from industry leaders such as NVIDIA and AMD will be fast and functional
Storage - hard drives will continue to become more spacious, fast and affordable
As we mentioned earlier this month, SATA Revision 3.0 (SATA 6 Gb/s) will give SSDs the throughput they need to optimize speed.
Mobile Broadband – WiMAX is a 4G solution for handheld devices and notebooks and will help bring broadband to rural area. Another 4G technology is LTE (long term evolution), an IP-based, low latency network with bandwidth 2-3x what WiMAX offers.
SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0) - up to 10x faster than USB 2.0, backward compatible with Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0) and optimized for power. Need we say more? We’re looking forward to testing SuperSpeed products as adoption becomes widespread.
DisplayPort – this digital display connection has been gaining momentum and will continue to grow in 2010. It is a DVI replacement and is significant as the connector is small and easy to use. DisplayPort provides more data per wire than DVI, and supports HDCP content protection. Allion is the leading independent test lab accredited by VESA for DisplayPort testing and plans to continue DisplayPort compliance and logo program testing as adoption for the standard expands next year.
Multi-touch – From gaming systems to computers to handheld devices, advanced touch technology will continue to be sought after in 2010.
Multiscreen – AMD has a high-end graphics card that can support up to six DisplayPort connectors. In a California test lab, each connector was attached to a 30-inch display, and the six monitors were configured as a single monitor.
While the list is extensive it is certainly not exhaustive, so which technologies do you think will generate the most buzz in 2010? Let us know in the comments.