What is current status of Thunderbolt in G75?

[Cecil_2099]

I know that per ASUS' Up Close And Technical: ROG G75VW Features Detailed article posted last week, availability of Thunderbolt in G75s has been pushed back. What I'd like to know is whether we're looking at a different hardware model that will include a different hardware chip for Thunderbolt, or if it will simply be a firmware update that will enable Thunderbolt once Intel sorts out their certification?

Can anyone (especially the folks from ASUS) provide any new information?

[tech_droid]

I have to agree, Thunderbolt on the G5's is confusing and ASUS doesn't seem to be forth coming with any solid information. All models that you see list Mini Display Port and even on the G75VW/G55VW product page. Nowhere do you see Thunderbolt listed anywhere.

However when you look at the physical icon on the side of the laptop, you notice a box with a lightening bolt in it which in my mind would suggest that the port is Thunderbolt. Apple is really the only company thats been using Thunderbolt and Mini Display Port and has created icons to distinguish these differences.

In my mind, this is the proper Mini Display Port icon that should be engraved on the side of the laptop if it is indeed just Mini Display Port:

http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/mini-displayport.jpg

If it's just a firmware refresh of sorts, it would be nice to know. But since ASUS likes to play games lately, it looks like I'm taking my G75 back and will wait for a real answer to the question thats been evaded for the most part. Some details would be nice so that consumers aren't being mislead in the stores.

Personally I waited for Ivy Bridge specifically for Thunderbolt, and it's a shame they can't come out with a straight answer.

~ TD

[Cecil_2099]

I contacted MarshallR@ASUS the other day about the Thunderbolt situation. His response was:

The current models are not shipping with TB hardware inside so they cannot be retroactively upgraded. Only TB advertized models ship with TB installed. This is because those who don't need TB at all (still quite a significant %age due this early in TB rollout) won't have to pay for the TB chip inside.

So according to MarshallR@ASUS, It won't be a firmware upgrade but rather a new hardware configuration once they start shipping with Thunderbolt. Unfortunately MarshallR@ASUS wasn't able to provide details as to timing of Thunderbolt's release on the G5 notebooks.

To complicate/confuse matters further, I did notice that some custom ASUS resellers are advertising their units as having Thunderbolt, so I reached out to the folks at GenTech PC. They said Thunderbolt is present but couldn't confirm it (it doesn't show up in Windows Device Manager or any other System Spec program that I know of, so they called ASUS directly and were told that Intel needed to release the driver for Thunderbolt.

So at this point I'm not sure which is the accurate story: A) all G5s don't have have Thunderbolt chip, or B) some G5s have a Thunderbolt chip but no drivers.

[tech_droid]

Yeah, it's a bit frustrating when nobody knows who is on first base in this case. I'm inclined to just take back the G75VW I got and just wait till MarshallR@ASUS does another post to clarify which models do have Thunderbolt installed. Thats probably the only safe way to make sure you know your getting the hardware that you want.

~ TD

[Cecil_2099]

I'm inclined to just take back the G75VW I got and just wait till MarshallR@ASUS does another post to clarify which models do have Thunderbolt installed. Thats probably the only safe way to make sure you know your getting the hardware that you want.

I was contemplating doing this as well, but after further consideration I'm leaning more towards just keeping my G75VW and forgoing Thunderbolt altogether. Peripheral support is generally lacking at the moment with prices of existing peripherals being rather costly. From articles I've read, we probably won't see a good saturation of Thunderbolt peripherals on the market until 2013 at the earliest and by that time Thunderbolt controllers would probably be on their second iteration...

[MarshallR@ASUS]

Yeah, it's a bit frustrating when nobody knows who is on first base in this case. I'm inclined to just take back the G75VW I got and just wait till MarshallR@ASUS does another post to clarify which models do have Thunderbolt installed. Thats probably the only safe way to make sure you know your getting the hardware that you want.

~ TD

From what I understand, we will announce availability when the G75 and G55 respectively hit the retail channel. I will make your frustrations clearer to the sales team who will then ask our retail partners to clarify their webpages.

In my mind, this is the proper Mini Display Port icon that should be engraved on the side of the laptop if it is indeed just Mini Display Port:

http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/mini-displayport.jpg

Just to clarify the Apple one is NOT an official mini-DP logo. It is their own and we cannot use this. The DisplayPort website only states a logo for full DP, not miniDP, and as our port doubles up as either the TB port or only mDP, depending on model, we chose to make our own. Our logo is both TB (lightning bolt) and mDP (square). The official TB logo uses a circle and lightning bolt instead. I know a little confusing, but does that clarify?

[tech_droid]

Thanks for clarifying the situation, and it does make sense to a point. It's just sad that everyone cannot agree on a standard for identifying the a port based on it's engraving across the board without legal issues being brought up by design from Apple or royalty costs if used.

Unfortunately the use of a lightening bolt in the DP box to represent the port interchangably can cause confusion. It just seems like the easy way around instead of using separate engravings for identification.

~ TD

[MarshallR@ASUS]

I contacted MarshallR@ASUS the other day about the Thunderbolt situation. His response was:

The current models are not shipping with TB hardware inside so they cannot be retroactively upgraded. Only TB advertized models ship with TB installed. This is because those who don't need TB at all (still quite a significant %age due this early in TB rollout) won't have to pay for the TB chip inside.

So according to MarshallR@ASUS, It won't be a firmware upgrade but rather a new hardware configuration once they start shipping with Thunderbolt. Unfortunately MarshallR@ASUS wasn't able to provide details as to timing of Thunderbolt's release on the G5 notebooks.

To complicate/confuse matters further, I did notice that some custom ASUS resellers are advertising their units as having Thunderbolt, so I reached out to the folks at GenTech PC. They said Thunderbolt is present but couldn't confirm it (it doesn't show up in Windows Device Manager or any other System Spec program that I know of, so they called ASUS directly and were told that Intel needed to release the driver for Thunderbolt.

So at this point I'm not sure which is the accurate story: A) all G5s don't have have Thunderbolt chip, or B) some G5s have a Thunderbolt chip but no drivers.

Please tell me who these retailers are so we can contact them immediately and correct this mistake. I'm very sorry for this confusion, but please accept we don't directly control what retailers put on their pages. We work with a lot of companies and >95% get it right first time.

[Cecil_2099]

Please tell me who these retailers are so we can contact them immediately and correct this mistake. I'm very sorry for this confusion, but please accept we don't directly control what retailers put on their pages. We work with a lot of companies and >95% get it right first time.

So far it's only XoticPC, HIDEvolution, and GentechPC as the retailers that are advertising their systems as having Thunderbolt.

[Muskoka]

Canada Computers is also advertising both the G55 and G75 as having Thunderbolt:

http://www.canadacomputers.com/advan...words=asus+g75

http://www.canadacomputers.com/advan...words=asus+g55