AMD chipsets confirmed to support USB 3.0 interface

Intel Thunderbolt developer kits also on the horizon

AMD has confirmed that it will support USB 3.0 technology, as the latest version of the device communication platform continues to take steps towards widespread implementation.

The AMD A75 and A70M FCH chipsets are the first to be certified by the USB Implementers Forum as supporting SuperSpeed USB 3.0.

"The integration of SuperSpeed USB into AMD's Fusion Controller Hubs demonstrates AMD's commitment to providing the industry's latest, most innovative connectivity technologies," said Chris Cloran, corporate vice president and general manager of AMD's client group.

"AMD Fusion Controller Hubs will provide competitive performance while consuming low power with active USB 3.0 traffic for high-definition video and fast connectivity with the latest SuperSpeed USB devices."

SuperSpeed USB 3.0 delivers transfer speeds of up to 5Gbit/s, which is 10 times faster than the commonly used USB 2.0.

The technology was launched in 2009, but has yet to become the standard interface on PCs and laptops.

Support from AMD is a welcome boost for the interface, which faces a battle against Intel's Thunderbolt technology.

Thunderbolt was developed in conjunction with Apple and is capable of offering bi-directional transfer speeds of up to 10Gbit/s, making it twice as fast as USB 3.0.

The transfer system is available only on Apple's new MacBook Pro laptops and standalone drives from LaCie and Promise at present.

However, Intel is planning to release Thunderbolt developer kits this quarter in an attempt to expand the availability to other devices, reports suggest.

V3.co.uk contacted Intel to confirm this, but the firm declined to comment on the speculation.