Intel confirms Lynx Point USB 3.0 glitch

Product Change Notification confirms Haswell USB 3.0 glitch with fixed units expected in mid-July.

Ronald Tiefenthäle/Omar Qudsi, Published 04/07/2013

Rumors have been swirling for a while concerning a USB 3.0 glitch and Intel's upcoming Haswell CPUs, but the company had so far refused to comment. Now, thanks to a Product Change Notification release, it appears that the glitch did indeed exist but has since been resolved.

According to the document, Intel is initiating a C1 to C2 stepping conversion for the Intel Series 8/C220 series of products which include the Haswell CPUs. The change involves replacing metal layers associated with USB re-recognition in order to "fix the USB SuperSpeed remuneration erratum". This clearly seems to refer to a problem with USB 3.0 devices awakening after sleep, and fixed samples are expected on the 19th of April with post-conversion materials available mid-July.

The change affects Lynx Point chipsets for the desktop B85, H87, Q85, Q87 and Z87 lineup of CPUs as well as multiple server and notebook chips. This change is expected to put the USB 3.0 problems to rest, but a delayed Haswell launch also appears inevitable.