So i went in to the Apple store today with the intention to buy a 15 inch Macbook Pro Retina. Im messing around with it reading the specs, and just pretty much checking out all the programs that come preinstalled. After looking I notice that it doesnt come with a CD/DVD drive, I asked the employee was this forreal that there really wasnt a CD/DVD drive and he confirmed it. I was like this has to be a joke a 2000$ laptop doesnt come already with a CD/DVD drive that id have to pay another 80$ for the Apple USB Super Drive if i wanted that. I really want a MBP but i might have to reconsider after finding this out, you would think a 2000$ laptop would already come with basic stuff like that but i guess not. Needless to say i was heartbroken and disappointed today.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Macbook Pro Retina no CD/DVD Drive?
- Thread starter reice23
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
They're not intended to.
A regular (non-Retina) MacBook Pro does come with a CD/DVD drive.
Apple is usually ahead of the curve. CDs/DVDs are a thing of the past and will likely be phasing out soon.
Did you just wake up from a very long nap? Apple has been dropping optical drives from its products for quite a while, including the Mac mini, iMac, MacBook Air and retina MacBook Pro. Only the non-retina MBP and Mac Pro still have them. That's why Lion and Mountain Lion aren't sold on DVDs.
Post is very real...I never been big on Mac products but after messing around with my sisters ipad and non retina macbook I got the itch to buy one, it just sounds stupid to have such a high priced laptop and to not even have a cd/dvd drive like one of the poster replied that cd/dvds will eventually fade out but at the moment they are still here and doing well so why not include them
----------
And yes I can just go buy a external drive but its just the principle of having to have extra stuff attached to the MBP while flying, using in the car, etc...
----------
And yes I can just go buy a external drive but its just the principle of having to have extra stuff attached to the MBP while flying, using in the car, etc...
Like I said, Apple is one step ahead. They got rid of floppy disk drives while they were still popular, too.
Both the non-Retina MBP and the rMBP are great machines. Whichever you purchase, you will likely be very satisfied.
If you have any questions about which one to purchase, make a new thread and I'm sure tons of people will be glad to help
I used to be an advocate of the cd drive when the air was announced
However, I rarely if ever use it these days. I feel most are in the same boat
However, I rarely if ever use it these days. I feel most are in the same boat
It's not stupid to leave an optical drive out of a notebook if the manufacturer chooses to, especially since the focus is more on downloading and cloud computing, rather than physical media. Just because the specs may not meet your requirements doesn't mean they don't meet the requirements of others. Buy what suits you. If a retina MBP doesn't have what you want, don't buy it.
I have a disc drive on my macbook pro, and would LOVE to switch it with a retina macbook pro with NO disc drive. I have yet to use the drive, just a legacy piece of hardware taking up space
I have a disc drive on my macbook pro, and would LOVE to switch it with a retina macbook pro with NO disc drive. I have yet to use the drive, just a legacy piece of hardware taking up space
put a hdd or ssd in there instead. I like the option to do this in the classics
Apple dropped them so they could make their machines smaller and lighter. I appreciate it. I even removed the optical drive that came in my "fat" MBP to make room for another hard drive.
I need to use an optical drive like once a year. If you're still relying on one, OP, you probably need to change your habits (you're doing something wrong). It's nice here in the future.
Also: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827190024
For that one time a year.
I need to use an optical drive like once a year. If you're still relying on one, OP, you probably need to change your habits (you're doing something wrong). It's nice here in the future.
Also: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827190024
For that one time a year.
In terms of multimedia you have to admit both DVDs and CDs are pretty much dead. In terms of software, too. Everyone's moving to digital downloads for all of these things.
The only valid format I can think of, besides console video games, is Blu Ray, which Apple doesn't support, but I can still see being disappointed if you have a large Blu Ray collection. In which case pick up one of these and download this and a couple of additional files and you're done for the cost of a Superdrive.
In any event, yeah it's a separate component but take a look again at the Retina Macbook's form factor, thinness and lightness. There's no way you'd be able to stick any type of optical disk drive into that form factor.
The only valid format I can think of, besides console video games, is Blu Ray, which Apple doesn't support, but I can still see being disappointed if you have a large Blu Ray collection. In which case pick up one of these and download this and a couple of additional files and you're done for the cost of a Superdrive.
In any event, yeah it's a separate component but take a look again at the Retina Macbook's form factor, thinness and lightness. There's no way you'd be able to stick any type of optical disk drive into that form factor.
My last Windows laptop had Blu Ray. Aside from OS installs I used the drive about a dozen times, always connected to an HDTV. Upon losing that I took my (admittedly quite small) BD collection to Walmart and had them converted to Vudu at $2 a pop. I'll never miss it.
If you're ready to dump $2k on a computer whats another $75 for a superdrive? Your dramatic attitude makes me laugh.
Wife has had her air for about 2 years now and has used her sd ONE time.... that was to put office on the air, I just used it again to put office on my Pro. IF you need a drive more than a few times a month the rMBP probably isn't the device for you.
Many people will tell you that DVD is no longer needed, etc, etc, but this is dependent on the person. One person might use much of the time and others will not. I personally do not like the way Apple is going these days with no DVD (or Blu-ray for that matter) and the lack of upgradability in their laptops. If it gets where I can no longer buy a Mac that I cannot upgrade I can always switch to Windows PCs. (Maybe I should be happy that I finally got USB3). I love my Macs, but there are alternatives if Apple does not supply you with what you need or want.
If you really need an optical drive on a regular basis, i agree this is a deal breaker. Like ripping/burning CDs for your car - i'd be hesitant to spend 2k on a laptop and still have external crap to make it fit my needs.
When i first considered the Retina, i was a bit reluctant to buy one for this fact, too. Then i thought how often did i use the optical drive in my laptop the last 2 years - it was exactly 1 time - to reinstall Windows.
Given you have an internet connection, you don't even need that to reinstall ML. (think using the recovery partition, you don't even need that"
You could still get a 15" Mac Probook, get the hi-res option so you have 1650x1050 which is still good - even have the option to get this in matte, slap in a 3rd party SSD and you are good to go.
Otherwise, yea - it also is lacking the floppy drive
When i first considered the Retina, i was a bit reluctant to buy one for this fact, too. Then i thought how often did i use the optical drive in my laptop the last 2 years - it was exactly 1 time - to reinstall Windows.
Given you have an internet connection, you don't even need that to reinstall ML. (think using the recovery partition, you don't even need that"
You could still get a 15" Mac Probook, get the hi-res option so you have 1650x1050 which is still good - even have the option to get this in matte, slap in a 3rd party SSD and you are good to go.
Otherwise, yea - it also is lacking the floppy drive
I wouldnt consider the rMBP if it had a CD Drive, I bought my macbook 3 years ago and have only used the CD Drive at most 3-4 times, and none in the last year. The CD Drive is already very dated for most with USB 3 speeds and 4TB hard drives there is hardly any need for a CD Drive.
Apple sacrificed the CD Drive for much more desirable feature, such as the weight and size making it so much more portable. Not to mention the specs and awesome display.
I have taken apart numerous Macbooks and it really astonishes me at how much space the cd drive takes, it is ridiculous.
Maybe. Or maybe they don't like people ripping their own CD's and DVD's when they make a king's ransom selling digital files?
CD's and DVD's are not dead. Movies and music were never sold on floppies, so killing floppies with their pitiful file capacity was understandable. Not so for optical media disks.
I honestly appreciate the real and helpful replys. Its just my personal preference since ive always had a dvd/cd drive on previous laptops so i'll just have to think about if i can live without one if i do decide to buy a rmbp. And some of the stupid comments could have been deleted from the post but its whatever i thought this was a forum for people to helpout other potential Apple buyers or people new to Apple products not a forum to bash people when they ask questions
i understand how you feel .i went with the mbpro non retina model that comes with a cd/dvd drive and although i dont use it as much it nice to have for the times i do need it also it like 1k cheaper .i did some miner upgrades like adding more ram and installing an ssd drive and my mac is just as fast as the retina version .
Unfortunately, you'll encounter that every now and then. But I think for the most part, that there are a lot of helpful people on these forums
If you have any other questions, especially when choosing which machine you'd like to purchase, feel free to create another thread and we'll be glad to help.