Built in optical drive: R.I.P.

[Krazy Bill]

Not sure but didn't the old cMBP still have that thing? If so, no more...

 

[Tobias Funke]

Look on the apple website.

You can still buy a MBP with one.

 

[priitv8]

That feeling must've been felt at least twice already: when Apple ditched 5.25" floppy in favor of a 3.5" one and then floppy in favor of CD. Do we miss those floppy drives today? Soon enough we won't miss the optical either.

 

[blueroom]

I remember when Apple dropped RS232 in favor of USB. I haven't used optical media in ages.

 

[Yahooligan]

It's still there...

Specifications

2.5GHz Dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz
4GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM — 2x2GB
500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide

 

[hachiman]

It might be good for re-installations or burn music CDs (really? I guess some people still use CD players), but at least 99% of the time, all it does is take up bulky space and spin up and down, wasting battery life.

We've got recovery partitions, we don't need that anymore. For everything else, there's the internet and the Apps Store.

 

[iKrivetko]

Breaking news.

 

[foxkoneko]

Good riddance !
In the 2+ years that Ive owned my MBP, I used it maybe one or two times
One of those times was to install win7 with bootcamp

 

[Zeov]

was about time.

 

[maflynn]

Its demise is over due for mainstream consumers. The writing was on the wall with rMBP not having it, nor the Mac mini (not sure about the new iMacs)

 

[OllyW]

I still use them quite a lot.

24 of the 37 albums I've bought this year were on CD and they've all been ripped to iTunes. I've also burned some demo CDs and ripped a few DVDs to watch on Apple TV.

I'm not that fussed about Apple dropping the optical drive because USB drives don't cost a fortune.

 

[MyMac1976]

Still use it daily, rip BluRay, transefer data to my work computer, I buy music CD's.

 

[Meister]

I am surprised that it took this long.
I havent used a CD in about a decade.
Didnt notice they still sell those.
I own a zip drive though

 

[Krazy Bill]

It's still there...

Ok, I'm blind.

Edit: Wait. I'm still blind. Where is it? From the U.S. Store:

 

[MauerFan]

When I bought my laptop I thought I'd use the OD. I've used it like twice since buying it, LOL.

 

[aiom]

I'm annoyed a bit by the missing DVD drive too. It's not that I use it often, but occasionally. Stores still sell movies, music and games via CD/DVD. The usage of the external superdrive is followed by another issue - the total lack of USB adapters:

So you need external DVD superdrive -> USB
So you need external Backup Storage? -> USB
So you need external Ethernet adapter? -> USB
So you need a mouse? -> USB
So you need a mobile internet stick? -> USB

2 USB adapters totally destroy the workflow.


Professionalism in cMBP:
Put DVD in, plug ethernet cable in, plug mouse in, plug backup storage in

Professionalism in rMBP:
Plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in, plug out, plug in

 

[NewbieCanada]

Still use it daily, rip BluRay, transefer data to my work computer, I buy music CD's.

But clearly you're not ripping Blu-rays with an Apple drive.

I have one too - attached to my Mac Mini. I don't use it nearly as often, but I'm glad I have it. I'm also glad I don't have ones in my MacBooks too, but if I ever need one on the go it's no problem. I have four computers. Some may question my need for four, but for sure I don't need four optical drives.

----------

So you need external DVD superdrive -> USB
So you need external Backup Storage? -> USB
So you need external Ethernet adapter? -> USB
So you need a mouse? -> USB
So you need a mobile internet stick? -> USB

So you need external Backup Storage? -> Thunderbolt
So you need external Ethernet adapter? -> Thunderbolt
So you need a mouse? -> Bluetooth

So two USB ports aren't enough for you? -> Cheap USB bridge.

 

[Tobias Funke]

Ok, I'm blind.

Edit: Wait. I'm still blind. Where is it? From the U.S. Store:

Click select and look at the specs under the price.

 

[MyMac1976]

But clearly you're not ripping Blu-rays with an Apple drive.

I have one too - attached to my Mac Mini. I don't use it nearly as often, but I'm glad I have it. I'm also glad I don't have ones in my MacBooks too, but if I ever need one on the go it's no problem. I have four computers. Some may question my need for four, but for sure I don't need four optical drives.

----------



So you need external Backup Storage? -> Thunderbolt
So you need external Ethernet adapter? -> Thunderbolt
So you need a mouse? -> Bluetooth

So two USB ports aren't enough for you? -> Cheap USB bridge.

Your right I'm ripping it from a BR drive that sits in the old superdrives place.

 

[Krazy Bill]

Click select and look at the specs under the price.

Ok. Found it.

It used to be right under the pic mixed with the rest of the specs. Wonder why you have to dig so freaking deep to see it now.