Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Do you want an optical drive on future MBPs?

Do you want an optical drive on your future MBP?

  • Yes

    Votes: 78 37.0%

  • No

    Votes: 119 56.4%

  • Why are you asking me, I don't care!

    Votes: 14 6.6%
  • Total voters
    211
natejohnstone@g

natejohnstone@g

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 6, 2007
242
0
So rumors are flying that Apple might remove the optical drives at the next MBP redesign. If it's not this next one, it will probably be the subsequent redesign.

Do you use your optical drive? Even if it's not that often, would you still prefer to have one?

IMVHO, a MBA w/out an optical drive makes perfect sense. But for the Pro models, I can't see removing them just yet. Needing an external drive destroys mobility, and for many burning DVDs on the go is important. Not to mention importing cds, watching dvds, etc.

So here's the poll, what do you think?
 
I'm willing to ditch the SuperDrive IF; they install a blade SSD in addition to the normal 2.5" bay, increase battery capacity by ~50%, and put in a good graphics card in the 13"(I only care about the 13" to be honest). If they do that, and the price only goes up by a couple hundred(for at least a 64GB blade SSD/500GB HDD) I think it would be a good combo. I'm going the optibay route just for a second 2.5" bay, but if apples doing it they should step it up.

EDIT: The only time I've ever used my SuperDrive is to install OS' or to burn ISO's to DVDs, so I'm fine with just having an external SuperDrive like the Air. It's not a BluRay, so there's no point to use it to play movies, and we all know apple isn't going to offer BluRay's.

EDIT 2: I like your signature lol
 
Last edited:
People in America and the rest of the modern world are so myopic.

"Oh I don't use it, so that means no one else must use it"

People still watch DVDs and buy music on CDs in less fortunate parts of the globe. Personally, I enjoy having hard copies of anything I shell out money for.

I know the modern world is Apple's primary market but still, I really think they should leave the optical drive in there. I don't use it often, but I still use it once in a blue moon.

I don't know how taking it out will positively impact the design of the laptop but perhaps they can just focus on making the Air more powerful instead?
 
They need to keep it, its a pro machine. One of the good features of itunes is ripping your dvd collection to the hard drive to convert to mp3 format for your ipod / phone / pad. People still like to watch DVD's on laptops, or rip those for a digital backup.

Ok you can shell out again for an external super drive, but it defeats the whole point of portability.

Apple are trying to force out physical media, but its to soon imo.

Instead of getting rid of it, they should enhance it by adding blu-ray capabilities.
 
mcphee7 said:
They need to keep it, its a pro machine. One of the good features of itunes is ripping your dvd collection to the hard drive to convert to mp3 format for your ipod / phone / pad. People still like to watch DVD's on laptops, or rip those for a digital backup.

Ok you can shell out again for an external super drive, but it defeats the whole point of portability.

Apple are trying to force out physical media, but its to soon imo.

Instead of getting rid of it, they should enhance it by adding blu-ray capabilities.
Click to expand...
I agree here.

Wouldn't it be good if they got rid of it, and those that wanted it can get it custom ordered? Or maybe not.

It's a pro machine though =)
 
mcphee7 said:
They need to keep it, its a pro machine. One of the good features of itunes is ripping your dvd collection to the hard drive to convert to mp3 format for your ipod / phone / pad. People still like to watch DVD's on laptops, or rip those for a digital backup.

Ok you can shell out again for an external super drive, but it defeats the whole point of portability.

Apple are trying to force out physical media, but its to soon imo.

Instead of getting rid of it, they should enhance it by adding blu-ray capabilities.
Click to expand...

Absolutely true! I use my superdrive all the time burning data and, yes, music CD's. I like to back-up important files to CDs/DVDs.
Getting rid of the drive would be rediculous. But Apple does that all the time.

This would be just an excuse to get people to by more digital music and movies from iTunes Store and an attempt to force the use of the coming iCloud on users. I for one don't give a **** about iCloud. I want my files in my possesion on my drives.
 
Despite the strong feelings of some on here about optical being obsolete, the removal of the optical drive would indeed impact a lot of people, particularly on a pro machine.

However that being said if there were significant gains to be made by removing it such as increased battery life, second HDD or SSD/HDD combo or making superdrive a central part of a thunderbolt docking station with external GPU as opposed to simply making a thinner machine then it may not be such a hardship for those of us who need it to use an external drive.
 
I use it so infrequently that using an external one is the better idea. Why carry it around if you need it once every couple months. Really the only thing I needed it for the last year was installing operating systems.
 
Nope. If the space for the optidrive is used as an additional battery, I think the MBP can easily get 10 hours, which I would much prefer than a DVD drive. Or it can be used to add a cooling mechanism. Either way, it'll make the MBP much better.
 
jagolden said:
Absolutely true! I use my superdrive all the time burning data and, yes, music CD's. I like to back-up important files to CDs/DVDs.
Getting rid of the drive would be rediculous. But Apple does that all the time.

This would be just an excuse to get people to by more digital music and movies from iTunes Store and an attempt to force the use of the coming iCloud on users. I for one don't give a **** about iCloud. I want my files in my possesion on my drives.
Click to expand...


This.

Also, correct me if I'm mistaken here, but getting rid of the optical drive won't improve battery life at all compared to a MBP with an optical drive. The battery life is only drained when the drive is in use. If the drive is just sitting there, I don't think it's using any significant amount of power.
 
I voted 'no' because personally I could do without it. I would love to see a better 13inch MBP that is treated like a real Pro and the removal of the optical drive might help that.

BUT

I don't think apple should drop the optical drive from all pro computers yet. Particularly I think that there should still be an option for an optical drive in the 15 and 17 inchers. These are very expensive laptops that are designated 'Pro'. I can't think of anyone I know outside of this forum who would spend their cold hard cash on this class of computer (which for many will be their only computer) without an optical drive. My grandmother just bought a macbook pro 15inch. She can't compute her way out of a paper bag but she has money and she spent it on something nice and pretty with a big screen. She NEVER would have done this if the 15inch MBP didn't have an optical drive. I think a lot of mainstream consumers thinking about purchasing something that is supposed to be a desktop replacement will feel this way for quite a while longer.

But, like I said, personally I could care less. It is nice to for once not be dreading what Apple may do next :eek:
 
ng7apoc said:
However that being said if there were significant gains to be made by removing it such as increased battery life, second HDD or SSD/HDD combo or making superdrive a central part of a thunderbolt docking station with external GPU as opposed to simply making a thinner machine then it may not be such a hardship for those of us who need it to use an external drive.
Click to expand...
aluren said:
Nope. If the space for the optidrive is used as an additional battery, I think the MBP can easily get 10 hours, which I would much prefer than a DVD drive. Or it can be used to add a cooling mechanism. Either way, it'll make the MBP much better.
Click to expand...

Guys ... this is APPLE we're talking about here. Does anyone really think they will put in a 2nd hard drive, 2nd battery, cooling mech, or anything else? They will make the computer thinner and lighter, period.

I'm almost positive the options are
1) optical drive
2) thinner/lighter (i.e. less the size and weight of the optical drive)
 
a small external option would work for me. i only use the slot to store my subway card... :D (that's what i thought it was for...).

i'd love smaller and lighter (versus a second HD...)
 
natejohnstone@g said:
Guys ... this is APPLE we're talking about here. Does anyone really think they will put in a 2nd hard drive, 2nd battery, cooling mech, or anything else? They will make the computer thinner and lighter, period.

I'm almost positive the options are
1) optical drive
2) thinner/lighter (i.e. less the size and weight of the optical drive)
Click to expand...

Because the optical drive has a huge impact on thickness...
 
they can take it out if they include an external in the box or they drop the price and sell an external for ~$40. not $80. i think we are getting closer however people still rely on it. for example if you live 100% apple and buy all music from iTunes and buy all software from the mac app store and buy only apple products then yes they have made it so you don't need one. but living 100% apple would be very expensive and not many can do that.

give it a few more years. apple began it with lion and others will follow suit. because apple is going to make thinner and thinner products that people will buy and competitors can't keep up unless they follow apple.
 
I'd be fine with removing it only if they also increase performance or convert it into an extra hard drive slot
 
natejohnstone@g said:
Guys ... this is APPLE we're talking about here. Does anyone really think they will put in a 2nd hard drive, 2nd battery, cooling mech, or anything else? They will make the computer thinner and lighter, period.

I'm almost positive the options are
1) optical drive
2) thinner/lighter (i.e. less the size and weight of the optical drive)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, you are probably correct. I would rather have better battery life than a thinner machine, but oh well.. Such is life :rolleyes:
 
Things don't NEED to be smaller. Lol I believe that was a complaint about the iphones, and the nanos, they are too small to use comfortably. I think the smartest thing sometimes is to keep the size, and if you make the electronics smaller, thrown in a larger battery, most people would love more battery always! Id say the size isn't bad at all, the mbp are still thinner than the majority of laptops out there, jsut add more features if they remove it....

as far as weight goes, theres are few things can apple could put in place of the superdrive that would be lighter, anyone with an optibay knows the cd drive is significantly lighter than 2nd HD. Battery would weigh far more as well.

anyway, I say keep the cd drive. I use it plenty.
 
People who answered "No" are not audiophiles for sure.
FLAC > MP3
Therefore,
CD > MP3

Anyone who argues "iTunes is higher quality than CD", I will laugh at. Anyone who argues "320Kbps is better than FLAC", I will laugh at. iTunes is 256Kbps VBR, 320Kbps MP3 is a constant rate, and both are lossy. CDs are over 1,000Kbps in most cases.

I would like a SuperDrive, thank you very much.
 
Last edited:
External.

I simply think that in the future, Apple could ship MBPs with External ODDs at no charge (as if it were internal, basically). Hopefully they could make the external read/write blu-ray as well? :D

That space gained on the inside can be used for other things; like other people said, more battery, better GPU, improved cooling, another bay for SSD or HDD, etc…


-Likes:apple:-
 
Macbook Air top selling notebook - no optical

Mac mini - No optical

iPad - obviously no optical

The writing has "been" on the wall folks. Optical drives are done. If you love'em ...get used to toting around an external.
 
I say yes because I don't want the next MBP to look anything like the MBA. I'm not a fan of the tapered/tear drop look.

Would be nice if they finally could use a blu-ray ODD, in that case I would have a real reason to want it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back