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How important is a superdrive?

T

topher

macrumors member
Original poster
May 1, 2004
42
0
Hi all,

I'm currently on the cusp of buying either an ibook or a powerbook. I will do us all a favor, and not turn this into the ibook vs. powerbook thread. Instead, I'm wondering about the drawbacks of not buying a built in superdrive.

I've very recently started editing video for work, and it's something that I'd like to pursue...but I'm not a big fan of the 14" ibook. Will I kick myself eternally if I buy a 12" ibook and an external dvd burner later on?

If it matters, we're probably talking final cut express in the foreseeable future...

Thanks,

toph
 
I second that.

In fact, I took my emac appart to install a superdrive, but I don't think it's very easily done on the iBook.
If you're buying a new laptop, you want it to be as future proof as possible. It is my view that you should wait a little longer and buy a powerbook. I own a current ibook, and I realllyyyy want one! :rolleyes:
 
I third that, *for you*. Initially, I wished I had gotten a superdrive, but never for a practical reason. But I don't work with video at all. People get them for basically two reasons, from what I've seen -- to work with video and as a backup device. The first reason I think has always and continues to make sense. It will be handy time and time again to be able to burn DVDs you can watch on televisions with DVD players. The latter reason may have made sense in the beginning, but I don't think it does anymore. For the cost of a superdrive upgrade, you can get a large FW or USB2 drive, or even a NAS. I have 15GB of music, 1.5GB of photos, about 1.5GB of e-mail and several more gigs of other documents on my HD. There is no way I am backing this stuff up on a stack of DVDs... ;)

But for video, natch. :cool:
 
superdrive

if ur at all interested in doing digital video, you are gonna want the ability to share those videos with friends and family. you cant really get the full effect in imove and idvd. you need a superdrive or external dvd burner to get that stuff onto commerical dvds so everyone can enjoy your masterpieces.
 
mkrishnan said:
, or even a NAS.
Click to expand...
You can get a rapper for less than a superdrive? :cool:

Yeah, get the superdrive. It's way more versatile, and if you don't you may regret it. After that save up for an external HD like mkrishnan says, you can get them pretty cheap (or save up again for a HUGE ipod - the 80GB will be out sooner than you think. - apple have been buying the drives i've heard).
 
Yes, go for the SuperDrive. I have find that I am much more inclined to burn DVDs since I spent $100 extra dollars on my PB. Plus, the potential for all the storage (a DVD can hold ALOT of data) in that is enormous. Spend the extra dough - you will not regret it...
 
i regret not buying the DVD burner.
dangit!
external drives are a pain in the arse compared to the convenience of having a DVD burner. don't tell me externals are so much more reliable than a well kept dvd backup system. With a dvd backup, you have several copies. Something goes wrongw ith the eHD and you're up poop creek.
 
I am getting it (Only because parents are paying for the DVD burner) we made a deal if i let them and me make a Home movie on the mac and Burn it to DVD so we can watch it on the DVD player of corse i said yes because i wanted one but couln't afford it... So yup i think its important but it depends if you are going to need it for Video editing if so its a MUST...
 
kevinuaa said:
i regret not buying the DVD burner.
dangit!
external drives are a pain in the arse compared to the convenience of having a DVD burner. don't tell me externals are so much more reliable than a well kept dvd backup system. With a dvd backup, you have several copies. Something goes wrongw ith the eHD and you're up poop creek.
Click to expand...

Depends on what you keep backups for.... Something can happen to your DVDs too, you know. And the hard disk can easily image your entire laptop drive several times over. Archival storage is one thing, but temporary backups is more what I have in mind... and I stand by thinking that an external HD is much better.
 
mkrishnan said:
Depends on what you keep backups for.... Something can happen to your DVDs too, you know. And the hard disk can easily image your entire laptop drive several times over. Archival storage is one thing, but temporary backups is more what I have in mind... and I stand by thinking that an external HD is much better.
Click to expand...
I had an external drive that not only corrupted all the files i put on it (tracks chopped up in iTunes, system crashes all the time - OS 9! OUCH!), but when i formatted it and tried to use it again in OS 10.2, it somehow corrupted my computer and i had to do a fresh install of Jaguar! - Grrrr

That was a LaCie drive. I think they're better now though - but it was a couple of hundred quid i'll never get back!

Still scared by FireWire HD's though I know I shouldn't be! I think the disk may have scratched when i got angry with my mum while it was reading, and i hammered the desk it was sitting on with my fists - I'm pretty strong, so it must've jumped and corrupted.

Never gonna connect it again, but i think the newer FW drives are a lot more dependable.
 
The difference between an external vs internal dvd burner - no difference except the extra luggage.

I'd be more concerned about HD space, given you're buying a laptop. Handling the dv on off-site must be more concerning than being able to 'burn' it at some random place, no?
 
there is a big plus with superdrives in data storage/backup alone.

its 4.7 or 8.5GB per disk vs. 700MB. huge difference. a superdrive also makes your disk storage space 1/6 the size.
 
I've got to vote the other way.

When I get a new iBook I'm going without the Superdrive. I've got one in this machine but I just don't use it very much at all. The way I see it, an external would cost about 60% of a Superdrive so if I need to burn DVDs, I'll buy an external.

But I guess there's always the risk that in 2 years DVDs will become VERY common. At the moment CDrs are still the leaders, I think.
 
cooknwitha said:
But I guess there's always the risk that in 2 years DVDs will become VERY common. At the moment CDrs are still the leaders, I think.
Click to expand...

dvd has pretty much already become common. blank dvd-r or +r are far cheaper per mb vs. cdr. my 8x pioneer superdrive (same one apple has used) was only 115$ canadian (92$ us). now you can get 16x dual layer versions for under 100.

its worth it for sure to go dvdr
 
I would agree go with the Superdrive. I did in my iMac and I am happy i did even though I don't do much video it sure comes in handy backing up my iTunes songs and iPhoto collection.
 
Go for it. I never thought I'd use the SuperDrive in my PowerMac, but its actually come in handy for backing up data several times. I've never used it for video, so if I can make use of it, and you're going to be doing video editing, you definitley want it
 
I think a superdrive is needed if you want to keep up with todays computers, if you look at the PC world most of the new comps even budget ones have a "superdrive". Basically if you are buying a mac new get a superdrive just save up the extra few weeks the wait will be worth it.

Shadooow
 
Guess I'm in the minority -- I prefer external drives.

Three reasons: the optical drives on a PB are the most vulnerable part on the computer -- I have replaced mine twice; your drive will never be as fast as the fastest external (unless you plan on replacing it regularly) -- the current PBs offer 8X burners, my LaCie is 16X (and double layer); and finally, external drives seem to be more forgiving about media -- that is, Apple drives (in my experience) tend to be a little sensitive about media brands, cleanliness, etc.

Having said that . . . that doesn't mean I wouldn't buy a SuperDrive -- just that I would have external drives as well.
 
numediaman said:
Three reasons: the optical drives on a PB are the most vulnerable part on the computer -- I have replaced mine twice; your drive will never be as fast as the fastest external (unless you plan on replacing it regularly) -- the current PBs offer 8X burners, my LaCie is 16X (and double layer); and finally, external drives seem to be more forgiving about media -- that is, Apple drives (in my experience) tend to be a little sensitive about media brands, cleanliness, etc.
Click to expand...

I'm a fan of the external, for pretty much the same reasons. Also if you get an external (especially if you build it yourself) its a lot easier to replace once a new model comes out. I seriously doubt that Blu-ray drives for example will make it into a notebook format soon after they hit the desktop market and even then they'll be slower.

Also, if you're worried about iDVD not being able to burn to an external, iDVD 5 has an option to make a disc image to which you can burn on any drive, internal or external and even a PC if you convert it to an ISO format.

Edit: I see you're talking about FCE, never mind. But its still useful info I guess..

*shrug*
 
Do you have any other machines at home with a Superdrive? I ask because that's what we did with my wife's PB: she composes all her movies and stuff on her PB and sets them up in iDVD. When she's ready I just burn from my PM across the network; I didn't see the need for a house full of Superdrives.

With that said, if the PB were my only machine I certainly would get a Superdrive.
 
For video work, you'll need a 15" PB at the least. First off, FCE needs as much screen real estate as you can muster. Secondly, I believe the SD comes standard on the 15". Thirdly and lastly, it comes with a PC card slot you'll need to expand the laptop should your needs grow.
 
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