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Slimmer 13-Inch and 15-Inch MacBook Pros Reportedly in Production
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Do you know how much an optical drive costs? Like...$20. retail. The technology is archaic.
The reason you couldn't see any difference is because there wasn't any! As long as you keep the resolution of your images above 1.5 times your screen ruling, the screen ruling is your weakest link. Anyone can test this. Look at a colour brochure up closeyou won't see pixelation in the photos no matter how close you get to it, but you will see the halftone screen. This has nothing to do with the discussion about high-resolution displays, and people should stop quoting this 300 DPI figure in printing as though it has any relevance. (Maybe Apple is to blame for creating this confusion originally?)
However, if you had printed line art or solid type at 262 DPI, and compared this to the same thing printed at say 2400 DPI, close-up your eye would easily see the difference. It all depends on how close you view it, and that's a better comparison to viewing pixels on a screen.
I wonder when Apple will update their external superdrive to be Blu-Ray. When 10.8 comes out?
I know, Apple is turning Macs into glorified iPads these days. Every time I see them chase style over substance ("let's remove useful features so that it's thin!") it brings me one step closer to buying a PC and switching to Linux. Only thing really stopping is that syncing my iPad and iPhone would be a b*tch, and though I have an Android phone as well, I do still prefer iOS.
Anywho, it's clear that Apple fully intends to make OS X into iOS and make Macs into iDevices in the future. That's where the roadmap is heading, no doubt. It's a shame, really, because even if they took their "Pro" laptops and sealed them shut with no user replaceable battery, RAM, or HD then removed the disc drives like the MBA, they'd still probably sell, because people are idiots
Buy an external drive. Better yet, one with Lightscribe labelling. I've been using the same external LG Lightscribe super-multi drive for something like 6+ years (originally used it with a PC). Still cooks, and always reads CDs that my 2008 iMac cannot.
I totally understand the needs for these things. I share these needs. But I personally don't need the ODD "on the go"/on my lap. If I swapped out my iMac for a MBP, I think I could just do my ripping & burning with my laptop on my desk. I think it'd be a good sacrifice for more battery, slimmer/lighter design, etc.
Your needs might be different, but I'm just trying to make a suggestion.
Why no optical drive???
What sucks about losing the optical drive is that then you have to buy an external one, and carry it if you need it off site. Sometimes I need to burn boot and repair discs when working on old PCs and servers. I also still burn CDs for my car.
I don't really see the point. How thin do you need a MacBook to be? The 13" MacBook Pro is already incredibly thin, small, and light weight. I honestly don't see why Airs are all the rage when the Pros offer more power. The difference in weight and size is miniscule.
For the record, I know a couple people who went with PC notebooks because of built in blu-ray drives when they would have liked to go with MacBooks. I would much rather see a MacBook Pro with blu-ray and a retina screen instead of yet another Air model, which is what the new Pros sound like they will be.
The ONLY reason to ditch the optical drive is to have a SSD and HDD at the same time. Apple should offer Pros with blu-ray burners or SSD/HDD combos as a build option.
What sucks about losing the optical drive is that then you have to buy an external one, and carry it if you need it off site. Sometimes I need to burn boot and repair discs when working on old PCs and servers. I also still burn CDs for my car.
I don't really see the point. How thin do you need a MacBook to be? The 13" MacBook Pro is already incredibly thin, small, and light weight. I honestly don't see why Airs are all the rage when the Pros offer more power. The difference in weight and size is miniscule.
For the record, I know a couple people who went with PC notebooks because of built in blu-ray drives when they would have liked to go with MacBooks. I would much rather see a MacBook Pro with blu-ray and a retina screen instead of yet another Air model, which is what the new Pros sound like they will be.
The ONLY reason to ditch the optical drive is to have a SSD and HDD at the same time. Apple should offer Pros with blu-ray burners or SSD/HDD combos as a build option.
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They are not going to keep it for the minority. Ever heard of an external optical drive? Go google it.
Ed A. said:
They are not going to keep it for the minority. Ever heard of an external optical drive? Go google it.
I know, Apple is turning Macs into glorified iPads these days. Every time I see them chase style over substance ("let's remove useful features so that it's thin!") it brings me one step closer to buying a PC and switching to Linux. Only thing really stopping is that syncing my iPad and iPhone would be a b*tch, and though I have an Android phone as well, I do still prefer iOS.
Anywho, it's clear that Apple fully intends to make OS X into iOS and make Macs into iDevices in the future. That's where the roadmap is heading, no doubt. It's a shame, really, because even if they took their "Pro" laptops and sealed them shut with no user replaceable battery, RAM, or HD then removed the disc drives like the MBA, they'd still probably sell, because people are idiots
People were mad when the floppy drive was removed prematurely as well. Get over it. They're not going to have soldered-on RAM in a pro machine. They're not going to prevent you from doing anything to the hard drive. What they are going to do is remove the optical drive. Clunky, fragile media like this is definitely out for mobile computing. There's no reason to take up a quarter of the internals with a big clunky drive anymore when externals are so cheap.
Also, if you were truly a "pro" you could replace the "non-user replaceable battery" by removing 6 screws. Apple is simply streamlining their products for the future. They WILL lose sales if they change the core functionality of OS X, which they will not. If you want a chunky, optical drive equipped, plastic monstrosity of a computer, you are fully welcome to go anywhere else.
I'm in the media industry as well and the need to deliver a DVD copy to clients is again, NOT an issue. Do you never return to a desk during your work for clients? At that desk, put a $30 external DVD burner.
Going somewhere for a shoot? Pop one in your bag. You're carrying camera equipment, lights, C-stands, etc anyways.
"people", maybe, but not me. My 2011 MBP has never seen an optical disk. I may as well use the slot to store my credit cards or something.
My MacBook is perfectly portable with a DVD drive built in. Know what would damage the portability, though? Something like carrying around an extra accessory along with my laptop just so I can use disks...
I agree that you shouldn't be "carrying around" an optical drive. Just as you shouldn't be "carrying around" optical disks!
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Hence "it brings me one step closer to buying a PC and switching to Linux."
It's a sad state of things when only one OS offers proper choice to customers.
Not really.
Actually, most adults now grew up gamers, like myself. So GPUs are a must. This was a very ignorant comment from a so called "adult."
As long as they keep everything that makes the MBP "Pro" I'm fine without an optical drive.
Actually, most adults now grew up gamers, like myself. So GPUs are a must. This was a very ignorant comment from a so called "adult."
As long as they keep everything that makes the MBP "Pro" I'm fine without an optical drive.
Right here is your answer:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151238
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106356
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135256
If you can't find a way to carry along an slim external DVD drive for when you actually need the use of a DVD drive then your not doing it right.
DVD's are quickly becoming a thing of the past and are being replaced by larger faster flash and solid-state storage as well as a move to digitial only content provided through online storage and streaming services (i.e. Apple's iCloud). Even Microsoft is rumored to be dropping the DVD drive from their upcoming new Xbox. And since Apple tries to be at the forefront of adopting new tech and dropping legacy devices it should be no surprise at all to see the DVD drive go in place of a thinner MBP line.
Apple wants to make things thin. Soldering as much of the computer as possible onto one board achieves that. Let's see how long it takes for Apple to turn the MBP into the new MBA, shall we?
I know you can replace the battery even when it's not meant to be user replaceable, but that voids the warranty. If I were to buy a Mac and AppleCare, I'd lose said AppleCare just because I didn't want to go to Apple and give them my computer so they can replace my battery for me. It's like having to give my Android phone back to HTC whenever I need to change my MicroSD card.
As for OS X, Mountain Lion is basically iOS.
This kind of oversimplification is what's driving me away from Apple recently.
That's exactly why I bought the 15" MBP - the screen. I prefer the size of the 13" and indeed I had a 2010 model, but found that VM's just killed the performance (I do lots of install and config). When I upgraded I didn't see the point in getting another 13" because of the lack of screen options, even though Sandybridge is much quicker than Core 2, so I forfeit portability for a matt screen.
The 13" MBP needs the biggest refresh of all if it's to keep the 'Pro' badge and I really don't see why Apple don't' offer this model with a matt screen.
Yes here in switzerland a external apple optical
cost above 200 dollars if i convert it to dollars!
Odd figure there. IIRC the Apple external drive is $79 and I'm sure you can find non-Apple branded drives for much less.
I'm looking forward to a nearly solid-state (except fans) laptop.
This is like arguing to keep a record or 8-track player in your new 2013 Audi. The difference in weight and size is HUGE.
Can we stop for a second and have a look inside the 13" MBP:
The optical drive is in the top left in that photo. IT'S ALMOST THE SIZE OF THE ENTIRE LOGIC BOARD! Plus, it's thicker. It may not be heavier, but the need to make the computer as a whole much bigger causes it to add weight and thickness.
Wouldn't you rather have an all-day MBP? Or one with much more power or better discrete graphics?
Exactly. I don't see where people get the whole "laptops with disc drives are not portable" nonsense from. My 2007 MacBook is thin, fairly light, and has a DVD drive.
I agree, but don't think Apple is waiting for the great majority to stop using optical disks/drives. That's not how they operate. I bought their first desktop that didn't have a floppy drive. They push forward. Now that they have such a record of success and pre-pay for things like ssd drives, in order to reduce the cost, the idea of using spinning hdd's just doesn't make sense as a strategy for the near term.
Just a couple of years ago, 15" mbp's came with small hdd's, as low as 120gb. It's not hard to see there being options for 128, 256 and 512. TB is going to be the future for external peripherals and even external hdd's are going to have to move from spinning disk to ssd.
There is no going back, there is no just keeping what works today. Technology will move forward whether it pisses people off or not. Even ethernet connections are not immune from change. I can see wall mounted conversion plugs to allow tb equipped computers to connect to ethernet networks - until the point where ethernet just gets replaced by optical tb cables entirely.