Why no DVD burner?

[jmack549]

I am in the market for a Macbook, but it just kills me that I have to pay $1300 for a DVD burner, which is basically standard on PC's $500 and up.

True, I'll still buy one, it just dumbfounds me that old technology is so overpriced with Apple.

 

[abijnk]

You have to admit that your statement is a bit misleading. You aren't paying $1300 for a DVD burner, you are paying $200 more for the ability to burn DVDs PLUS .2 GHz in processor speed and 40GB more of hard drive space. I think thats reasonable...

 

[squeeks]

You have to admit that your statement is a bit misleading. You aren't paying $1300 for a DVD burner, you are paying $200 more for the ability to burn DVDs PLUS .2 GHz in processor speed and 40GB more of hard drive space. I think thats reasonable...

no its not...he dosent want the other stuff all he wants is the ability to burn DVDs which its absoltuly shameful that apple dosent put a superdrive in the entry level macbook, why? because apple likes screwing you, see 4gb memory upgrade for the MBP for SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.

 

[DeaconGraves]

no its not...he dosent want the other stuff all he wants is the ability to burn DVDs which its absoltuly shameful that apple dosent put a superdrive in the entry level macbook, why? because apple likes screwing you, see 4gb memory upgrade for the MBP for SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.

Seeing that Apple allows (and perhaps encourages) users to personally upgrade memory, I wouldn't say apple is screwing the customer but rather screwing themselves (as why would I buy memory from apple when I can get the same quality memory elsewhere for less?)

The rest of your point is valid though. Apple doesn't need to go crazy with customizing options but things like optical drives and HDs should be individually upgradable/downgradable (at least at the online store).

 

[jmack549]

That's what I was thinking. While I don't care much about customizing, I think the two things that should be absolutely customizable are the hard drive and CD drive. It's very bothersome, I don't want to have to buy a Superdrive on Ebay, and open up my beautiful new Macbook to replace the Combo. True, you get more than just the Superdrive for $200 more, but I can't constitute spending $200 on other things that I don't want.

 

[squeeks]

yeah i mean for 50 bucks you could buy a decent external dvd burner

 

[samuraikiss]

I was hoping that, with the most recent update, Apple would eliminate the ComboDrive completely. It's simply archaic technology. Alas, no such luck. Maybe in six months?

 

[jmack549]

yeah i mean for 50 bucks you could buy a decent external dvd burner

True, and that's what I'll probably do, but it would have been grand to have it pre-installed, since I'm moving around a lot.

 

[GSMiller]

I dunno, are you going to upgrade the hard drive?

My friend just bought the base model MacBook and out of the box she only had about 50GB of free hard drive space on the 80GB hard drive...

Didn't the base MacBook come with a 120GB hard drive before the update in early November?

 

[feyn-man]

Seeing that Apple allows (and perhaps encourages) users to personally upgrade memory, I wouldn't say apple is screwing the customer but rather screwing themselves (as why would I buy memory from apple when I can get the same quality memory elsewhere for less?)

The rest of your point is valid though. Apple doesn't need to go crazy with customizing options but things like optical drives and HDs should be individually upgradable/downgradable (at least at the online store).

The standard configure is what apple want to sell. Add additional memory, which different from the standard one, will increase the cost. I think that is why apple have less varieties than other brand. That's COST DOWN!

Of cause, there is the possibility that the reason is Jobs is silly. haha

 

[TheStu]

I dunno, are you going to upgrade the hard drive?

My friend just bought the base model MacBook and out of the box she only had about 50GB of free hard drive space on the 80GB hard drive...

Didn't the base MacBook come with a 120GB hard drive before the update in early November?

The base MacBook Pro had the 120GB drive, but the base MacBook has been at 80GB for months now.

What a lot of people recommend is for a new MacBook owner that wants as much space as possible is to format the system immediately upon receiving it. Apple includes a lot of extra stuff that not everyone needs (like drivers to every printer that could possibly be attached to the system 2.5GB worth). Also included is Garageband which not everyone needs, about a GB of extra languages, and some other things. Garageband, Printer Drivers and extra languages are the biggest culprits.

 

[feyn-man]

My friend just bought the base model MacBook and out of the box she only had about 50GB of free hard drive space on the 80GB hard drive...

In fact, you will never get 80GB disk even you erase all.
OS will think 1GB=1024MB=1024KB.
But for businessmen, 1GB=1000MB=1000KB.
That is said, you only have a little more than 74BG of your HD.
))))

 

[zioxide]

You ask why they don't offer a DVD burner in the low end model?

Simple Answer:

They want you to buy the more expensive one. There are tons of people who couldn't care less about a DVD burner. It would cost Apple more money to have that in every Macbook. Instead, you pay extra for the Macbook with extra features if you want it.

 

[Mac OS X Ocelot]

Seeing that Apple allows (and perhaps encourages) users to personally upgrade memory, I wouldn't say apple is screwing the customer but rather screwing themselves (as why would I buy memory from apple when I can get the same quality memory elsewhere for less?)

The rest of your point is valid though. Apple doesn't need to go crazy with customizing options but things like optical drives and HDs should be individually upgradable/downgradable (at least at the online store).

But they don't allow you to upgrade both sticks (in iMacs at least) easily, and they don't put one 2GB in the back one when you order a 2GB (they put two 1GB ones in). That's frustrating. When you upgrade it yourself you can get a max of 3GB instead of 4GB.

 

[kkat69]

I am in the market for a Macbook, but it just kills me that I have to pay $1300 for a DVD burner, which is basically standard on PC's $500 and up.

True, I'll still buy one, it just dumbfounds me that old technology is so overpriced with Apple.

It doesn't come standard on all machines. I priced a dell 14xx for my wife and I had to ADD it as an option to burn DVD's.

 

[jmack549]

It doesn't come standard on all machines. I priced a dell 14xx for my wife and I had to ADD it as an option to burn DVD's.

True, your wife's 1420 had to add it, just as my girlfriends 1520 did. Nevertheless, it was an OPTION, and I believe only a $50 one at that.

 

[heatmiser]

It's just another way of creating a class hierarchy within their machines. Yeah, it's annoying. And yeah, it's why I chose the midline white over the baseline model

 

[diamond.g]

yeah i mean for 50 bucks you could buy a decent external dvd burner

Do they make DVD burners that don't need external power source?

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

But they don't allow you to upgrade both sticks (in iMacs at least) easily, and they don't put one 2GB in the back one when you order a 2GB (they put two 1GB ones in). That's frustrating. When you upgrade it yourself you can get a max of 3GB instead of 4GB.

The matched pair they put in is because that will run faster. By giving you 2 x 512mb that would be a faster running machine than if they give you 1 x 1gb sticks. So they arent doing that to "Screw" you. You have to remember most and yes MOST people who buy MacBooks do stick with the 1gb they are given. So that config of two sticks will be faster running for those people.

Kevin

 

[jnc]

For me, a DVD burner is an unnecessary extravagance I am glad I don't have to be lumbered with on the low end MB.

The argument that the MB should have DVDRW as standard is a different one to whining about the price of the Superdrive model - you pay more and get more features. If Apple introduced DVDRW as standard, there'd be a different crowd peeved that they can't opt out of it and be charged a lower price, so... eh.

 

[crzdmniac]

Do they make DVD burners that don't need external power source?

There are a couple out there, one is a Plextor that costs $150, and there's also a Lite-on that is around $70.

Lite-on
Plextor

 

[Batt]

no its not...he dosent want the other stuff all he wants is the ability to burn DVDs which its absoltuly shameful that apple dosent put a superdrive in the entry level macbook, why? because apple likes screwing you, see 4gb memory upgrade for the MBP for SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS.

Apple isn't screwing anybody. When I bought my iBook I actually deleted the Superdrive and went for the Combo drive. Why? I have NEVER needed to burn a DVD. I took the money I saved and invested it in more memory and HD space, which are more important to me.

 

[bijou]

Welcome to the world of Mac.
It's beauty at a premium.

 

[Iso79]

Superdrives are garbage anyway. You're better off getting building an external burner anyway.

 

[jnc]

Apple isn't screwing anybody. When I bought my iBook I actually deleted the Superdrive and went for the Combo drive. Why? I have NEVER needed to burn a DVD. I took the money I saved and invested it in more memory and HD space, which are more important to me.

Hear hear! A DVD burner seems like an extra people should pay more for if they want it (or less if they don't, whichever works for you)