Why aren't superdrives standard?

Jump to First Reply
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I was looking at the macbooks today and honestly the price is right at $1100. The processor speed and everything is good enough for me at that price. But the fact that it doesn't have the superdrive kind of upsets me. Consumers today can walk into retail stores and walk out with 16x DL DVD+-RW drives for $40. So I can onlyt assume Apple pays about that (or less) for their slot loading superdrives in quantity. So why does Apple feel the need to not offer them standard on all machines? It's not like this is state of the art technology anymore. In fact they should be turning the corner toward blu-ray or HDDVD pretty soon.



I understand they want to separate products but choice of optical drives seems like a really bad way to do it. Like they are hitting below the belt. Every other PC laptop in that price range has a DVD-RW drive and some even have Lightscribe, which I admit isn't wonderful but a nice perk.



I hope that when the macbook is revised for the new processors Apple makes the superdirve standard and keeps the prices all the same. I also hope the all black version is available in all configurations and price points. And a litte more GPU power added (Nvidia Graphics). Maybe that's just wishful thinking though.
«13

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 43
    They're hitting a very tight pricepoint at 1099. I assume they want to keep their margins.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 2 of 43
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    I wish I could have ordered my dual G5 WITHOUT the Superdrive and saved some money. I've used it exactly once in 3 years.



    Edit: Plus, it's not so much the separation of model lines as it is the "upsell" - they want you to be convinced that the faster CPU and the SuperDrive are worth $200.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 3 of 43
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lundy


    I wish I could have ordered my dual G5 WITHOUT the Superdrive and saved some money. I've used it exactly once in 3 years.



    Edit: Plus, it's not so much the separation of model lines as it is the "upsell" - they want you to be convinced that the faster CPU and the SuperDrive are worth $200.



    The difference in price on a Superdrive is like...3 dollars.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 4 of 43
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    It is?? Sounds a little unrealistic theapplegenius.



    Plus...most people don't burn DVDs. The end. I even thought I would a lot, and I don't. You know what? I don't want a SuperDrive next time around. I'm just going to back up to a hard drive, because removable media sucks. oh, and Time Machine.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 5 of 43
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Aquatic


    most people don't burn DVDs. The end.



    oh, is that why im sitting with a stack of them beside me?



    if you dont know what your gonna use the computer for...its hardly apples fault.

    but i agree, the spec of the machines should be easily up AND downgraded... the BTO options on the new mac pro are hopefully the way apple are going in the future ie MORE choice to the consumer



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Aquatic


    It is?? Sounds a little unrealistic theapplegenius.



    the diff. between DVD burners of various specs is rather minimal now-a-days.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 6 of 43
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by theapplegenius


    The difference in price on a Superdrive is like...3 dollars.



    In the real world, yes: in the Apple BTO world, the diff is $99.99
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 7 of 43
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    They want you to buy the more expensive computer. It's as simple as that. All marketing does that. They never want you to buy the cheapest model. That is just to get you in the store.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 8 of 43
    Marvinmarvin Posts: 15,585moderator
    I don't like superdrives. They have lower media support than other far cheaper 3rd party drives. I have one at the moment but I won't get one when I upgrade. They really are not worth it IMO. I have an external FW tray loading LG drive that does DVD+/-RW and DVD-Ram and it's been great. It's supported in itunes too.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 9 of 43
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    The writable DVD was worth it when broadband speeds were still 1.0 megabit or less, and many fewer people had broadband at all. There really was no other way to move gigs of data. I think the Jaz drive cartridges were $80 apiece and didn't hold as much as a DVD. Hard drives were $500 for a few hundred MB.



    As far as iDVD and making your own DVD for playing on a DVD player, that was to mail the DVD to relatives and friends and so forth. Online storage still isn't 10 GB for free yet, and even at 10mbps, broadband takes a while to transfer 5 GB. Most email servers won't take multi-GB attachments. So I can still see a use for writable DVD in that circumstance. And occasionally one will have to make DVDs for booting downloaded operating systems.



    I can't see why someone would want a DVD-R in a notebook though, unless that was the only computer you had.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 10 of 43
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lundy


    I can't see why someone would want a DVD-R in a notebook though, unless that was the only computer you had.



    Well, for a lot of Apple's notebook market, it is. You're looking at under-30 for a lot of these notebooks, at least in my experience. That's who Apple's marketing to with "amateur creative" stuff like iLife. For them, the notebook probably is their only computer. Almost everyone I know in college just has a notebook, except in rare cases.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 11 of 43
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ApplePi


    Why aren't superdrives standard



    I've been asking the same thing for too long. I mean shit everything can burn dvds its bullshit not to include it.



    I don't care if it makes the macbook a tiny bit thicker or whatever, I don't want to have to spend 1300 on a computer to finally burn dvds when some POS 699 laptop can.



    I also don't care if six or six million people won't use it. It's just the way it is these days. This is nothing like the modem debacle where everyone has high speed. Infact the combo drive SHOULD be exactly like the modem thing.



    Shit, the money they would save from ordering absolutely no combo drives from the manufacturer would cover the cost of offering only superdrives.



    It's pretty insulting as an apple user. I want the entry macbook but with the superdrive, or at least the fucking option for the max of an extra 50 bucks.



    200 dollars for a dvd burner is complete bullshit, I don't care about the 170mhz faster per core at all.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 12 of 43
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Trendannoyer


    oh, is that why im sitting with a stack of them beside me?



    Yep, that's why... because you're most of the people in the world... oh wait, you're just one person. Shit.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 13 of 43
    aquaticaquatic Posts: 5,602member
    I don't want to pay more for something I don't use. And most people don't burn DVDs. I'm just guessing but seriously you need to get out more if you don't know what I mean. Most people don't have camcorders and don't deCSS their movie rentals. OK? Plus, I am poor now and want a combo drive. The end. And yes exactly, Apple makes $$ off BTO. agreer is right.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 14 of 43
    applepiapplepi Posts: 365member
    Listen to what you guys are saying, you're defending Apple for nothing.

    Those of you who are saying "we'll I don't burn DVD's and most people don't either" might as well be saying that Apple shouldn't put USB2.0 jacks on it's low end macbook because you and most people only plug in keyboards and other thinsg that are pretty much just USB1.0.

    The cost difference these days is next to nothing, if no different at all. You're all just making excuses for Apple being cheap.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 15 of 43
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ApplePi


    Listen to what you guys are saying, you're defending Apple for nothing.

    Those of you who are saying "we'll I don't burn DVD's and most people don't either" might as well be saying that Apple shouldn't put USB2.0 jacks on it's low end macbook because you and most people only plug in keyboards and other thinsg that are pretty much just USB1.0.

    The cost difference these days is next to nothing, if no different at all. You're all just making excuses for Apple being cheap.



    all systems now days have USB 2.0 and apple getting rid of it would be a big lost plus it is part of the chip set.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 16 of 43
    jtblqjtblq Posts: 86member
    bottom line real talk.

    margins and product differentiation .

    once we get Blu-Ray drives, Superdrives will be DIRT CHEAP.

    Superdrives will go in Mac Minis and low end Macbooks, everyone else (high end iMac, MacPro and MBP) will get the Blu-Ray drives.

    simple.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 17 of 43
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Joe_the_dragon


    all systems now days have USB 2.0 and apple getting rid of it would be a big lost plus it is part of the chip set.



    Look around man all systems can burn dvds. To find something that can't you'd have to configure some 499 bullshit dell.



    There is literally next to no price difference and next to no reason not to include it.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JTBLQ


    bottom line real talk.

    margins and product differentiation .

    once we get Blu-Ray drives, Superdrives will be DIRT CHEAP.

    Superdrives will go in Mac Minis and low end Macbooks, everyone else (high end iMac, MacPro and MBP) will get the Blu-Ray drives.

    simple.



    Exactly, once blu-ray or hd-dvd is mainstream apple will finally go "now we have a new technology to keep a strangle hold on!"



    I mean fuck this dvd bullcrap might have been fair 3-4 years ago but not it's just insane.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 18 of 43
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ApplePi


    Listen to what you guys are saying, you're defending Apple for nothing.

    Those of you who are saying "we'll I don't burn DVD's and most people don't either" might as well be saying that Apple shouldn't put USB2.0 jacks on it's low end macbook because you and most people only plug in keyboards and other thinsg that are pretty much just USB1.0.

    The cost difference these days is next to nothing, if no different at all. You're all just making excuses for Apple being cheap.



    Oh, now your just being insulting and stupid now. Someone suggests why Apple does something and you get all huffy because it's not the way you'd like it. Tuff. Not everyone needs a superdrive drive. I have a Power Mac and a iBook at home, why do I need 2 superdrives? I gladly picked the one without the Superdrive. If you want a Superdrive, get the model with it.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 19 of 43
    leonardleonard Posts: 528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ecking


    Look around man all systems can burn dvds. To find something that can't you'd have to configure some 499 bullshit dell.



    There is literally next to no price difference and next to no reason not to include it.



    Where's the standard DVD drive on this model? http://www.dell.com/content/products...=19&l=en&s=dhs



    It says COMBO drive standard. On an entertainment model, no less. So much for your DVD burner standard on $499 or less BS.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 20 of 43
    meelashmeelash Posts: 1,045member
    This thread is pointless. How difficult is it to add a superdrive to ANY model when you configure it for purchase? What is the problem? The extra price would have been included anyway if it weren't BTO.
     0Likes 0Dislikes 0Informatives
Sign In or Register to comment.