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where is the dvd slot in the new mini? Top loading? Gone forever?

I Am considering getting a new mini.

Did apple do away with minis that can read disks?

Mac mini

Posted on Sep 28, 2011 8:39 AM

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Posted on Sep 28, 2011 8:52 AM

Jack Ball wrote:


I Am considering getting a new mini.

Did apple do away with minis that can read disks?

None of the current Mac mini (2011) models include a built-in CD/DVD drive. You might still find a reseller with stock of the old 2010 model, or might be able to find a refurbished 2010 model.


Otherwise the only option if you need a CD/DVD drive is to get an external drive. This can be a USB or FireWire drive and old external drives will still work on the new Mac mini. The Apple external DVD drive original launched for use with the MacBook Air will also work on the new Mac mini although it costs more than some other makes.

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Sep 28, 2011 8:52 AM in response to Jack Ball

Jack Ball wrote:


I Am considering getting a new mini.

Did apple do away with minis that can read disks?

None of the current Mac mini (2011) models include a built-in CD/DVD drive. You might still find a reseller with stock of the old 2010 model, or might be able to find a refurbished 2010 model.


Otherwise the only option if you need a CD/DVD drive is to get an external drive. This can be a USB or FireWire drive and old external drives will still work on the new Mac mini. The Apple external DVD drive original launched for use with the MacBook Air will also work on the new Mac mini although it costs more than some other makes.

Sep 28, 2011 11:20 PM in response to azdawg99

DVD's are so yesterday.


Only about 3,000,000 DVDs where sold LAST WEEK.


http://www.the-numbers.com/dvd/charts/weekly/thisweek.php


All Internet service providers are moving away from unlimited bandwidth. Soon we will all be paying by the gigabyte.


I know two different people who had their movies on hard drives. And their hard drives failed. One was able to restore some of his movies from backups. The other person lost everything!

Sep 28, 2011 11:23 PM in response to Jack Ball

How am I supposed to load anything on it? How can I burn media or archive files? I was prepared to spend money but now I am -redacted- and have no use for an upgrade if I have to spend EVEN MORE MONEY and take up EVEN MORE DESKTOP SPACE with a disk reader that I have to find some place to plug in and will take up a USB plug.


Do what I did, and purchase the Mid 2010 model with a built-in optical drive (MC270LL/A).


There are still some new ones out there. (They cost more than the current model.)

Sep 28, 2011 11:30 PM in response to Jack Ball

If you additionally have a MacBook Pro or any other device running Lion you can use the DVD drive of this device via the WiFi. Lion and even Snow Leopard in one of its latest updates has this funktion. It's called disk sharing and as far as my experience goes it works pretty well.

The concept behind the MacMini is to create one of the smallest desktop computers for those minor tasks that many users need it for and to have a device that can work as a server in the network. All that for a low budget.

So the DVD drive seems to have no longer suited in that concept with more and more content being distributed an downloaded online and data, if it is transported in a kind of hardware, being saved on USB sticks.

Oct 4, 2011 9:16 AM in response to DaManni

I thought the home user was also a target user. With iphoto and iDVD still a distributed software I thought that creating and BURNING a dvd could still be done. Now the "smallest desktop computer" will require more desktop space and cables and expense and hastle of an external device. Many unsophistiated users will not buy a mini now because the all-in-one and tiny footprint appeal is gone with the requirement of additional equipment.

Oct 4, 2011 6:24 PM in response to Jack Ball

Consider also a fact I learned recently when copying my SL install disks (for backups).


DL has a limit of 8.5 GB, and my SL disks used *just over* 8 GB of that.


DL is not a usable "go forward" for increasingly large OS install disks, unless you want at least 2 DL disks to install the basic OS.


I have seen flash drives with 64 GB of storage ... pricey, but available.


Floppies ran out of room. They went away.


CDs ran out of room. They have a far smaller role these days.


DL was needed to augement DVDs.


Things change.

Oct 4, 2011 8:25 PM in response to Jack Ball

Cloud storage, Down Loadable software, streaming media.... As far as I know I don't have a CD or DVD in the house. Yet, everything is backed up, and available to my wife's and my 2 Mac Minis, 2 iPhones and 2 iPads. No need for "thumb drives", or round plastic disks from the 90's..... let it go man, just like cassettes and LP's......


Back in the day.... Reel to Reels, 45's..... 8mm movies.... those were good times..... 8-tracks, cassettes, LP's, VHS.... good times...... CD's, DVD's, thumbdrives..... good stuff.... the cloud.... awesome! Come into the 21st century.... I am nearly 60 and have enjoyed it all... but with DropBox and the soon (October 12th!!!) iCloud..... this is the best.


My last PC had a DVD/CD thing. I used it to install MS Office..... wow........


Of course now Pages/Numbers....etc are on the App store....

Oct 5, 2011 8:42 PM in response to steve359

"Freedom of choice

Is what you got

Freedom from choice

Is what you (apple user fill-in-the-blank) want."


Apple, gave me no choice. I just want a choice, A MINI with a DVD slot or a MINI without.

Apple DEVO-tees keep accepting it's decisions to take features away. And just like lemmings follow the "benevolent omniscience" and accept it "that's just the way it is".... I would have gladly bought a new mini this month but without a DVD drive, I choose not to.

where is the dvd slot in the new mini? Top loading? Gone forever?

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