New Mac Book Pro... No DVD Drive... Really?

I use 3 brands of laptops and they all do the same thing except my new Macbook Pro will have the retina display.

Sorry I couldn't help it it was awesome 😁

Yes indeed, they all do the same thing unless you have needs like movie editing, 3D rendering, or using it for VM and run Linux or Windows (or both of them).

No optical drive, no FireWire, no Ethernet, no HDD, no user upgradable memory, no user replaceable battery.

What does that remind you of, and when was it introduced?

If any doubt remained,

"We see these as the next generation of MacBooks."

- Steve Jobs, October 20, 2010

John Galt wrote:

If this surprises you then you haven't been paying attention for several years.

I am utterly shocked. I had never even check for it. That is so stupid! They should review this before I purchased. You think your getting the top of the line but no DVD? I am shocked! I hate it when Apple tells us what we need. 😟

I was really shocked but then realised i have probably used my optical drive once since ive had my MBP!

Sykes2012 wrote:

I hate it when Apple tells us what we need. 😟

How about when they tell you what fits inside a very slim case?

Uhhh i believe the 13" does have an optical drive only the 15" reyina model has no optical drive. I would suggest you go to the online store and look at the specs for each of the current models. Al the info. Is there.

I'm getting over it. It's a great machine. I orderd the super drive and done b1tchin'. ;-)

Copy that.

I bought my favourite video games like call of duty black ops and gta triology before i boughht my 13' retina macbook pro. Then later realised that there is no optical drive,, seriously???????😠

Well there is 13'' with retina display...

There are many many reasons to leave the superdrive out, and only a couple to have it in.

Having repaired many Superdrives, they are rather complex, several moving parts, loader, laser assy and screw-rail

Superdrive

Often is the case that the laser lens gets dirty, and no easy way to clean it since its a slot loader.

Fewer the parts, the more reliable, as such the Macbook is better off logically without an internal Superdrive.

The sensible option is to remove the HIGH failure point from the Macbook,..... being the Superdrive and make it external....so in case the superdrive has an issue, you dont need to service the entire Macbook. This is logical, this is sensible, this is best for the consumer.

Since I probably burn more DVD blanks (data archives and distributions of same) than everyone in this thread collectively most likely, ....burning around 300 DVD a month with 3 replicators 1 x 8 towers I know the value of DVDs

I currently have 4000+ JVC Taiyo Yuden blanks awaiting future burning.

However most consumer and Prosumer DVD use is data archiving or commercial production for limited use (weddings, archival footage, archiving vital data).

People who dont realize that while DVDs are extremely vital for this limited market (as I mention 4 or 5 pages ago) , the 95% bulk of overall DVD use has gone online.

or as meant 80% of commercial Audio / Video / Software

Such a disconnect on the part of some to realize this fact is just a lack of research.

The main use and currently only "developing" (expanding) market for single/dual layer DVD use is for data archiving important media

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6031

DVD professional archival media

Drawbacks:

1. DVD single-layer disks are limited to 4.7Gigabytes of data.

2. DVD media are, given rough handling, prone to scratches and light-degradation if not stored correctly.

Advantages:

1. Archival DVD professional blank media is rated for in excess of 100+ years.

2. DVD is not subject to mechanical breakdown.

3. DVD archival media is not subject to ferromagnetic degradation.

4. DVD archival media correctly sleeved and stored is currently a supreme storage method of archiving vital data.

5. DVD media is once written and therefore free of data corruption if the write is correct.

6. DVD media is the perfect ideal for “freezing” and isolating old copies of data for reference in case newer generations of data become corrupted and an older copy is needed to revert to.

7. Best-idealized 4^th platform redundancy for data protection.

8. *Level-3 (highest) security of your vital data.

The point, due to lack of investigation on some peoples part, that you have missed entirely, is that the Superdrive is a slot loading drive........

1. meaning cleaning the laser diode lens is impossible for the common user, .....however this is not a mechanical failure ,but nevertheless cannot be cleaned by users.

2. Additionally, having burned more blank DVD than anyone youll meet, I can tell you that users have / do/ will complain that a DVD burner is defective when in fact its the huge amount of low grade BLANK MEDIA that is at issue. low grade DVD blanks have about a 8 to 10% reject rate.

3. Also the slot loader has several MORE moving parts than a tray loading DVD player / burner.

4. All these collective facts combined with , now, very low need / use of DVD for commercial media Audio / Video / Software, is the premise for the removal of the DVD Superdrive from the Macbook

5. Additionally it could not fit in the slim Macbook(newer) chassis.

6. also externally now, the Superdrive doesnt require the Macbook be serviced, rather only the Superdrive, ....very logical.

I appreciate that many defend the shedding of DVD drive, and I too would like to live in the brave new world. However, it is interesting that there is no empathy for those that still need a DVD drive on a laptop. For example, I download audio for clients and send them home with a CD so they can play it in their car. I need to give a CD to dance performance people to play on their audio, they cant use a thumbdrive. I still have Netflix and get DVD's. I just ordered two books and a calculator that have a handy DVD on the inside cover. Use it all the time. Yes I could buy a peripheral drive, and will have to when I update my 2010 MBP in a few years. Here is the thing, when I take my computer from room to room to watch videos I will need to carry a dongle drive. Not so convenient in some smaller rooms with a sink. Yes, I do that, because I can. Appreciate the current info on how to operate without a DVD drive, not so comfortable with the just get over it remarks.

Based on your needs it sounds like the MacBook Pro with Retina display is not for you. Fortunately, Apple still sells the 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Retina display. But for most people, even if they do perform some tasks that require a CD drive, they don't need constant access to it. In this case, no built-in CD drive is a plus for them, because with an external drive, it's there when you need it, and not when you don't. To expand on that, it's not taking up space and weight when you're not using it, and you just plug it in when you need it.

Why did you even bring this 2 year old thread from the graveyard back to life?