Q: No DVD drive in new iMac ???

Here's one of the whopping 56 reviews:

Am I the only Apple customer annoyed and insulted by Apple's decision (amongst other things) not to include a CD / DVD drive on the new iMac?

It is a desktop computer. What does it matter if it is thinner than the previous iMac? Who cares if it's "5mm thin"?

I doubt you're the only one, but I haven't bought a Mac since iMac G4 (beautiful machine, still jogs from time to time), Now, I do have an iPhone but I build my own PCs - and yet I am peeved at apple's decision. Why? Because when people ask what computer they should buy, if they don't hate apple I tell them apple. If mobility is not a factor, I suggest the iMac... because I assume it is a fully featured computer. No more, I'll just tell them to get an HP and be done with it. So apple, see you around when I feel like dropping 4x as much on a Mac Pro... unless of course you rip out the optical drive from that too and then remove all the expansion drive bays, and I dunno can you remove the hard drive too?

The new iMac is a rocket!!!! It’s much more than what the average user needs in many many ways!!!! I’ve got a friend who is trying to make a movie and he’s got to buy everything from scratch, camera, raid solution, computer, the lot!!!! I told him go for the iMac 27” and get a thunderbolt raid!!!! If I was in the position of having to start from zero I wouldn’t be thinking to much about it!!!! I would go for it!!!!

But I need a rocket with wings… Got a lot of “old” firewire and e-sata drives, the “strange” need for a DVD and many more that made me shy of buying the iMac and redirected me towards a mac book pro retina…

The iMac is great!!! It will sell!!! It will create a silly smile on the face of the new owner!!!! Too bad they didn’t go the extra mile to make every single one feel the same way… It isn't, really, that complicated!!!!

zBernie2 wrote:

Here's one of the whopping 56 reviews...

It is obviously a minority opinion, & it isn't even clear if the reviewer actually tried one of the new iMacs.

Some of the comments are just plain wrong, like the one about the 'backwards firing speakers,' which makes me suspect this reviewer has had no hands on experience with the model, much less bought one.

It is also debatable if the new iMacs were made thinner just for esthetic reasons, as this reviewer assumes. If you study the iFixIt teardown & compare it to earlier iMac ones some things become apparent, especially if you have any detailed knowledge of electronics cooling systems. Some of the earlier iMacs generated so much heat that even the DVD 'Superdrive' required its own fan & just about all of them required complex ducting to direct enough cooling air over their many heat generating parts.

The new ones manage to dispense with almost all of that. There is only a single duct that directs air over the CPU heat sink, & the thinness of the case & placement of the slots on the bottom combine to draw air over & around everything else & elegantly avoid drawing air heated by one part over the others. This works remarkably well -- as I've mentioned elsewhere, these Macs barely run above room temperature & the fan rarely goes above idle speed.

Something else that might not be obvious is the case is effectively a monocoque style, single piece design. It is far more rigid than the old screwed-together cases, which contributes to suppressing case resonances that in turn allows the built-in sound system to reproduce deeper, louder sounds with greater fidelity. (I'm a retired professional sound engineer by trade & please believe me, this is no small thing.)

So it isn't just about what isn't in the case; it is also about what that makes possible. No design is without compromise; for myself & a lot of other users the lack of an internal burner, the port placements, etc. are more than made up for by the improvements in cooler & quieter operation; the stronger, lighter case; the substantially lower power consumption; & even the more realistic sound system.

If these improvements are not that important to others, so be it. It isn't the Mac for them & nobody is forcing them to buy one.

hmmm.... thought I read a report that Apple net sales on desktops was down but I may have misread that. The new iMac is certainly still disappointing to me - being a Mac user, supporter and fan since it was introduced to educational institutions in the 80's I find it vexing to lose the DVD drive, have RAM upgrades limited to certain models and have to fiddle about with external hardware and SD slots at the back. At the moment there is no solution to the dilemma of long term storage - however much it is stated that DVDs are unreliable there is still nothing better in the offing.

It is ironic that the greater percent of Mac users on this discussion who have defended the fact that there is no DVD option. or provision for a better solution, go on to say that they have bought an external DVD drive from somewhere or other which they are using .......

There is no question that the technology produced by Apple is beautiful and excellent and that as loyal users we would wish to continue using those products - the argument is that some (read very many) now find that they cannot (and I am one of these users) use the current new Mac to do the work we have to or want to do.

And so we shall hold on to our existing machines for the next number of years to await a suitable solution - or until they can no longer be upgraded  - instead of buying a new one now.

So, whatever you say, there are sales losses to Apple at the moment.  Also, I can say that having used Macs from their inception it is a fact that Apple have never before removed a function from the Mac without having a better or improved solution to replace it with. So, the decisions Apple have made with the current new Macs remain out of character, a disadvantage to loyal users and detrimental to sales.

many consider the new iMac dysfunctional. I would not even considering purchasing one.

Below is my solution, many others take the same path.

We always order TWO optical drives.

http://www.apple.com/macpro/

sparks2 wrote:

 

So, whatever you say, there are sales losses to Apple at the moment. 

It matters not what is said, either sales are up, or they are down, your opinon or mine are not facts, whatever you say.

sparks2 wrote:

hmmm.... thought I read a report that Apple net sales on desktops was down but I may have misread that.

Both desktop & laptop unit sales are down for every PC computer manufacturer, according to most industry analysts because smart phones & now tablet computers are eating into their sales. (Need I mention what they lack? )

At the moment there is no solution to the dilemma of long term storage - however much it is stated that DVDs are unreliable there is still nothing better in the offing.

If you are really concerned about long term optical storage solutions, you might want to check out drives capable of burning M-Disks (AFAIK, to date only LG offers them) but personally, the last thing I would trust for critical long term optical backups is a cheap slot-loading drive, whether it is an internal or external one. At least with a tray loader you can keep it relatively clean without risking bending something you can't see through the slot or worry much about how to get a disc stuck inside out without damaging anything.

But like you say, with the possible exception of M-Disks they aren't a very good long term solution for data storage. And at only 4.7 GB per disc, together with relatively glacial burn speeds, they aren't that great a short term one either.

Absolutely gutted. Bought an iMac this week having ummed and arrghed about Android v MAC.

Just picked up a Sopranos DVD to drop it in and start the weekend in style... and... you guessed it...just found out..... no DVD player!

What!?!?

More than just a little upset. Ridiculous.

Take it back and get something else, the removal of the drive from the new iMacs is not a secret, 2 minutes reading the specification (or looking at one in an Apple Store) will show that.

Csound1..... I have used Macs for years in the office and needed a new toy for home.... I assumed a Mac would offer the same great taste at home if I simply bought one.. why look when everything to date has been great... I knew I could rely on a Mac...

Not so.

simonlala wrote:

 

Csound1..... I have used Macs for years in the office and needed a new toy for home.... I assumed a Mac would offer the same great taste at home if I simply bought one.. why look when everything to date has been great... I knew I could rely on a Mac...

 

Not so.

Take it back, buy something else, your money, your choice.

Or buy the external superdrive that Apple make for it.

Two questions then Csound1:

1.  Will they take it back?  I have loaded Office, data and a few other bits?  Good option if they will (PCWorld though)

2.  How much for an external superdrive? (I'll do a quick google, but I can't imagine anything below £100-£200)

The iMac has disappointed me based on my previous Mac experiences and at £1099 they're not cheap.

I had hoped to do some video editing with the kids, watch a few DVDs and listen to a bit of music as well as working of course....

1. Anytime in the first 14 days you can return it for a full refund.

2. The external Superdrive is $79.00, check your local price (UK is £65) and any other external DVD drive can be used if you want to.

Yes, many have been caught offgaurd by the removal of the optical drive.  It is rather unbelievable.  I also find it amazing that so many apple juice drinkers in these forums are so defensive of what most consider a boondoggle.

If you want to get a better idea of how a majority of people feel about the new iMac having no optical drive, no conveniently placed USB ports, and an SD card slot on the back, try these forums:

mac-forums.com

forums.macrumors.com