Now that Apple has done away with the optical drive on all Macs bar the MacBook Pro and, for now at least, the rarely updated Mac Pro, we asked Macworld readers whether they feel they need an optical drive on their Mac. Clearly Apple thinks that the Superdrive isn’t so super any more.
Almost half (44.2%) said that yes, they do need an optical drive.
However, just over a quarter (26.9%) said they could live without an optical drive and just over a fifth (21.8%) said they couldn’t even remember the last time they used one.
That left 7.1% (joking, probably) that they didn’t know what an optical drive is.
Apple may feel that the results of the survey prove that they can confidently ditch the optical drive, after all, that’s 55.8% who are not going to miss having a CD/DVD drive on their Mac. In this era of the Mac App Store for software and iTunes Store for music and movies, why would anyone want to insert a disc?
However, 44% is still a big chunk of Mac users. What are they using their optical drives for?
We asked our followers on Twitter. Here are some of the best responses:
Can’t live without an Optical Drive...
@SymboticaAndrew
I still use an optical drive. Useful for backing up raw photos from camera when no internet connection whilst traveling. I use my optical drive for watching DVDs whilst away from home. Not into download videos as they lack extras etc.
@Nicintosh
Need my optical drive so that I can rip my CD / DVD collection for my iPad / iPhone! I'm not buying my content again!
@Future_Echoes
I still prefer CDs for music (old school!). Plus, I’ve got a blu-ray drive in my Mac Pro.
@bigbluewolf_
Nope. I still need to burn CDs or DVDs for clients.
@jrburrows
I can't imagine life without one. Movie files take up to much space...DVD's are still...'in'.
Don’t need an Optical Drive
@voiceoverartist
I bought the Ext. Superdrive with my Retina MBP, used about 3 times to burn CD’s for the car!
@chainsetgraphic
I've had my macbook pro for two years now and not one CD has been inserted .. definitely the death of the optical drive :)
@jonbradbury
Besides initial setup on the work desktops the optical on all bar one or two never get used. My home (and a few clients now) MBP are all dual hard drived (SSD/HDD combo) and I've got a USB optical for when needed.
@duak
I’ve been living without an optical drive for years
Follow Karen Haslam on Twitter / Follow MacworldUK on Twitter
Related:
Apple and the incredible vanishing CD drive
Apple's predictable iPad mini keynote still had some surprises
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Comments received
Dragonfly said on Fri, 16 Nov 2012
SDXC cards are being developed that can cram 2TB onto them. That's incredible. I was sold when they held 8GB.
64GB SDXC cards can be had for £24 a few years ago they were 10x times that price. It's only a matter of time before 1TB and 2TB cards can be bought for around £20-£30. 2TB will be sub £100 before 2018.
However I want to see Apple concentrate a bit more on making affordable 'trucks' to cater for pros and prosumers before the iMac gets ARM processors and becomes a large Twitter / Facebook tablet on a stand.
deadenz said on Sat, 17 Nov 2012
My car has a CD player so I bought an external CD burner for A$45 and used a score or so times in the last year. Glad they took it out of the MB Air. All my music CD collection was ripped years ago.
Gleddit said on Sat, 17 Nov 2012
55% can live without, hmm guess they don't use their Mac to earn a living then!
Every Pro environment I visit still burn DVDs, not everything is online.
And seeing as the Mac Pro is now a dead duck as far as new tech goes I can't honestly see what the thinking is by dropping something that will look far more ugly under the iMac than built in!
Yeah they look great, and the 27" can have a decent bunch of Ram in it, but why drop a drive that is used by anyone who does more than email once in a while.
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