Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Customer Ratings
Based on 86 reviews
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
One Trick Drive
Written by CK from Chicago
9/07/2008
As an owner of a MacBook Air SuperDrive I have to say it is a good external drive, but it is a bad investment. If you only own a MacBook Air, then this is the device for you. However, if you're like me and have access to a few other Macs, this drive is a dud.
But why?
Well, it only works with the Air. I can't use the drive with any other machine: MacBook, nope. iMac, nope. PowerMac G5, nope. Just the Air. Why would you care about my hardware problems? Well, here's my real-world example: the DVD drive died on my personal MacBook so I tried to use the Air SuperDrive instead. Useless. Wouldn't inject the disk. Yes, there's a lot of technical reasons for this, but the fact of the matter is that the drive shouldn't be dedicated to a single machine. Let's face it: in two years when you drop the machine and have to replace it, you'll discover that the drive won't work with the machine you've replaced it with. The MacBook Air hardware will change and render your external drive instantly obsolete.
If you only own an Air and need a battery-powered drive for watching movies on a plane (then again, if you have an Air, you probably have an iPhone and watch movies that way, but I digress...), I'd recommend this drive. However, for the rest of you out there, buy a third party USB drive that plugs into AC power and gain a whole lot of flexibility down the road. At least when you decide to change machines, you won't be stuck with a piece of hardware you can't use such as the myriad monitor adapters over the years (ADC, mini-DVI and now micro-DVI) and the Apple SCSI dock for the PowerBook Duo 210 (okay, I'm really, really old when it comes to Apple notebooks and have seen this many times before -- and never learned).1858 of 2005 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Light and compact, but doesn't share well.
Written by WM from Haverhill
11/02/2008
The MacBook Air SuperDrive is light and compact as advertised. It slides into a bag pocket and hardly adds any weight or bulk. And it performs as advertised, quickly and quietly.
But, it consumes the MacBook Air's only USB port and works only with that one port -- it does not work with USB hubs! With no downstream ports of its own, you can't use your SuperDrive and any other USB device at the same time. Like a keyboard or mouse, or your iPhone or iPod, or a USB printer.
This is a remarkable oversight. But if you want to install Boot Camp or play DVDs, it's the only game in town.1349 of 1719 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
USB HUB DEVICE
Written by DD
5/03/2008
2300$ cash (CA$) for the new and beautiful MacBook Air + Superdrive, surprisedly my usb hub wont work with it...
PLEASE MR. JOBS ASK YOUR R&D DEPARTEMENT TO DEVELOP A NEW USB HUB DEVICE...
I will pay any retail prices for that new device 40$ 100$ 150$, will be OK...
From a disappointed costumer.
1177 of 1676 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Why only for macbook air?
Written by KN from LONDON
17/02/2008
To confirm: this external superdrive do NOT work with other machine than the Macbook Air, eventhough the staffs at Apple Store in central London told me it would.
What a shame that such a slick product only works with 1 machine... But why, Apple, why??626 of 853 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Not exactly "super" drive
Written by YW from Hood River
8/02/2008
I gota say it IS very small and portable but Apple dosn't take advantage of this things designe. what i mean to say is, it dosn't do much, its only a regular disk drive. It would have been a lot more convinent if apple put in a few extra USB ports off to the side, or added an extra hard drive, considering the lack of space in the actual computer. Yes, it might have to be a bit bigger, but we wouldn't mind, it would make this product so much more useful.
644 of 1017 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Only MacBook Air because of power requirements...
Written by GB from London
27/02/2008
This will only work with the MacBook Air because Apple designed the Air to provide more power through its USB port so the SuperDrive doesn't require a mains power adaptor. Other computers don't provide enough power via their USB ports, so the SuperDrive won't work. Simple, really.
376 of 523 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Macbook air only- for a good reason.
Written by NG from Los Altos
15/10/2008
For all those people who are pointing out that it doesn't work with a USB hub, there's a fairly good reason for that. The fact is that modern CD and DVD drive technology consumes more power than is possible to put through a USB port due to industry standards. In order to make a disk drive that doesn't require a wall plug, Apple actually put in a nonstandard USB port designed to output more power than is normally possible.
While this lets you watch DVDs on the fly (literally), it also HAS to be used with the Air's sole USB port. While I don't contest that the air could use more ports, it's the best solution for the current situation. So, if you want to use it on more than one computer, get a 3rd party drive that has an external AC adapter. If you only have an Air, though, this is a great solution requiring no extra cords or wall plugs.211 of 226 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
why isn't there an eject button???
Written by MG from Foster City
21/04/2009
I've had this for about six months, yet I only use it if it's absolutely necessary. Every time I used it, I had difficulty trying to eject it. Now, the disk I put in is not even recognized by any MacBook Air, and I cannot eject the disk.
Why doesn't Apple put an eject button, or at least a little pinhole to manually force the disk to eject when problems occur??? This is a major problem.195 of 237 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Does not work with other Macs
Written by MH from Bratislava
8/02/2009
The SuperDrive only works with its own MacBook Air. If you would plug it to another MacBook (not Air) it simply does not work. The same it does not work when its connected by USB hub to the MBA. I think the next time apple makes a wonderful
drive like this, they could add some more features.
But still it is pretty cool but useless.
I Have a MBA and i used tis 2 times when installing the MBA and when installing printer drivers and I now have it half a year.170 of 189 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Doesn't work with any USB Hub!
Written by NG from Los Angeles
16/04/2008
I regret purchasing this drive. Because it does NOT work with any USB hub there is no way to use ethernet and the DVD drive at the same time.
I hope someone comes out with a USB hub that is compatible with this drive.225 of 323 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Good unless you plan on using it with something other then your macbook air
Written by BJ from Murray
22/09/2008
I bought this planning on using it with both my macbook air and iMac so much for that idea. I was hoping to interchange the drive between my two computers since I copy cd's and dvd's all the time on my iMac I thought I would kill two birds with one stone by buying this, because I occasionally need to use a CD on the road and I like to just copy CD/DVD's on the fly then it turned out that I couldn't use it with my iMac. I should have done more research into the product but if you are planning on using it on your other computers go with another 3rd party drive.
147 of 173 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Reality of using the MacBook SuperDrive
Written by GJ from Cordova
18/08/2008
OK, you're a college student that enjoys the small form factor and light weight of the MacBook Air. IT IS GREAT! However, when you are at your desk and you have multiple devices that has to be connected to your MacBook Air the logical route is to use a usb hub. One problem here, if you need to use the superdrive you are going to have to unplug the usb hub every time because the superdrive simply doesn't work on a hub. Now you have created another problem, in my case when I unplug my hub I lose my printer/scanner, ipod, usb speakers and my EyeTV connection.
Yes I own it but it is not the ideal situation for me, got to be better way. Advise, think this through before spending the money. Don't just consider how well it works for traveling with it but also consider how you will use it at your workstation.124 of 137 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Bad Cable Connection
Written by DG from Lynwood
6/04/2009
Mine is about 5 months old...and the cable at the base of the drive has already cracked! You can see the silver wires. The bad part is that, this drive always stayed at home...I have only traveled with the drive only three times.
I know now, why they don't sell a protection plan for this device...
Buy it only if you really need it....111 of 126 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Cable wearing out
Written by DR from Columbia
2/04/2009
Not well constructed. The cable connection at the base of the drive is now frayed and showing the metal wire. It's obviously not made as well as the connection on the power cord. I've had it less than a year.
Drive still works but I'm pretty disappointed as a long time mac owner (20 years). I'm also someone who takes very good care of my equipment.102 of 110 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Techno Viking could not get it to work with a USB hub, nor can I!.
Written by PB from ODEM
27/08/2008
Good luck with the SuperDrive. While it does a GREAT job of reading and writing, it DOES NOT work with a USB hub! You've gotta be kidding me. Fix this problem now!
I have one USB connection on my MacBook Air, and I have an external hard drive, camera, iPhone and a SuperDrive hooked up to it via a hub. Everything works but the SuperDrive!
Come on Steve Jobs, call Chuck Norris, maybe he can help you with this glitch. Send your engineers back to Truck Driving School, and get this situation resolved.
Remember, test, Test and TEST AGAIN.
125 of 156 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
its essential
Written by JH from London
27/02/2008
this just arrived. its great, no power supply, works perfectly. its fast and silent. had absolutely no problems what so ever. perfect with the macbook air( i guess that might be all it can work with!!) . so i am happy now, i can also make use of the great macbook air screen to watch dvds on. makes a lot of sense. take the macbook air whilst traveling and put the disk drive in the suitcase. works for me.
197 of 310 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
STUCK, STUCK, STUCK!
Written by LW from Oakland Gardens
3/01/2009
I've had this for a year. I dread using it because I always have problems retrieving the discs! I have to hold it on its side for just a 1/4 of an inch of the disc to show. I have to use the tips of my fingers to quickly grab the disc. If I miss....I have to try again! It sometimes takes 8 to 10 tries! Please, put an ejection button on the outside of the superdrive or a hole (to eject with a paper clip) like on the big Mac machines!
85 of 100 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Re: Only MacBook Air because of power requirements...
Written by CG from Reading
28/06/2008
Actually its the IDE to USB bridge. If you replace that it will work with any computer.
89 of 109 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Rubbish
Written by DO from Galway
29/01/2009
discs get stuck, discs are not recognised - and this is with a 1 month old drive? rubbish
100 of 134 people found this useful
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Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive
Works as advertises at a good price
Written by RZ from Pittsburgh
19/06/2008
This drive works as expected as a "SuperDrive", a DVD-burner at a great price; many would complain about the lack of additional functionality, or incompatibility with hubs, but remember this is advertised to just a DVD/CD drive at a very good price; many other companies charged 3-4x more for the same peripheral; Apple's nice on this one if you ask me. As with compatibility, this USB device's power requirements are out of spec, which means this devices draws more power than the standard USB protocol can allow. Even though hubs can be powered, the physical ports can't deliver more power than the spec! All those other drives have big bulky AC bricks--this one has just 1 USB connection--you can thank Apple for that!
This products works as it should, at an affordable price to most people, and delivers it with the ease and elegance expected from Apple.99 of 134 people found this useful
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