Reviews for Apple USB SuperDrive

This is a good idea when it comes to improving the design of the MacBooks, but for the hassle and the cost, you'd think it could be blu-ray capable. Seriously. The retina display has a resolution of 2880 x 1800. I think it's time for 1080p viewability.

Excepting those who legitimately had a defective superdrive, many of the reviews here are very inaccurate, misinformed, and misleading to prospective customers. In my research as someone who was changing from a PC to the newest iMac, I found many of these reviews incredibly frustrating. The best review I read that had great advice and common sense was this one:

(QUOTE) - The drive works perfectly as described.
My response to others are as follows:

1) It is a DVD drive, not a Blue Ray drive. No DVD players can play Blue Ray, though Blue Ray can play both. The reason that Apple does not have a Blue Ray option is due to rights ownership. Don't blame Apple, blame Sony.

2) Ejecting a CD/DVD on a MAC is different than on a Windows box. Try clicking the eject button on your top bar in OSX, if it is not there, right click on the drive's icon on your desktop and then click on "Eject". Don't blame Apple for your lack of understanding on how to use their products.
(UNQUOTE)

Be informed before giving a review that will mislead others. I plugged this in, ripped my cds like crazy (quiet AND fast!) and it's been fantastic. I have it sitting FLAT on the 'foot' of my iMac where it coordinates perfectly. I use the eject button on the top right of my Apple wireless keyboard, though you can also do it on screen.

I have absolutely no complaints about this product, but I definitely do have complaints about some of the reviews. Accuracy is important when doing a review. Thank=you.

This device has several limitations, such as when i need to burn a long length of movie, the video couldn't completely capture and display in the DVD player. I''d used it for less than 50 times, and now it become faulty. Its the most incredible part.

with all the product enhancements in the computers and the need for speed.The lack of the usb 3.0 interface. Plus the overdue addition of read/write of BlueRay Discs

I bought the USB Superdrive with my MBA in 2011. I used it to install four different software programs. When I went to use it a week ago, it wouldn't accept any discs - the drive mechanism was failing. So for $80, I was able to load FOUR discs. I took it to the Apple Store and they offered to give me a refurb for $60+. This drive is a piece of junk, but since you have a machine w/o a drive, you have no choice. Good luck with this purchase.

I have a MacBook Pro with Retina Display, which has no built-in optical drive, and I was in need of one. Initially, when I saw the price of the Apple USB SuperDrive, I laughed and looked elsewhere for a Mac-compatible external USB DVD Burner. I found one on Amazon by a very reputable manufacturer at less than half the price. It had good overall reviews, so I didn't hesitate to order it. I got it, and my first impressions were, "wow, this thing feels cheap." It was made of glossy, cheap-feeling plastic, which I had no problem with since I would only have to use it occasionally.

However, the performance of the unit was awful. It would disconnect at times, burn jobs would fail, and when it did work, it was painfully slow even for an optical drive. I had to return it because it was practicably unusable. I then bit the bullet and ordered an Apple USB SuperDrive, and I'm glad I did.

My first impressions were, "this feels sturdy," and "wow, that's pretty." It matches the MacBook Pro perfectly, with the same finish and build quality. Performance was excellent compared to the first drive I tried, and it "just works."

Overall, I'm very happy with it. Yes, the Apple drive is a little overpriced, but you definitely get what you pay for in this instance, at least in my experience. I would recommend just going with the Apple USB SuperDrive if you don't want to deal with the hassle of the cheaper drives.

I only played about 30 DVDs on this before it died. Set aside about $3/DVD for its replacement.

Since durability is the most important factor, two stars is all I can justify despite its typical Apple awesome appearance and minimalist design.

I am a new Apple computer user, and I purchased a MacBook Air. I watch a lot of movies on my computer, and to play them, I purchased The USB Superdrive because I am a strong supporter of Apple products. This product did not live up to Apple quality. For movies, this device is extremely difficult to use. If the movie has a scratch on it, the entire computer will freeze and their is no easy way to eject the CD from the drive. Without a external eject button, it is hard to safely remove the disk. For the price, it's not worth the hassle.

Pros: looks nice, aluminum case (on the top), easy to setup and use.

Cons: is only compatible with the Mac Mini, MB Air, MBP w/ Retina, has no eject button on the unit nor the ability to manually eject it so if it malfunctions you can kiss your CD/DVD goodbye, the cord is hardwired into the unit so that you can't replace it (so if the cord breaks so does the SuperDrive), the cord is also incredibly short making it a pain to use with the laptop on your lap or in a confined area, substitute external disc drives cost $10-$40 less.

Overall: There are better alternatives with more functionality for less money. But... if you need to have everything Apple than this is your only choice.

I wish it had blu-ray capability but it otherwise works fine.