Shopping CartApple Macbook Air SuperDrive (MB397G/A)
Date : March 28th, 2011Apple
Review : 2 Reviews
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List Price : $ 99.99
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Tags : Apple, MacBook, MB397G/A, SuperDrive
- SuperDrive designed for the MacBook Air allows DVD/CD burning and playing
- Built-in USB cable never gets lost or misplaced
- Slot-loading, sleek design complements MacBook Air
- Requires MacBook Air with available USB 2.0 port
- Device measures 5.47 x 0.67 x 5.47 inches (WxHxD)
Play or burn discs directly with the external USB-based MacBook Air SuperDrive. Thin, light, and easy to take with you, this drive is designed specifically for MacBook Air. .caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: 20px; } table.callout { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, serif; margin: 10px; width: 250; } td.callout { height: 100 percent; background: #9DC4D
Light and compact, but doesn’t share well,
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, you’ll need this — or something like it.
(In my original review on 2/10/2008, I wrote “it’s pretty much the only game in town right now.” But since then, some commenters noted that generic USB optical drives will work, such as the LG GSA-E50L. Thanks to C. Ross and PenPal for chiming in! I haven’t tested the LG or any other USB DVD drive sold on Amazon with the MacBook Air, so I can’t attest to how well they do or don’t work with MacBook Air.)
*updated 7/27/2008*
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|Not unique, but very nice design at a good price,
Quote: “But if you want to install Boot Camp or play DVDs, it’s pretty much the only game in town right now.”
Actually, pretty much any external portable DVD drive should work with the MacBook Air.
I have an external Targus DVD drive and a no-name brand; both work with the Airbook.
Most external, portable DVD drives have two USB cables, one for data and power, the second for extra power alone. The reason is that USB is limited to 2.5 Watts, but DVD drives tend to use more than that (same is true for most external 2.5″ hard drives). Apple is boosting the power in its USB port by providing extra amps; this is why the MacBook Air SuperDrive needs only one cable.
So, any external, portable DVD drive should work by plugging in a single USB cable. The converse is not true: the Air SuperDrive will only work in extra powered, non-standard USB ports, ie. virtually no others.
Still, this is a beautifully designed drive for a very good price (being a minimalist, I’d like to see a version that is a little lighter, but I haven’t found one that is smaller and lighter than the Air SuperDrive yet).
Cheers,
Godo, author of “The Carbon Buster’s Home Energy Handbook”
PS: you may want to consider using a bluetooth mouse and keyboard if you find the single USB port too limiting.
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