SuperDrive Sunset
As noted by one of our readers, it’s no longer possible to buy an Apple USB SuperDrive online via the official Apple Store in the US. The product’s webpage says that it’s “Sold Out,” and given that it’s a product introduced in 2008, it seems very unlikely that Apple will ever produce new units again.
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The MacBook Air was the first MacBook without a built-in CD drive, which led the company to introduce an optical drive sold separately. Apple completely phased out optical drives from its computers in 2013, when all the Macs available in the lineup no longer had a CD reader.
I still use mine now and then. It does work with Apple Silicon Macs. There are third-party alternatives, but I don’t know how reliably they work with macOS. The DiscRecording framework never got deprecated, but it’s been adding bugs for years. The documentation no longer shows up in Xcode or on Apple’s Web site.
See also: Mr. Macintosh.
Previously:
Update (2024-10-15): Joe Rossignol:
A few months ago, the SuperDrive went out of stock on Apple’s online store in the U.S., and it is now listed as sold out or unavailable in all countries. Given it has yet to return, it seems likely that Apple has discontinued the 16-year-old accessory.
Update (2024-10-16): Rosyna Keller:
The SuperDrive itself was never up to spec, it required more power than Type A allowed at the time, so it wouldn’t work well with non-Apple computers.
I use a portable, bus-powered Pioneer CD/DVD/BD drive for all my needs on macOS.
I found that, probably due to the power requirements, I had to directly connect the SuperDrive to my Mac. This worked fine with a MacBook Pro, but with my iMac the built-in USB cable wasn’t long enough for the SuperDrive to sit flat on my desk.
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> There are third-party alternatives, but I don’t know how reliably they work with macOS.
I don't burn much, but for ripping CDs and playing and ripping DVDs I haven't seen any problems with the basic Acer and Asus drives I've tried. (Except many USB-C to USB-A adapters don't work to power them with a single cable. But I found a leftover Dell adapter that works for some reason.)
I swapped the optical drive of a MacBook Pro 2012 with an SSD with an iFixIt kit, and use the internal drive every once in a while. It just works, although a bit more steam punk than Appe's USB SuperDrive...
I still have the SuperDrive and it works.
On my Mac Studio, I use an HLDS BU40N Ultra Slim Internal Ultra HD Blu-Ray Optical Drive/ 9.5mm/ UHD Drive in a trim housing. It works perfectly with Apple utilities and custom firmware from MKV.
I would recommend it.
I still have two SuperDrives but they are more failure-prone and sensitive than the Lite-On drive I now use, missing a rubber foot but still going strong for a decade, connected to a USB hub for the extra bus power, on a USB extension lead, and with its "ripguard" crap patched out of its firmware. You couldn't ask for a nicer little drive, really. I'm in two minds, even now, about moving on to Blu-Ray. Am I missing much?
I never used one of these Apple models, only third party Asus models for years and they always worked with my Mac back in the day. And Linux. And Windows.
I didn't understand the value proposition of Apple's model unless you had the specific Mac that only had one USB A port, seemed cheaper and easier just to use any of the plethora of other models available.
I use an LG external USB DVD drive without issue on an M1 Mac Mini all the time, no additional are drivers needed. It cost $25 or so from Fry's when they were still around.
