The Mac Observer

Skip navigational links

Featured Article: Editorial - Mac's Market Share and the Cascade Failure of Windows

Mac mini BTO SuperDrive Cut Back to 4X [UPDATE]

by , 2:40 PM EST, January 26th, 2005

On Tuesday, we noted that Apple had cut pricing for some Mac mini BTO options, and that the SuperDrive option had been boosted from 4x to 8x speed. Today, the Apple Store cut the BTO SuperDrive back to 4x, as first noted by MacCentral, but the company is now saying that the 8x option was merely a typo, and that a 4x SuperDrive has always been the only BTO option for Mac minis.

At the same time, a MacNN report noted that the SuperDrive included with the Mac mini reads at 8x speed, which may have been the source of the original mixup at the Apple Store.

Curiously, Apple includes an 8x SuperDrive on the eMac, a model aimed mainly at the education market, while the consumer iMac G5 -- a model aimed at people who want to do things like make and burn their own movies -- has a 4x SuperDrive like the Mac mini.

You can find more information on the Mac mini at Apple's Web site, and you can see the BTO pricing by selecting a Mac mini model at the Apple Store.

[Update: This story was updated to reflect additional information on the Mac mini BTO option.]

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:BlueDjinn -   TMO Staff Posts: 708 Joined: 24 Jun 2001
Subject: Not so curious...slot-loading.

eMac = standard tray-loading drive = 8x.

iMac/Mac mini = slot-loading drive = 4x max.

I presume that they haven't come out with 8x *slot-loading* DVD burners yet, that's all.

Close Name:technoguy100 Posts: 47 Joined: 12 Aug 2004
Subject:

Quote
BlueDjinn wrote:
eMac = standard tray-loading drive = 8x.

iMac/Mac mini = slot-loading drive = 4x max.

I presume that they haven't come out with 8x *slot-loading* DVD burners yet, that's all.


Another factor is that the iMac drive has to operate vertically (rather than horizontally like most drives) and I've heard that the Mac mini is also designed to be able to work on it's side. I remember when I had my 20th Anniversary Mac, it had a slower than normal (for the time) CD-ROM drive that Apple explained was because it had to operate vertically and there weren't a lot of suppliers that made drives that could (or at least they were a generation behind).

View Name:Guest
Subject:
Comment on this Article


You cannot edit your comments.   You cannot delete your comments.
Log in | Register | Having Problems? Reset TMO Cookies & Try Again
Username:   Password:   Log me on automatically each visit   

You are not logged in, and this post will appear as "Guest." Log in with your username and password from the TMO forums. If you do not have a username, you can register here.
Please note that guests are limited to including a maximum of two URLs per post.


Post A Comment
  Subject


  Your Comments



Please enter the word exactly as you see it in the image above. Registered users aren't prompted for this. Having trouble reading the image get a new one.


Recent Headlines - Updated Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

Tue., 6:55 PM
User Friendly Blog by Ted Landau - Why User Interface Design Matters
4:30 PM
Apple Trackpad Secrets and Technical History
4:05 PM
iPodObserver - Apple: What to Bring When Buying iPhone 3G
3:35 PM
Microsoft: We Have a Noisy Competitor
2:50 PM
Columnist: Safari Security Fails to Learn from Past
2:20 PM
iPodObserver - Services to Unlock Mobile Phones Gaining Momentum
1:00 PM
Daylite 3.7.4 Adds iWork 08, Dialectic Integration
12:20 PM
FoneLink 2.1 Adds Support for More Cell Phones
11:25 AM
Freeway 5.1.3 Adds Chinese Support
11:10 AM
iPodObserver - Rumor: Canadian Apple Stores Won't Sell iPhone 3G
10:35 AM
Microsoft Aligns with Icahn for Yahoo Takeover
10:00 AM
Hot Forum Topic - Is Internet Killing the Video Star?
8:20 AM
iPodObserver - MobileMe Launches on July 10
7:55 AM
iPodObserver - Apple: iPhone 3G Launches at 8AM Friday
6:00 AM
iPO Review - BudFits
 

The Mac Observer Reader Specials

  • Special Report: WWDC 2008
  • Special Report: iPhone
  • __________
  • Help TMO Grow
  • Podcast: Mac Geek Gab
  • Podcast: Apple Weekly Report
  • TMO on Twitter!
  • New Media Expo 2008

Apple Stock Quote

  • AAPL: $179.55. Change Today: +4.39.
  • (Prices delayed up to 20 minutes.)
  • Discuss in our Apple Finance Board

Hot Topics

Apple iTunes

Top Deals From DealsOnTheWeb