Apple USB SuperDrive
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The Apple USB SuperDrive (originally MacBook Air SuperDrive) is an external slot-loading 8×-speed optical disc drive. It was initially released alongside - and optionally bundled with - the first-generation MacBook Air as a substitute for an internal disc drive. It uses a built-in USB Type-A cable to attach to any Mac lacking an internal disc drive.
The product was initially named the MacBook Air SuperDrive (model A1270). Alongside the release of the MacBook Pro (Late 2012), which removes the internal SuperDrive, a revision was released under the name Apple USB SuperDrive (model A1379). The MacBook Air SuperDrive internally uses a standard slimline optical drive with 50-pin Parallel ATA connector, enabling the drive to be replaced within the same chassis. The Apple USB SuperDrive integrates the PATA-to-USB bridge directly into the drive, preventing aftermarket drive replacements.
The SuperDrive uses USB 2.0, and requires 500 mA to function, meaning it typically does not operate from non-powered USB hubs. It has an internal cache of 1024 KB. Supported formats are CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, and DVD+RW.
It is not capable of accepting mini CDs; these can become stuck in the device. There is no button to forcibly eject a stuck disc. It does not support Blu-ray.
As is typical with DVD drives, the device provides support for DVD video playback in regions 1 through 6, with the ability to change the region up to 5 times.[1]
Both SuperDrives are listed as being "compatible with Mac models from 2008 and later that don't have a built-in optical drive"[2]. Macs with an internal SuperDrive are prevented from using the product through a software lock-out. This can be overcome by setting a kernel boot argument of mbasd=1.
Around 5 August 2024, the Apple USB SuperDrive appeared as "sold out" on the US Apple online store. In October 2024, the "sold out" status was reflected in other worldwide stores.
Specifications
Dimensions
Size and Weight
Connections
- Built in USB Type-A cable
External links
 SuperDrive |
