Apple Mac users demand 'slow SuperDrive' fix

August 13, 2005

Mac users are getting increasingly annoyed with the speeds they are getting out of their DVDRW drives. While Apple claim the drives can burn at 8x, many users are only getting 2x! There are reports that this problem is not limited to just a handfull of users. What makes it worse, Apple denies an issue exists.

Evidence is mounting that a major write-performance problem is affecting certain Mac-mounted optical drives and troubled Mac users have begun petitioning Apple in the hope of a fix.

So far, users claim, the Mac maker has been unwilling to acknowledge the issue, let alone provide a solution.

According to Steven Haigh, the issue is centred on the Matsushita UJ-835E DVD-R built into all SuperDrive-equipped PowerBook G4s and Mac Minis. Irrespective of the make of discs used in the drive, Steven's machines refuse to burn at any speed approaching the 8x performance Apple claims the drive is capable of. The best he can get is 2x performance.

I personally don't like Mac's much but it's not fair that they should be stuck with burning DVDs at 2x while many PC users burn regularly at 16x. Let's hope that Apple swallows their pride and fixes this soon. You can read the full story here.

Source: Channel Register