Slight Design Difference Between 15'' and 17'' MBP

[bbrosemer]

Some time last week when my friend brought his 15'' MBP and put it next to my 17'' MBP I noticed that the Superdrive on the 17 was at the top of the casing and enclosed with plastic while the 15'' is in the middle of the casing. Could this have something to do with the fact that there is still no DL DVD burner in the 15''.

 

[Josias]

This was the same with the PB's. Here's a long explanation. The 15" MBP's suderdrive is crossing the trackpad/keyboard, and needs to be placed lower to make room for the drive. This was the same with the 15" PB, but because it was 1.1" instead of the MBP's 1", there was room for a 8x DL burner. The next revision 15" MBP's will probably have a 8x DL burner, since they will have made thinner superdrive by then. The 17" MBP is the excactly same as the 17" PB, except the iSight and different ports.

Concerning the MacBook, which has a 4x non-DL burner. Due to it's thickness of 1.08", there is room for a 8x DL burner, but it would make no sense putting a 8x DL drive into a $1099 machine, and not in a $2499 machine.

 

[dextertangocci]

...The 17" MBP is the excactly same as the 17" PB, except the iSight and different ports.

Not exactly the same, besides the differences you mentioned, it is also, according to steve "a hair" thinner than the 17" powerbook.

 

[bbrosemer]

But what makes the DL burner thicker...?

 

[Sharewaredemon]

But what makes the DL burner thicker...?

They had to use a "super slim" optical drive in the MBP instead of whatever they used in the PB, unfortunately, DL super slim optical drives either aren't out yet, or are too expensive.

That help at all?