Without much announcement, Apple has made a significant change in the way Mac computers are purchased through the official website. Instead of the previous system with predefined configurations, customers now get a single product selection page with detailed options for customizing the system: practically as if they were assembling the computer themselves.
Until now, Apple has used the same approach for years: a basic model, then several stronger variants with more memory, a larger SSD, a more powerful processor or a larger screen. Although it required a little attention (some models had more storage space, but less RAM), the prices were clear and transparent.
Now the approach is different. When buying, for example, a MacBook Pro model, the user chooses screen size, color, screen type, chip, processing power, built-in memory, SSD capacity, power adapter, keyboard, professional applications, payment method and AppleCare warranty. All components are viewed individually, without pre-configured packages.
What this change means for Mac buyers
Essentially, the hardware options themselves have not changed. For example, configurations with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips still come standard with 24 GB of integrated memory. The difference is that the focus has shifted from choosing a “model” to assembling a configuration within the desired budget.
This type of system gives greater flexibility, but also shifts more responsibility to the customer, who must now know exactly what he needs. Instead of comparing several ready-made variants, the process is more like a classic computer configurator.
For now, it is not known how this change will affect sales at other large retailers such as Amazon or Best Buy, but it is realistic to expect that Apple will continue to offer the most popular configurations through retail channels.
It is also interesting that there have been rumors for some time that Apple will enable even more detailed customization of the CPU and GPU cores with the upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max generations. The new purchasing system apparently opens up space for the so-called “build-to-order” type of offer, but also potentially more discreet price adjustments as the costs of memory and other components rise over the coming years, reports Macworld.