Don’t Delay Mac Purchases to the Last Minute

ByMike Moffit

We’ve become accustomed to being able to get nearly anything we want—including Macs—overnight, or at least within a couple of days. Unfortunately, surging demand from AI data centers has created a global memory shortage that’s squeezing the consumer electronics industry. As a result, we’re seeing both higher Mac prices and significantly longer delivery times as Apple competes for a limited supply of chips.

Although higher-memory configurations are particularly affected, there’s no guaranteed way to predict which Macs will be affected or the estimated length of delivery delays—the situation changes daily. As of August 4, the Apple Store is reporting the following representative delivery estimates to ZIP code 14850:

  • MacBook Neo (8 GB / 256 GB): 10–14 days
  • 13-inch MacBook Air (16 GB / 512 GB): 15–22 days
  • 14-inch MacBook Pro (16 GB / 1 TB): 1 day
  • 14-inch MacBook Pro (24 GB / 1 TB): 8–15 days
  • 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 Max (128 GB / 2 TB): 50–57 days
  • 16-inch MacBook Pro (24 GB / 1 TB): 1 day
  • 24-inch iMac (16 GB / 256 GB): 2 days
  • Mac mini M4 (16 GB / 256 GB): 22–29 days
  • Mac Studio M4 Max (64 GB / 512 GB): 56–70 days

If you’re in the market for a new Mac, what should you do? It depends on whether you’re buying for yourself or for an organization.

Individuals

If you just want to upgrade from an older model, waiting might not be a hardship—what’s another few weeks? But waiting isn’t easy if you’re replacing a Mac that has been lost, stolen, or broken. You have a few options:

  • Shop around: Some retailers may have precisely what you want in stock. Inventory may even vary by Apple Store, if there are multiple stores nearby. It’s often best to call before visiting since online inventory systems may not be up to date.
  • Adjust your desired configuration: Standard base configurations often have the best availability. Delivery estimates change with configuration, so if you can get by with less memory or storage, you might be able to get a Mac sooner. Even a different color might be more readily available.
  • Choose a different model: As with configuration, some models can be delivered sooner than others, so it may be worth getting an iMac instead of a Mac mini if that means you can have it right away.
  • Buy used: Apple sells refurbished Macs (with full warranties) that may have been store models, returned within the 14-day window, or used for demos. Other retailers may also sell older reconditioned Macs, and you can always look on eBay or Craigslist. Thanks to the performance of Apple silicon, a previous-generation Mac isn’t much of a compromise, but be certain any used Mac has Activation Lock removed, isn’t assigned to an organization’s device management system, and is completely erased.

Organizations

The situation may be more problematic for organizations that can’t afford for an employee to be without a Mac or need to equip a new location or a cohort of new hires. Along with the strategies above, organizations should consider:

  • Maintaining a loaner pool: Keep a few Macs on hand as backups, even older models that would otherwise have been traded in. This is a good strategy in general, but make sure to refresh the loaner pool periodically so they remain supported and useful.
  • Extending replacement cycles: Although many organizations prefer to replace Macs on a 3–5-year cycle, it may be worth extending replacement dates until new Macs can be acquired.
  • Handing down equipment: Depending on what’s available, it might make sense to buy an existing employee a new Mac and hand their old Mac down to a new hire.
  • Ordering earlier: Build Mac ordering into the hiring process earlier so machines are available when they’re needed.
  • Building a deployment reserve: Organizations with predictable hiring may want to keep a few standard Macs ready for immediate deployment. Rotate those machines into normal service rather than accumulating sealed inventory.

Just-in-time manufacturing and overnight shipping have spoiled us, but with some planning and flexibility, you should be able to find the Macs you need to stay productive. Contact us if you need help forecasting Mac purchases, identifying acceptable alternatives, or adjusting deployment workflows around constrained availability.

(Featured image generated by Adam Engst with ChatGPT)

Social Media: Global memory shortages caused by AI data center demand are hitting Mac buyers with higher prices and longer delivery times. Here are strategies to reduce the pain for both individuals and organizations.

Similar Posts

  • _Dear Friends,_

    I tuned into the Apple special “Let Us Loop You In” event on my Apple TV. We will talk about the new hardware and software but there were a few things that caught my attention that really help to define Apple as a truly different company.

    The first was Apple’s environmental commitment. They now boast that 90% of their operations, worldwide, are powered by renewable energy and 100% in the USA. This is a unique accomplishment that is made even more remarkable by Apple’s size. While Small Dog Electronics is proud to power our Waitsfield headquarters and S. Burlington store by solar energy, we have not yet reached the point of powering all our operations which is something Apple has done both by purchasing renewable energy and installing large scale solar arrays at their locations both in the USA and China.

    Their environmental commitment goes further with an awareness of the impact their products have on the waste stream. They made a point to describe the materials used which have lower impact and talked about their recycling program, too. The robot, Liam, that disassembles iPhones into its component parts was very cool and is a further demonstration of Apple’s leadership in environmental stewardship.

    The other part of the announcement that caught my eye was the extension of Apple’s altruistic Research Kit tool that has helped researchers gather data on several chronic diseases. CareKit takes that a step further, offering tools that help patients and their medical providers manage those chronic diseases. They already have several new apps in development, including one that provides post-surgical care monitoring and another for diabetes monitoring. Research Kit and CareKit are both open-source software that do not necessarily provide any revenue stream for Apple but provides the tools to improve health. I am very proud of Apple for its initiatives in these areas.

    This week’s Kibbles & Bytes exclusive is a “**home and away USB charger bundle.**”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900002185/home-and-away-usb-charger-bundle-one-for-the-car-one-for-home This features the Hammerhead 2-port USB Automotive charger and the Hammerhead 2-port wall charger. Both have sufficient power to charge both an iPhone and iPad. If you are like me, you can never have too many chargers and this bundle is a great way to get a spare for you home and car! Normally, this bundle is $34.98 but exclusively for Kibbles & Bytes readers this week, it is $10 off at “**$24.98!**”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900002185/home-and-away-usb-charger-bundle-one-for-the-car-one-for-home

  • Find Some Ham Amidst Your Email Spam

    Spam filters work pretty well—99% of the messages in your spam mailbox are probably spam. But it’s frustrating to miss an important message…

  • Watch What You Say in AI-Recorded Meetings

    You’re in a meeting with colleagues, and after everyone else has trickled out, you talk about a sensitive topic with a trusted friend….