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F-Train

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 22, 2015
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NYC & Newfoundland
I've checked repeatedly and that is the major issue. No Base Max 1TB available until late May. Was mid-May but it keeps pushing out. 7 weeks! They should have made this available to order with more immediate delivery, even if they don't stock it in store, it would be nice to see this config ship within a week if not sooner if they had only planned it in the pipeline.

Right, Apple should give you what you personally want right away, if not in its stores, by putting you had the head of the line if you order online :)
 

roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
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No, Apple would likely recognize a pattern of consumers building similar builds in their carts and either purchasing or not purchasing but repeatedly configuring them as such, not from myself but from quite a few users as I would hazard that Apple has definitely seen demand for that configuration, as expressed here by multiple forum users, of which that is a small size sample. And based on that it would have been smart for Apple to produce that variant in quantity ahead of customer orders, even if Apple were not stock them in individual stores, so that as those orders are placed, they are able to fill them. That is simple logistics and supply demand. And those ordering that more common BTO would have their own line (just as the base Max and base Ultra variants do) as there would be shippable inventory.
 

MarkC426

macrumors 68040
May 14, 2008
3,690
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UK
I actually saw a Max base available to collect in a UK store today....😳
Which is good news.

Was beginning to think it was USA only.
 
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F-Train

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 22, 2015
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NYC & Newfoundland
No, Apple would likely recognize a pattern of consumers building similar builds in their carts and either purchasing or not purchasing but repeatedly configuring them as such, not from myself but from quite a few users as I would hazard that Apple has definitely seen demand for that configuration, as expressed here by multiple forum users, of which that is a small size sample. And based on that it would have been smart for Apple to produce that variant in quantity ahead of customer orders, even if Apple were not stock them in individual stores, so that as those orders are placed, they are able to fill them. That is simple logistics and supply demand. And those ordering that more common BTO would have their own line (just as the base Max and base Ultra variants do) as there would be shippable inventory.

If you think that you understand Apple marketing, configuration demand and logistics better than Deirdre O'Brien does, apply for a job. If you do, they'll pay you big money :)
 
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roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
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In stock today at Apple Stores: Mac computers.

You may serve and volley but unfortunately might still lose the point.
 

PianoPro

macrumors 6502a
Sep 4, 2018
511
385
PianoPro said:
I wonder if the demand for the Ultra is higher than expected, or the M1 Ultra SoC yields are lower than expected. All 12 stores within 450 miles of me (Pacific Northwest) show June 9 pickup availability, and ship to home shows May 24-June 8 (hence June 9 promise for store pickup).
As discussed earlier in this thread, the June 9 date that you're seeing is only the date if you order a base Ultra online today and want store pickup rather than home delivery. It does not mean that the store won't have base Ultras in stock and for sale before then. See posts #201 and #209. This is also discussed in a few other posts.

I didn't say stores wouldn't get more stock sooner than June 9. I said none of the 12 stores around me have them in stock and if you order you will wait until June 9 to get them delivered or to pick up your order.

The point of my comment was speculating on whether people that order today must wait 2 months to get an Ultra because the demand is higher than Apple expected, or because the M1 Ultra SoC yields are lower than expected. I don't expect anyone here to know the answer, it would just be interesting to know if it was a SoC yield/supply problem or a demand forecasting problem. i.e are sales of the Ultra better than expected or are they having trouble making them.
 

roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
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I didn't say stores wouldn't get more stock sooner than June 9. I said none of the 12 stores around me have them in stock and if you order you will wait until June 9 to get them delivered or to pick up your order.

The point of my comment was speculating on whether people that order today must wait 2 months to get an Ultra because the demand is higher than Apple expected, or because the M1 Ultra SoC yields are lower than expected. I don't expect anyone here to know the answer, it would just be interesting to know if it was a SoC yield/supply problem or a demand forecasting problem. i.e are sales of the Ultra better than expected or are they having trouble making them.
I did see something regarding the Ultra online that indicated that Apple has less margin for error on the Ultra and that they need a more perfect manufacturing result for those yields, which follows common sense, so that would indicate that the Ultra yields would naturally be lower. I would also guess that the Ultra demand may be slightly lower too, but no way to know what percent of the pro market is spending the extra money to get that performance. Probably more than you might expect given that this machine has some advantages over the yet to be updated Mac Pro.
 

rumz

macrumors 65816
Feb 11, 2006
1,226
635
Utah
I didn't say stores wouldn't get more stock sooner than June 9. I said none of the 12 stores around me have them in stock and if you order you will wait until June 9 to get them delivered or to pick up your order.

The point of my comment was speculating on whether people that order today must wait 2 months to get an Ultra because the demand is higher than Apple expected, or because the M1 Ultra SoC yields are lower than expected. I don't expect anyone here to know the answer, it would just be interesting to know if it was a SoC yield/supply problem or a demand forecasting problem. i.e are sales of the Ultra better than expected or are they having trouble making them.
For what it's worth, any Mac Studio config with 64gb of RAM seems to have an exceptionally long wait (10-12 weeks), though the base Ultra (which has 64gb) has a shorter wait. Makes me think the SoC is less of an issue than the memory, but who knows.
 

roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
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Local stores are showing pickup date of base model for May 5. Not updated to any new inventory stock for pickup today. Seems that initial production may have finally sold through though I wouldn't be shocked to see some stores get stock here and there still.

Meanwhile while Costco sold out of the Ultra almost immediately (and had it for $200 off), they did have the base Max up until just the other day showing pickup 2-3 days out from order. They are now however, out of stock on both models and their deal on the Max was not as good, not even relatively (as it was only $50 off - would have like to see $100 off since the 2x expensive Ultra was $200 off).
 

F-Train

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 22, 2015
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NYC & Newfoundland
Local stores are showing pickup date of base model for May 5. Not updated to any new inventory stock for pickup today. Seems that initial production may have finally sold through though I wouldn't be shocked to see some stores get stock here and there still.

All 12 Apple stores in NY City have the base Max available, as do all 12 stores in Miami and 11 of 12 stores in the Boston area and 10 of 12 stores in San Francisco. Those are the first four cities that I checked, and given the results I haven't bothered to check further.

The 3 out of 48 stores that are out of stock also say May 5th, which is merely the date if one orders online and prefer pickup from those three specific stores to home/business delivery, or indeed pickup today from one of the other 45 stores. Supply of the base Ultra has been very tight for the last several days, but three of the Miami stores have it for pickup today.
 
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roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
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For anyone fortunate not to live in any of those 4 cities (thank goodness) you may either need to look locally OR see if Uber Eats will deliver it to you.
 

F-Train

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 22, 2015
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NYC & Newfoundland
For anyone fortunate not to live in any of those 4 cities (thank goodness) you may either need to look locally OR see if Uber Eats will deliver it to you.

Don't like NY, Boston, Miami and San Francisco? OK, here are five more cities that I've now checked at random for pickup today of a base Max:

Atlanta area: available at 7 of 12 stores
Chicago area: 9 of 12 stores
Denver area: 5 of 12 stores
Houston area: all 12 stores
Minneapolis area: 10 of 12 stores
 
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rumz

macrumors 65816
Feb 11, 2006
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635
Utah
Interestingly, the Ultra base model is available at all 3 Utah Apple Stores right this moment; Max base model is available at just one.
 
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roland.g

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Apr 11, 2005
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Denver area has 6 stores, all of which are out. Apple lists 12 stores whenever you search with whatever is not in that area by distance. So of the options 7-12, 4 of those 6 have them, in Oklahoma City, Farmington Utah, Omaha Nebraska, etc. at distances of 331 to 500 miles away from Denver.

Same with Atlanta, 3 of the 5 stores within 35 miles have stock. The other 7 stores listed have stock at 4 if you are willing to drive 3-4 hours to say Birmingham or Nashville.

2 of the 4 Minneapolis locations have stock. The other 8 options are in other states like Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois, up to a day's drive away.

When you search Houston, yes, all 12 have stock.

Of. The. Stores. Listed. Which. Include. Dallas. San Antonio. and Austin. Enjoy your 3-4 hour drive.
 

F-Train

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 22, 2015
2,272
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NYC & Newfoundland
Denver area has 6 stores, all of which are out. Apple lists 12 stores whenever you search with whatever is not in that area by distance. So of the options 7-12, 4 of those 6 have them, in Oklahoma City, Farmington Utah, Omaha Nebraska, etc. at distances of 331 to 500 miles away from Denver.

Same with Atlanta, 3 of the 5 stores within 35 miles have stock. The other 7 stores listed have stock at 4 if you are willing to drive 3-4 hours to say Birmingham or Nashville.

2 of the 4 Minneapolis locations have stock. The other 8 options are in other states like Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and Illinois, up to a day's drive away.

When you search Houston, yes, all 12 have stock.

Of. The. Stores. Listed. Which. Include. Dallas. San Antonio. and Austin. Enjoy your 3-4 hour drive.

Let's try and stay on point. This is what you asserted: "Local stores are showing pickup date of base model for May 5. Not updated to any new inventory stock for pickup today. Seems that initial production may have finally sold through though I wouldn't be shocked to see some stores get stock here and there still."

When I showed evidence to the contrary, your rather odd, irrelevant response was to disparage New York, Boston, Miami and San Francisco as cities. When I offer five more cities, your response is to say that some of the stores are far apart.

The fact is, there is no reason whatever to believe that "original production has sold through" and that stores may "get stock here and there still".

What seems clear is that Apple has ongoing production of base Maxes destined for stores and that supply is more flush at some times than at others. Since March 18th, this has been apparent over and over. Your claim also suggests that you don't understand what the May 5 pickup date means, although it's been discussed and explained in this thread a number of times subsequent to Apple's change in online presentation on March 24th (see post #201).

Per posts #285 and #287 just above, I've now checked today's availability of Maxes at 108 Apple stores in areas chosen at random, and 88 of them have Maxes available for immediate pickup.

This thread is about store inventory. It helps people who want to buy a Mac Studio at a store when erroneous statements about how inventory is working are corrected.
 
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rumz

macrumors 65816
Feb 11, 2006
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Is it just me or has the the estimated date for in-store pickup improved for the base Max model?

I'm seeing an April 22 date for in-store pickup-- just a couple weeks out. Online order delivers "April 14-April 21". Not bad. BTO options still push delivery out to end of May / early June, however. (and 64gb memory still pushes it out 10-12 weeks-- mid-July at this point).
 

MarkC426

macrumors 68040
May 14, 2008
3,690
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UK
Even the base model orders seem to be taking longer in the UK, they are now
Base Max 4 weeks+
Base Ultra 8 weeks+

Which is nuts....you can get any spec MacPro within 2 weeks.
 

BanditoB

macrumors 6502
Feb 24, 2009
482
258
Chicago, IL
The delays are simply a reflection of demand vs. production capability. You build your production lines for the anticipated long term demand, with a bit of surge capacity for the initial orders and holidays and such, but it wouldn’t be wise to invest in extra production lines just for the initial rush as they would go unused down the road.

It’s frustrating that orders are taking as long as they are, but I think that it’s completely understandable. It simply shows how popular the Studio line is right off the bat. There appears to be a pent up demand for a system like this and knowing that you can get Mac Pro-like performance at the Studio’s price points is driving a lot of upgrades as well as new sales for those of us in the middle.
 
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roland.g

macrumors 604
Apr 11, 2005
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Costco is showing the base Max back in stock for delivery next week ($50 off) but the Ultra is still out of stock.

Also they now have the Studio display back in stock as well. But apparently there is no discount on the display.
 

CodeSpyder

macrumors 68000
Jun 23, 2010
1,949
1,959
Orlando, FL
I canceled my fully-loaded Ultra order and bought a base model Ultra from a local Apple Store. I also bought an 8TB thunderbolt ssd. If I had purchased the fully-loaded version, I’d feel compelled to hold onto it for many years. With the base model, I can sell it or trade it in if the newer versions look appealing.
 
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