Apple Inc. customers are seeing extended wait times for the company’s flagship MacBook Pro notebooks, perhaps due to Covid-19 lockdowns in China.
Customers in the United States who want to order Apple’s most high-end models are now seeing delivery dates pushed back to June. As of Wednesday, the date range for the 14-inch MacBook Pro’s lower-end configuration was as late as May 26. Those wait times are increased from the previous few days, before supply chain issues worsened again.
The delays highlight Apple’s struggles to keep its supply chain functioning properly during the Covid period, particularly in light of China’s zero-tolerance attitude for outbreaks. Because of the lockdowns, more than 30 Taiwanese companies, including Apple laptop manufacturer Quanta Computer Inc., have ceased manufacturing in China. Quanta, for example, had to close a Shanghai factory due to government constraints.
Apple, which is based in Cupertino, California, did not respond to a request for comment right away.
Apple’s most expensive MacBook Pro option — a $3,499 model with more graphics cores and RAM — has a delivery date of June 16 in the United States. The MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini are among Apple’s other Macs that aren’t now affected. Those models are either delivering same-day or guaranteeing delivery in the next three days.
The Mac Pro is expected to arrive in May, despite the fact that it takes longer to ship due to its bespoke features. The higher-end configuration of the new Mac Studio desktop computer won’t be available until the second half of June. That gadget, on the other hand, was only recently introduced and may be in high demand right now.
It’s difficult to find any real flaws with the new MacBook Pro. The laptop looks great and outperforms any performance expectations you might have.
Is the price, however, justified? Well, if you’re looking for a true workhorse laptop while staying in the Apple environment, I’d say this MacBook Pro is well worth the money.
If you need a powerful laptop, even if you’re not in the Apple ecosystem, this machine is well worth the switch. You have to keep in mind that individuals who are prepared to pay this much for a machine expect it to perform as stated, and the 2021 MacBook Pro does just that.
