Apple Confirms Retina MacBook Build-to-Order Pricing for 1.3 GHz Processor

MacRumors · Apr 7, 2015

Apple this morning released full pricing information for the Retina MacBook to reseller partners such as Expercom, confirming prices of the new 12-inch MacBook for customers who plan to opt for beefed-up processors in the checkout process when the device launches this Friday, April 10.

As stated during the "Spring Forward" event last month, the entry-level MacBook will retail for $1299 with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor, 8 GB of memory, and 256 GB of flash storage.

According to Expercom, this machine will have a configure-to-order option that bumps its performance with a 1.3 GHz Intel Core M processor, with the same 256 GB flash storage. The upgrade will cost those interested an extra $250, raising the entry-level option to $1549 when choosing the upgraded version.

The high-end stock model announced at last month's event comes with a 1.2 GHz processor with 8 GB of memory and 512 GB of flash storage, priced at $1599. Apple will offer the 1.3 GHz processor upgrade option here as well, keeping the same 512 GB of flash storage and charging an additional $150 over the base price of the 1.2 GHz model for a total price of $1749.

Complete lineup:

- 1.1 GHz with 256 GB storage: $1299
- 1.3 GHz with 256 GB storage: $1549
- 1.2 GHz with 512 GB storage: $1599
- 1.3 GHz with 512 GB storage: $1749

The new 12-inch MacBook is set to launch this Friday, April 10 on the Apple online store and in Apple retail stores, though recent news from Apple Retail Chief Angela Ahrendts points to better possibilities of a completed order when visiting the company's online storefront or Apple Store app.

Article Link: Apple Confirms Retina MacBook Build-to-Order Pricing for 1.3 GHz Processor

Zaft · Apr 7, 2015

Ill wait for the next version with an HD camera...

gugy · Apr 7, 2015

Can't wait to check this MB at the Apple store and see the benchmarks.
That's what is going to be the decision maker to me.

Nik · Apr 7, 2015

rip-off

Better call it "hipster"-book.

Crosscreek · Apr 7, 2015

I know Apple needs money but this is ridiculous.

Reason077 · Apr 7, 2015

That doesn't sound like great value. An ~18% increase in CPU speed translates into a much smaller increase in overall system performance.

If you really do need more performance, you're better off getting a MacBook Pro.

639051 · Apr 7, 2015

Nik said:
rip-off

Have to agree. My rMBP (granted it was refurb) was ~$1200 and it is much more of a machine than this.

beanbaguk · Apr 7, 2015

Apple appear to be targeting a very odd market. The pretentious, nouveau-rich crowd.

People must be insane to spend this amount of cash on an underpowered laptop! Pretty it may be, but just like the Apple Watch, they seem to be going for a different market.

Kariya · Apr 7, 2015

No point spending 150 bucks for a 0.1GHz increase

musika · Apr 7, 2015

Introducing the world's first $250 0.2 GHz.

oneMadRssn · Apr 7, 2015

Why present this information in such a confusing paragraph/sentence manner?

$1300 - 1.1ghz Core M / 8GB / 256GB
$1550 - 1.3ghz Core M / 8GB / 256GB
$1600 - 1.2ghz Core M / 8GB / 512GB
$1750 - 1.3ghz Core M / 8GB / 512GB

There. 4 skus, easy to compare. Price rounded up $1 to make price differences easier to see / mental math.

EDIT: I see they added this to the article now.

BC2009 · Apr 7, 2015

Apparently, Intel's yield on the this processor that pass quality tests at 1.3 Ghz is very small in quantity or else we would not see such a premium for such a minor bump in processor speed. It would seem to me that the performance boost from 1.1 to 1.3 Ghz (and especially from 1.2 to 1.3 Ghz) is not going to be worth that money. The benchmarks should show only minor improvements unless the faster processor is adding CPU or GPU cores as well.

Piggie · Apr 7, 2015

Crosscreek said:
I know Apple needs money but this is ridiculous.

Well, they are at a position now.
A perhaps dangerous one.
Where they are under the impression, and so far it's correct.
That they can make whatever they want, as long as it's marketed right, and has 'Fashionably' Good looks that many many people will pay the price they ask.

Until people stop buying, they have no reason to change the route they are now on.

Of course, as with all things, there will come a point where this is going to backfire on them, but I suspect we have a little way to go yet.

teknikal90 · Apr 7, 2015

great. so for $250 now you can go on facebook and quickly switch to twitter with 0.5 seconds less lag.

pointless

bms2993 · Apr 7, 2015

Nothing about this is a good value. Knock it off, Apple.

Folks, if you want a real value, go with the 13 inch MacBook Pro with retina display. It has the specs you need to do more than this netbook of a product Apple is trying hard to up sell...

Reason077 said:
If you really do need more performance, you're better off getting a MacBook Pro.

Couldn't agree more. Using the 13 inch retina pro now and I love every bit of it. Best trackpad and display I have ever used and has the processing power I need to get through the day.

Mashurrab · Apr 7, 2015

I have been waiting for the retina air for more than a year now ams this was the result. Anyways I am now a happy owner of the latest Retina MacBook Pro that was released with this device.

BornAgainMac · Apr 7, 2015

Kariya said:
No point spending 250 bucks for a 0.1Mhz increase

Agreed. Check out the threads back in the PowerPC days. Hopefully, people know better now.

AnsonX10 · Apr 7, 2015

I've always wondered just how fast you could get before the passive cooling can't keep up anymore.

For all I know, it might already not be able to keep up if you max out the usage for long enough.

1.3 GHz just isn't fast enough for the stuff I want to do. That's equal to, or slower than iPhones since the iPhone 5.

As a side note, the iPhone 6, 6+, and iPad Air 2 are faster, and are still passively cooled. I wonder if the number of fanless laptops will skyrocket now, just like the gimmicky touch-screen cell phone. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, and how fast they'll get.

Brian Y · Apr 7, 2015

I dont understand why this machine even needs a BTO CPU option. All you need is 2 models: 256 and 512GB. That's it. Heck, you could probably even make a 128GB one given how limited the main use cases for this machine are.

Xenomorph · Apr 7, 2015

Having a second USB port would make these a lot better.

Would it really have taken up that much more space? One on the left side, one on the right.

Right now you can charge, or use a device, or connect your smartphone, or use an Ethernet connection. But not all at once. Existing hubs probably won't let you charge.

With two ports you could use one for charging and one with a regular hub for all your existing peripherals.

I've had 3-4 things plugged into my MacBook Pro on several occasions.

Power, Ethernet, Second monitor, and iPhone.

leman · Apr 7, 2015

I don't understand where all the condemnation is coming from. The i7 upgrade for the 13" rMBP with a comparable performance boost costs $300. How is this any different? Don't get me wrong, Apple prices on upgrades are ridiculous, but thats nothing new. Apple is not becoming 'greedy', they have always been this way.

cookie.monster · Apr 7, 2015

BC2009 said:
Apparently, Intel's yield on the this processor that pass quality tests at 1.3 Ghz is very small in quantity or else we would not see such a premium for such a minor bump in processor speed. It would seem to me that the performance boost from 1.1 to 1.3 Ghz (and especially from 1.2 to 1.3 Ghz) is not going to be worth that money. The benchmarks should show only minor improvements unless the faster processor is adding CPU or GPU cores as well.

yet tray price on 5y71,5y51 and 5y31 is the same. So Apple is either taking people for a ride or compensating for whatever discount they get from Intel (or both as usual).

szw-mapple fan · Apr 7, 2015

beanbaguk said:
Apple appear to be targeting a very odd market. The pretentious, nouveau-rich crowd.

People must be insane to spend this amount of cash on an underpowered laptop! Pretty it may be, but just like the Apple Watch, they seem to be going for a different market.

People said the same for the first gen MBA. And they were totally right. Apple dropped the price in later generations though, so we can probably expect the same with the MB.

metfuel · Apr 7, 2015

jarred125 said:
Have to agree. My rMBP (granted it was refurb) was ~$1200 and it is much more of a machine than this.

It's a steal compared to the original MacBook Air.

$1799 to start and if you wanted an SSD then you had to shell out $3098, and that was for only 64GB.

639051 · Apr 7, 2015

leman said:
I don't understand where all the condemnation is coming from. The i7 upgrade for the 13" rMBP with a comparable performance boost costs $300. How is this any different? Don't get me wrong, Apple prices on upgrades are ridiculous, but thats nothing new. Apple is not becoming 'greedy', they have always been this way.

How do you figure? The i7 bump for $300 is a 600mhz jump .. I'd say that outpaces this quite a bit. Personally I'd never buy the upgrade but to someone who wants it/needs it ..

Apple Confirms Retina MacBook Build-to-Order Pricing for 1.3 GHz Processor

macrumors bot

macrumors 601

macrumors 68040

macrumors 6502a

macrumors 68030

macrumors 68040

Cancelled

macrumors 65816

macrumors 68000

macrumors 65816

macrumors 603

macrumors 68020

macrumors G3

macrumors 68040

macrumors regular

macrumors regular

macrumors 604

macrumors member

macrumors 68040

macrumors 65816

macrumors Core

macrumors newbie

macrumors 68040

macrumors member

Cancelled

Our Staff