2.5/16/512 rMBP cheaper when going through base option?

[duky]

I couldn't find this anywhere but just a tip for anyone looking for the following configuration: 2.4 GHz MacBook Pro w/ Retina Display with 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD.

I find no explanation for it but when you configure the base model to these specs it ends up being $60 cheaper than when you configure the higher model to the same exact specs. I cannot identify any difference between the resulting machines besides the price. I've also only tried this on the education store so I'm not sure how it plays out on the regular store section. See attached screenshots

 

[paulrbeers]

I just did a base retina + 512gb SSD (500) + 2.6ghz (100) + 16gb (200) and ended up with a 3000 laptop instead of 2800....

 

[duky]

Did you use the education discount? As I said in my post I'm not sure if this is reproducible in the normal store section

 

[paulrbeers]

Just realized you have some kind of 10% discount going on the base retina. That's why it ended up cheaper. If you take 10% off the high end it would be 2520....

Edit: so they only give you 20 off for the educational discount on the high end retina? Wow just wow... I

 

[duky]

Doing this on the normal site for me without discount yields the same price for both machines: $2999. So I guess this extra discount is only on the edu store but still someone could save themselves some money by going through the base model to make the upgrades

 

[Black.Infinity]

The base model is cheaper because the discount applies on the each individual upgrade plus the laptop discount.