27" iMacs in stores?

[Freida]

Hello guys,

would you happen to know what configs do they have in store, please? ie., do they have any config with the SSD to purchase or does that need to be online only?
I'm thinking to test drive it and see if it fits my needs etc. but don't want to go to a store and find out that they only have the silly fusion thing.
So, anybody knows if they have 27" 5K iMac with SSD that is available to purchase straight away instead of doing custom order online?

 

[chrisdazzo]

I'm sure it depends on the store. Just check the Pickup box on the bottom left of the configure page for locations near you. Otherwise, for test-driving, you'd be better off calling the store directly.

 

[iemcj]

Hello guys,

would you happen to know what configs do they have in store, please? ie., do they have any config with the SSD to purchase or does that need to be online only?
I'm thinking to test drive it and see if it fits my needs etc. but don't want to go to a store and find out that they only have the silly fusion thing.
So, anybody knows if they have 27" 5K iMac with SSD that is available to purchase straight away instead of doing custom order online?

Why not just call the store itself? Best buy, costco, apple store etc. We aren't going to know the actual inventory of that location, the only ones who do are (you guessed it!) the actual store in question. 3 minutes on the phone will have this one solved

 

[Freida]

Its not about whats in stock, sorry. Its just Apple has certain models to sell and that doesn't really change. The rest is only online so my question was, do they have any 27 5k model with SSD to sell in the retail stores or not
3 mins? Have you tried to call an apple store recently? Its usually 30 mins + waiting time

Why not just call the store itself? Best buy, costco, apple store etc. We aren't going to know the actual inventory of that location, the only ones who do are (you guessed it!) the actual store in question. 3 minutes on the phone will have this one solved

 

[iemcj]

Its not about whats in stock, sorry. Its just Apple has certain models to sell and that doesn't really change. The rest is only online so my question was, do they have any 27 5k model with SSD to sell in the retail stores or not
3 mins? Have you tried to call an apple store recently? Its usually 30 mins + waiting time

I haven't called an apple store personally, but I've called my local best buy many times to check on inventory. Usually I have my answer within a minute including the time going through the menu. In that case then yeah I better understand checking on here!

 

[Alicia1]

Unfortunately Apple don't usually stock any models with an SSD, well here in Australia anyway

 

[tpivette89]

If your local Apple store doesn't have a regular iMac with an SSD on display, you can always test drive the iMac Pro (which has a SSD standard). I can't imagine there's much of a difference in regular tasks (web browsing, emails, etc) between the regular Apple SSD and a RAID SSD in the iMac Pro. But perhaps there is between the Fusion drive and the iMac Pro. Obviously there will be a difference between any SSD, RAID or not, versus a HDD.

Just a thought to gauge a comparison.

 

[vandrv]

I just purchased an IMac with an SSD drive online. I looked at my local Apple store but they only carried the fusion drive models in stock.

 

[TheIntruder]

SSD configurations are CTO, and no retail store will have them unless they intentionally order them for stock.

Other than B&H, Adorama, or some smaller resellers that offer CTO models, no one does. Even if one was in NYC, I'd wonder whether they would have them on display, rather than conserving the stock and shipping them out of the NJ warehouse to those who really want them.

Apple doesn't stock them in stores.

Costco, which keeps SKUs to a minimum, certainly doesn't. Nor does Best Buy. The Specialist at my local BB confessed to me that most people buy MBs, not iMacs, and of the iMacs they sell, the base model sells most. The interest from Joe and Jane Six Pack isn't there; they happily buy the simplest and cheapest.

Contrary to intention, I believe that testing a Fusion model is a better arbiter of whether one would be tolerable, simply because the hiccups one may see with Fusion won't be present with an SSD.

Personally, I didn't want to spend $2 grand on a computer in 2019 that might throw up any beachball just working in the Finder or launching an app, which I didn't find hard to trigger in playing with them at the Apple store.

 

[Freida]

Thank you guys, I guess I'll have to find out if I can do the online thing.

 

[Fishrrman]

OK, Freida, here's the rules:

THE GENERAL RULE:
iMacs with SSD's have to be SPECIALLY-ORDERED through Apple's "build-your-own" online store.
You CANNOT buy them in retail stores.
Not even in Apple Stores.
As such, you must order them online and wait for them to be delivered.

The exception:
The Apple online refurbished store often has refurbs pre-configured with SSDs. But you have to watch very carefully to see if what you want becomes available, and WHEN it becomes available you must be ready to buy AT THAT MOMENT, because it will be gone in hours, or even minutes.
I bought my 2018 Mini from the Apple online refurb store and am very satisfied.

Exception #2:
A very few online stores order stock pre-configured with SSDs, so they can ship immediately.
One that comes to mind is B&H Photo in New York City.
BUT... you may not like their return policies regarding computers, which is, "once you open the box, it's no longer returnable". If there's a problem, you have to take it to an Apple Store for repair.
Having said that, I have a friend who bought his 2017 iMac from B&H, no problems.

 

[ginhb]

The Apple online refurbished store often has refurbs pre-configured with SSDs. But you have to watch very carefully to see if what you want becomes available, and WHEN it becomes available you must be ready to buy AT THAT MOMENT, because it will be gone in hours, or even minutes.

That's what worked for me too. I watched until the configuration I wanted appeared on their website, purchased and had it delivered to my local Apple store about 6 miles away. Certain configurations seem to sell fast so you have to watch often and be ready to buy.

If you think you'll prefer having a SSD inside, I would just go ahead and buy it. You don't have to pay for a huge internal drive, I went with 500 GB and then added a 1TB Samsung T5 external SSD for additional storage and backups. The configuration works great. You can add additional SSD's over time as needed.