Assembly Location

[Apple Corps]

My new CTO Mac Pro is coming out of Irving Texas. My understanding is that most of the MPs are now assembled in the US - but I thought they were built in the LA area. I've not heard of a Texas location.

 

[nanofrog]

The CTO systems do come out of the US, but I've not been aware of the specific location/s the work's done.

But the base systems (non CTO) are assembled in China as I understand it, and shipped to distribution points in the US or directly to the customer in some cases (depending on stock I presume). For other countries, there is a bit of added work to be done at the distribution point (where they add the correct manuals, power cable, ... for the country of purchase). I'm not sure if they have to do this with the US versions, given the sales quantities here (Chinese labor is cheaper afterall).

 

[Apple Corps]

The reason I posted this is that I placed a business order and was told it would ship from LA - an easy 1 day ground delivery to my California location. The email shipment confirmation hit my email this afternoon and showed Irving Texas as the pick-up location and estimated delivery middle of next week - 6 days on the road vs 1.

I live about a 3 hour drive from Apple's major Elk Grove distribution center - can't imagine what is going on here 😕 😕

At any rate I emailed the Apple Business Rep and asked him to approve my refusal of the unit when it finally drags in here next week. I'l go buy one at the local Apple Store and live with the stock graphics card.

 

[frimple]

I'm an idiot

 

[Apple Corps]

frimple - I'm sure there was important message in that comment but I can't figure it out 😱

 

[nanofrog]

The reason I posted this is that I placed a business order and was told it would ship from LA - an easy 1 day ground delivery to my California location. The email shipment confirmation hit my email this afternoon and showed Irving Texas as the pick-up location and estimated delivery middle of next week - 6 days on the road vs 1.

I live about a 3 hour drive from Apple's major Elk Grove distribution center - can't imagine what is going on here 😕 😕

At any rate I emailed the Apple Business Rep and asked him to approve my refusal of the unit when it finally drags in here next week. I'l go buy one at the local Apple Store and live with the stock graphics card.

Perhaps the LA location was out of stock, as the 2009 model quantities should be winding down.

On a side note, I'm surprised Apple hasn't tried to close the LA distribution center, as other locales should be able to operate at a lower cost (particularly taxes, as CA is in a financial pinch, and reduced/eliminated tax breaks that used to exist).

You could wait to upgrade the graphics card when the new models ship anyway. More card should be possible, extending it's lifespan (i.e. 5870, as it's expected to be available with the new systems).

It might also be possible to return the unit you're interested in buying now (store pick-up) for the newer unit, assuming it ships in time.

 

[Apple Corps]

nano -- really hard to believe that we don't have any of these available in California 😕

I'm totally ok with the current model and had the same thought as you on a better card later on.

I just hope the Apple Business Rep will ok my refusing the unit as the shipping time is so much longer than he and I discussed.

 

[nanofrog]

nano -- really hard to believe that we don't have any of these available in California 😕

Ideally, they want to have just enough stock to make it to the next system revision.

They should have made statistical sales volume models based on past performance (takes into account previous quantities of each model point, MSRP, next ship date,...).

So I think they got their quantities right this time (thinking about the fact there's still 2008 3.2GHz Octads in the Refurb store 😱).

It's also cheaper for Apple to leave stock where it is for the time being (most of that gets sold off to 3rd party authorized resellers, such as PowerMax, but any remaining they and others won't take, may end up being consolidated in the CA location and sold in the Refurb store as happend with the 2008's). Lowest shipping costs that way = smaller hit on the margin. 😉

I'm totally ok with the current model and had the same thought as you on a better card later on.

Makes the most sense in your case, as you're earning with the system (need now, not some unknown date). Besides, the OEM card will give you a backup in case the faster card fails. 😉

I just hope the Apple Business Rep will ok my refusing the unit as the shipping time is so much longer than he and I discussed.

I hope so, but I've never had to deal with this, so can't offer any insight.