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BTO Online Only?

B

Blu-Ray

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 12, 2008
240
0
Colorado
Sorry if this has already been posted....

I'm getting ready to buy the new 13" MBA (base) with 8GB RAM upgrade. I realize that the RAM is built-in which makes it BTO, but are any Apple Stores carrying this configuration or is the online order the only way to get one like this?

My local Apple store has two 13" MBAs - the base (without processor, RAM or SSD upgrades) and a 13" with all the possible upgrades (2.0 i7, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD).

Are stores only carrying these two configurations?
 
Blu-Ray said:
Sorry if this has already been posted....

I'm getting ready to buy the new 13" MBA (base) with 8GB RAM upgrade. I realize that the RAM is built-in which makes it BTO, but are any Apple Stores carrying this configuration or is the online order the only way to get one like this?

My local Apple store has two 13" MBAs - the base (without processor, RAM or SSD upgrades) and a 13" with all the possible upgrades (2.0 i7, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD).

Are stores only carrying these two configurations?
Click to expand...

I think thats how it usually works inshore, base config and all out config, your going to have to order it BTO from Apple online, but they do offer ship-to-store now.
 
Blu-Ray said:
Sorry if this has already been posted....

I'm getting ready to buy the new 13" MBA (base) with 8GB RAM upgrade. I realize that the RAM is built-in which makes it BTO, but are any Apple Stores carrying this configuration or is the online order the only way to get one like this?

My local Apple store has two 13" MBAs - the base (without processor, RAM or SSD upgrades) and a 13" with all the possible upgrades (2.0 i7, 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD).

Are stores only carrying these two configurations?
Click to expand...
Usually BTO models can only be ordered online, but some stores may elect to keep certain BTO configurations in stock. Just call your local store to make sure what they have available.
 
I was at my local Apple store (Valley Fair, San Jose) yesterday and asked a staff member if they had any base 13" MBA with 8GB of RAM in stock. He said they could customize it in the back for me in 20 - 30 minutes. Having seen the threads on here, I was a little surprised.

But I don't know if I would trust him 100% with that info though because he also said the RAM upgrade was $200, which is totally false.
 
DMCY22 said:
I was at my local Apple store (Valley Fair, San Jose) yesterday and asked a staff member if they had any base 13" MBA with 8GB of RAM in stock. He said they could customize it in the back for me in 20 - 30 minutes. Having seen the threads on here, I was a little surprised.

But I don't know if I would trust him 100% with that info though because he also said the RAM upgrade was $200, which is totally false.
Click to expand...
:eek:

It is soldered on.... not sure how he plans to do this for you. Maybe he thought you were asking about the MBP.
 
I returned a BTO in store, but I would imagine that would be the only reason they have them. It was unopened. The exact kind you are looking for
 
DMCY22 said:
I was at my local Apple store (Valley Fair, San Jose) yesterday and asked a staff member if they had any base 13" MBA with 8GB of RAM in stock. He said they could customize it in the back for me in 20 - 30 minutes. Having seen the threads on here, I was a little surprised.

But I don't know if I would trust him 100% with that info though because he also said the RAM upgrade was $200, which is totally false.
Click to expand...
Yes, he was wrong. It's important to remember than "Genius" is only their job title, and not necessarily an indication of their knowledge, experience or expertise.
 
I called my local store and asked if they had the new models in stock....the guy paused and said no. I walked there b.c it's acrosss the street and they had all versions available and tons of them. I think the "associates" are brain dead.
 
mattopotamus said:
I called my local store and asked if they had the new models in stock....the guy paused and said no. I walked there b.c it's acrosss the street and they had all versions available and tons of them. I think the "associates" are brain dead.
Click to expand...
I think I will stop by the store to see what they have before I order then. Thanks!
 
For the 13", my store has the base of each price point (i5/128/4GB & i5/256/4GB) plus the ultimate (i7/512/8GB). Unfortunately I am looking for the i5/256/8GB which they don't have, so I have to order online :(

Kind of devilish on Apple's part to not stock any other 8GB variant besides the ultimate in their stores. Forces the consumers who are impatient and want 8GB to buy the ultimate, even though they may not need the i7 and/or 512GB SSD. Oh well!
 
Zzari said:
For the 13", my store has the base of each price point (i5/128/4GB & i5/256/4GB) plus the ultimate (i7/512/8GB). Unfortunately I am looking for the i5/256/8GB which they don't have, so I have to order online :(

Kind of devilish on Apple's part to not stock any other 8GB variant besides the ultimate in their stores. Forces the consumers who are impatient and want 8GB to buy the ultimate, even though they may not need the i7 and/or 512GB SSD. Oh well!
Click to expand...

Its a great tactic, but also because most people generally go with the base because of the price, or the ultimate because of the specifications.
 
GGJstudios said:
It's important to remember than "Genius" is only their job title, and not necessarily an indication of their knowledge, experience or expertise.
Click to expand...
I also think it's important for folks to remember that the majority of employees that they interact with on the sales floor have the job title of "Specialist".

Employees with the job title of "Genius" are the ones that provide technical support behind the Genius Bar. They also perform hardware repairs (in the back of the store) on broken Macs that were brought in to the Genius Bar.

It's pretty rare to catch a Genius on the general sales floor, out from behind the Genius Bar.
 
I am also looking for a 13", I7, 8 gb but the store says the have only base and ultimate. I don't need a 512gb SSD. I went online with ship to store and it projects a delivery of June 28 or ships in 1-3 days if sent direct. Makes little sense to me. I want ship to store in Delaware to save sales tax.

Actually I currently have a 2011 I5 with 256gb and AppleCare until August 2014 so I am sort of taking this as a sign that I shouldn't pull the trigger on a 2012 model. I certainly don't need it, I just want it.
 
aristobrat said:
I also think it's important for folks to remember that the majority of employees that they interact with on the sales floor have the job title of "Specialist".
Click to expand...
Quite true! Of course, the same applies. The job title doesn't indicate that they all know what they're talking about.
 
Zzari said:
Kind of devilish on Apple's part to not stock any other 8GB variant besides the ultimate in their stores. Forces the consumers who are impatient and want 8GB to buy the ultimate, even though they may not need the i7 and/or 512GB SSD. Oh well!
Click to expand...

The NYC stores have lots of the other combinations. I purchased an i7/8GB/256GB 11.6" model last week. I think other big city stores also have more than just the "base" and "ultimate" combinations. There might be some combinations not in stores (e.g. i7/8GB/128GB), even in larger stores, though.
 
The only MBAs I'm finding in the Apple stores with 8GB RAM are the "Ultimates".

Anyone see any 13"/8GB RAM/128GB SSD in Best Buy, Microcenter or other brick & mortar stores?
 
That's funny because i went to my local apple store and told them i wanted a maxed out MBA 2012 and the guy said I'd have to get one online because they don't carry them :confused: I'm wondering now if I just wasn't specific enough and had to clearly state the (512GB/i7/8GB) config.
 
Blu-Ray said:
The only MBAs I'm finding in the Apple stores with 8GB RAM are the "Ultimates".

Anyone see any 13"/8GB RAM/128GB SSD in Best Buy, Microcenter or other brick & mortar stores?
Click to expand...

Nope, I tried looking also. I think BTO is the only way to go if you want a 8gb ram and 128gb ssd combo.
 
KPOM said:
The NYC stores have lots of the other combinations. I purchased an i7/8GB/256GB 11.6" model last week. I think other big city stores also have more than just the "base" and "ultimate" combinations. There might be some combinations not in stores (e.g. i7/8GB/128GB), even in larger stores, though.
Click to expand...

I think it's hit or miss. There are only two Apple Stores within 15 minutes of Seattle (Bellevue & University Village) and both of them only carry the three I listed: i5/4/128, i5/4/256, i7/8/512. Kind of disappointing, but oh well.
 
I just got my 2012 MBA. I ordered it last week and it arrived for pickup on Monday.

I ordered the 13" base with the 8GB upgrade. As I had suspected by calling some local stores, only the 13" base, 13" higher end, and 13" ultimates are shipping to stores. It is possible that at some point they will start getting the base 13" with 8GB as an in store stock once they see its popularity, but even then we may be only talking NYC, Chicago, etc. And not for a little while.
 
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