Sooo I am looking to buy a Mac Book (or maybe pro, unsure), however I would like to get a mac book with the 4gigs of ram and either 320 gb hard drive or a 500 gb hard drive, can i buy that in store and they will do it there or do I have to order online?
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Can i buy a custom mac in store?
- Thread starter deathcab4xtina
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Stores carry a very small range of "custom" Macs. If they don't have a pre-configured custom machine in the specs you want you have to order online: there is no in-store customisation.
RAM and HDDs are so simple to install in the unibody MacBook/MacBook Pro that I can't see why one would buy CTO unless it was for a processor bump or matte screen.
Check out the guides at iFixIt. http://www.ifixit.com/Browse/MacBook http://www.ifixit.com/Browse/MacBook_Pro
B
Do the RAM and HD upgrade yourself. You will save a lot of money. Plus you should upgrade using an aftermarket SSD. Your new Macbook Pro will be amazingly fast.
I am tech stupid. Thats why. I can tell you lots of stuff about film and cameras, but nothing about computers.
All the comments about at-home upgrades being so simple needs to be taken with a grain of salt. I am mechanically inclined and did a HD upgrade on my '08 MBP. The screws were absolutely the smallest things I have ever see. I had very good instructions from Other World Computing, but still wound up labeling nine Starbucks shot cups for the screws. I got it done OK, but I found it a bit hairy.
Dale
Dale
Must have been an Early '08. I certainly would not have done so on my iBook or even my 2006 iMac (yet), but the late '08 unibody models are just dead simple. Open battery compartment, remove battery, two screws and a couple of cables, reverse process. The 2009 and later models without the battery compartment are a bit harder, but really not bad at all.
B
I wonder if you can go to the Apple Store, go to a Mac, start Safari, and order from the online store, AND get help from the staff in ordering? Somebody might go into the store needing a non-standard configuration (say an optional larger hard drive). Would they be turned away?
I did my upgrades myself and I think I got better Ram and larger 7200rpm hard drive for less BUT staying on point with the OP's question:
As mentioned the Ape stores do carry on small selection of optioned Macs. Example the anti glare screen is popular in the MacBook Pro's for photographers (editing etc) and my local Atlanta Apple store keep a few in stock.
You might luck out and thy have what your looking for. Go down there and talk to someone. You may find and in stock model that you want instead of your original choice. Maybe you think the MacBook with 4GB is for you but find the newacbook Air just feels right.
When you decide which model you want and it is one to be CTO (Custom To Order) you can do one of 3 things.
1. Go home and order online
2. Order online from Apple Store computer with their help
3. My local Apple Store will let me order customized Macs for in store pick up ... I order (through the business team as I have a business) and they call me when it arrives.
I totally prefer option 3 and this is why. I had an online CTO i7 MBP that had a ding in the bottom case. I call up the local Apple store and told them the issue. I asked if I could simply bring it in to exchange it and they said NO since it was ordered online it had to go directly back to Apple and they would resend one. This cost me time and was a hassle. Time = $ so I personally suggest going in store when possible.
I hope this helps you.
As mentioned the Ape stores do carry on small selection of optioned Macs. Example the anti glare screen is popular in the MacBook Pro's for photographers (editing etc) and my local Atlanta Apple store keep a few in stock.
You might luck out and thy have what your looking for. Go down there and talk to someone. You may find and in stock model that you want instead of your original choice. Maybe you think the MacBook with 4GB is for you but find the newacbook Air just feels right.
When you decide which model you want and it is one to be CTO (Custom To Order) you can do one of 3 things.
1. Go home and order online
2. Order online from Apple Store computer with their help
3. My local Apple Store will let me order customized Macs for in store pick up ... I order (through the business team as I have a business) and they call me when it arrives.
I totally prefer option 3 and this is why. I had an online CTO i7 MBP that had a ding in the bottom case. I call up the local Apple store and told them the issue. I asked if I could simply bring it in to exchange it and they said NO since it was ordered online it had to go directly back to Apple and they would resend one. This cost me time and was a hassle. Time = $ so I personally suggest going in store when possible.
I hope this helps you.
I am tech stupid too. I'm a filmmaker too. But... I just upgraded my hard drive myself. iFixIt, and OWC have enough videos online (for your specific make and model even), that you can do it yourself, watching the video step by step - on another computer of course.
They even tell you which tools to use - I didn't have the correct screwdrivers, but I bought a pack at home depot with the ones I needed for 7 bucks. It WILL save you a lot of money if you buy the base model (or upgrade the processor only and/or resolution/matte screen).
I was like you once and upgraded the hard drive and memory through Apple. Not any more. Check out prices for these things at newegg.com. You'll find that you can sell/use the extra memory AND hard drive that you take out of your base system.
If you are worried about picking the right memory or hard drive - ask here, people will tell you and/or type in a google search the hard drive name and macbook pro, and many of the sites with these drives/memory will help you pick compatible products.
Eg: I put in "Seagate Momentus XT ST95005620AS macbook pro" in a search and it came up ok. I am happy with my choice to upgrade it myself.