Last week, we reported that the MacBook Neo had proved so popular that Apple was running out of A18 Pro chips. At the time, we could already see that ordering one of the best budget laptops was delayed by up to a month.
Now though, a new article from a Taiwanese publication claims that Apple has already run out of its initial inventory of the Neo. The company is allegedly placing rush orders with its suppliers as its stock disappears.
According to the report, supply chain sources say that Apple's partners in China and Vietnam at Foxconn and Quanta have received new orders. However, it may be some time before you can get one.
Between dwindling supply and A18 Pro chips, ordering the Neo is seeing delays extending into May.
How long you'll wait
Apple Store |
Apple Online |
Amazon |
Best Buy |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
256GB in Silver |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
3 to 4 days |
1 day |
256GB in Blush |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
2 to 4 weeks |
1 week |
256GB in Citrus |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
1 to 2 weeks |
1 day |
256GB in Indigo |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
3 to 5 weeks |
1 day |
512GB in Silver |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
Overnight |
1 week |
512GB in Blush |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
4 to 6 weeks |
2 weeks |
512GB in Citrus |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
4 to 6 weeks |
2 weeks |
512GB in Indigo |
2 to 3 weeks |
3 weeks |
4 to 5 weeks |
1 weeks |
Delays and availability
Right now, if you were to try and order directly from Apple you wouldn't receive your MacBook Neo until the end of April into early May. The range spans from April 28 through May 5. A store pickup won't arrive until May 5 for instance.
That is for both versions including the base 256GB model and the 512GB version with Touch ID, and this also affects every colorway too.
Last week, Amazon had more stock readily available but that has appeared to dwindle. Most every iteration is delayed well into May, except the silver hue of both the 256GB and the 512GB Neo.
If you don't care about the color, you can order the silver variant and it should ship within the next two days. The yellow and indigo colorways have a slightly shorter delay but aren't shipping until April 21.
Best Buy may be your best bet though, as almost every color is available day of or within a week except the blush hue. That colorway is delayed about two weeks.
If you do order the silver hue, you could potentially order replacement parts in the color you want, since the Neo is very repairable. However, when you add everything up, that extra money spent on replacement parts moves the Neo from a budget laptop up to a mid-range one.
