CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb 1, 2026, 04:08 (PST)
- Apple revamped its online Mac checkout, ditching preset configuration lists for a step-by-step build process
- This approach echoes Apple’s method for selling iPhones and iPads online, beginning with main options before offering extras
- Tech sites suggest this move might drive more upgrades and could be setting the stage for upcoming Mac releases
Apple has overhauled its online Mac ordering system, ditching the usual lineup of preset configurations. Now, customers must customize each machine piece by piece. This shift affects the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. Notably, the MacBook Pro page still doesn’t offer options for the M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, reports MacRumors. (MacRumors)
The redesign is significant because Apple’s online store is the go-to spot for customers seeking custom Mac configurations. Now, the upsell options — like extra memory, larger storage, or different chips — take center stage in the buying process. Malcolm Owen, a product comparison expert at AppleInsider, noted this guided layout “could help Apple drive up the number of upgrades on each order,” while also unifying the online shopping experience across product categories. (AppleInsider)
Macworld noted the options menu feels familiar — the M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro models still kick off with 24GB of memory, for example — but the new layout downplays the usual “good/better/best” starting points. The site suggested this redesign could pave the way for more detailed build-to-order tweaks with upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max models, potentially spreading out minor price changes across individual components. (Macworld)
Apple has removed the initial landing page that displayed pre-built combinations of processor, RAM, and storage after clicking the “Buy” button. Now, as 9to5Mac reported, customers are taken straight into the configurator to pick their specs step-by-step. (9to5Mac)
On Apple’s MacBook Pro order page, customers first select size and color, then proceed to pick display and chip options. After that, they can expand panels for memory, SSD storage, and other specs. The page features a mix of chips—M5 appears on some MacBook Pro models alongside M4 Pro and M4 Max versions—highlighting how Apple’s laptop lineup spans multiple chip generations. (Apple)
The configurator is basically the build menu—the place where buyers pick their hardware and extras before checkout. Apple refers to its shared RAM as “unified memory,” since both the main processor and graphics chip pull from the same pool. That means this one decision impacts overall performance and graphics tasks alike.
Apple’s approach with iPhones and iPads uses a step-by-step process, guiding buyers through storage and color options before prompting trade-ins and protection plans. PC companies like Dell and Lenovo have used build-to-order configurators for years, but Apple’s Mac store has stuck to a more curated lineup of presets upfront.
French Apple site Consomac reported that the new interface blurs the line between standard configurations—usually available from resellers—and custom builds, which often have longer wait times. Delivery and pickup details only appear near the end of the checkout process, after customers navigate through optional software, trade-in, and AppleCare+ offers. (Consomac)
The redesign might trip up shoppers looking for a quick, easy shortlist. It also raises the risk that buyers won’t realize until late that choosing certain specs can delay delivery. Apple’s store itself flags that some custom options impact delivery times and pickup availability — a heads-up that feels more urgent when each order begins from zero. (Apple)
Apple has doubled down on customization in its ads, urging MacBook Pro buyers to “Choose your chip, memory, storage, even color” and to “Build the Mac that’s best for you.” The redesigned store makes that message impossible to overlook—or ignore. (Apple)
