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Apple Store Cuts Prices on Some Mac mini BTO Options

by , 5:20 PM EST, January 25th, 2005

Apple has quietly dropped the price of a couple build-to-order options on the Mac mini, just weeks after the system was introduced.

The 1GB RAM upgrade is now priced at $325, down $100 from before, although the 512MB upgrade is still priced at $75. The Bluetooth+AirPort Extreme card has been reduced $30 to $99, although the individual Bluetooth and AirPort Extreme cards remain priced at $50 and $79, respectively (note that the Mac mini can only accommodate one of these three wireless cards at a time).

Although not reflected on the Mac mini's specs page, the $100 SuperDrive upgrade has been boosted from a 4x model to an 8x model.

In an editorial published after the Mac mini's release, The Mac Observer's Misha Sakellaropoulo criticized the high cost of build-to-order options on the Mac mini.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Nookster Posts: 94 Joined: 27 Oct 2004
Subject: Heh,

Apple just wouldn't be Apple if they didn't f*** up something unbelievably obvious, like those original prices.

Don't see a UK price massage yet, perhaps a bit of a petulant foot-drag after the Euro pricing petition.

Close Name:Mace Posts: 9163 Joined: 07 Aug 2003
Subject:

Good move

Close Name:spxyu02 Posts: 1214 Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Subject:

Part of me wonders if this is not only to make up for originally high prices, but a drop off in orders now that there's a significant wait time for delivery.

Close Name:Mace Posts: 9163 Joined: 07 Aug 2003
Subject:

Economy of scale and management's resolve to remove obstacles to adoption of Mac mini.

View Name:Guest
Subject: One More Thing They Could Do That'd REALLY Help...
Close Name:kevdo Posts: 54 Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Subject: All Pro and prosumer models should have 512 MB

> but one more thing they should do is have the 'hi-end'
> Mac Mini (the $599 one) come with 512 MB of RAM standard.

I can't fault Apple for not including 512 on this model when the much higher end iMac and laptop lines come with 256 standard...

View Name:Guest
Subject: Bluetooth+AirportExtreme card ?
View Name:RealityCheck -   Troll Posts: 392 Joined: 06 May 2004
Subject: Still A RAM Rip-Off
Close Name:JimWCB Posts: 301 Joined: 29 Aug 2002
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
I didn't know there was such a card. Where is it on the apple store? (Staff says that has been reduced to $99 as compared to the $79 for Airport Extreme card only).
Please anyone, point me to this card and will it work with an older iBook (the 14" 1.07GHz that did not come with Airport card).

Thanks


No, this one is only for the mini. Only way to get bluetooth on older ibooks is a usb adapter.

You see it as an option if your build a mini to order. You can't buy it seperately.

View Name:Guest
Subject: Same old story
Close Name:kenaustus Posts: 601 Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Subject: Thanks for your concern RC

I'm always pleased to see RC so worried about us. Someone needs to tell him that a lot of us know to buy RAM from a reputable 3rd party.

As for Dell, sure they can bait & switch you for cheap RAM as it's S-H-A-R-E-D RAM. Now someone needs to let RC know what that means. I would guess that Dell manages to get an average or around $1,500 per order on their "cheap" computers - and that doesn't include iLife.

View Name:Guest
Subject:
Close Name:-hh Posts: 52 Joined: 04 Aug 2004
Subject: Yet another RC on RC

RC> Dell only charges $153 for 1GB RAM...

That's because its for 2*512MB DIMMS and not 1*1GB DIMM.


FWIW, the $75 BTO upgrade for 512MB total is IMO a reasonable price from Apple. Yes, it would be nicer still if the $40 difference in generic retail value between a 256 and a 512 DIMM didn't get completely sucked up as a labor charge, but since any touch labor's going to have to add at least $20 to the cost, we're really only niggling about no more than $20...that's chump change.

Heck, I'll even take RC out for a $20 lunch if it will discourage her from whining about chump change.


-hh

View Name:Guest
Subject: 512 MB of RAM...
Close Name:Biff Posts: 1479 Joined: 08 Apr 2004
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
All this complaining that Apple needed a 499 computer and now complaining when they get it.

In the 80's I worked for a national restaurant chain that had a great chicken special every Tuesday and Thursday evening...
Boy you sure wasted alot of time making up that story just to convey a fairly simple analogy.

Close Name:B-sabre Posts: 70 Joined: 18 Jan 2005
Subject:

Quote
Biff wrote:
Quote
Guest wrote:
All this complaining that Apple needed a 499 computer and now complaining when they get it.

In the 80's I worked for a national restaurant chain that had a great chicken special every Tuesday and Thursday evening...
Boy you sure wasted alot of time making up that story just to convey a fairly simple analogy.


But he has a point. "Loss Leaders" are just supposed to get people in the door to look at the other stuff. If that's all they buy, then you do loose money.

But I don't think the Mm is exactly a Loss-Leader. More of low-risk Mac-with-training wheels.....

View Name:Guest
Subject:
Close Name:kenaustus Posts: 601 Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Subject: Call for a refund

Just read a comment that those that paid the original prices can call to get a refund for the difference.

View Name:Guest
Subject:
View Name:Guest
Subject: Losers
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