The Mac Book Neo is experiencing i Phone-like shortages — as Tim Cook hails ‘best launch week ever’ for new Mac buyers | Tech Radar

Overview

The Mac Book Neo is experiencing i Phone-like shortages — as Tim Cook hails ‘best launch week ever’ for new Mac buyers

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Details

Apple is experiencing shipping delays for the Mac Book Neo

Orders from Apple's online store aren't expected to ship until mid-April

This demand is attributed to first-time Mac owners, making it the biggest Mac launch for Apple

Haven’t ordered your new Mac Book Neo yet? Well, I’d advise you to score Apple’s budget laptop sooner rather than later, as it’s experiencing shipping delays everywhere.

Following its launch on March 11, the Mac Book Neo has proved to be one of Apple’s most popular products in recent years, but it appears that the tech giant hasn’t been able to keep up with the skyrocketing demand that’s come with it. As a result, shipping delays are increasing, and now you may not be able to get your hands on a Mac Book Neo until mid-April at the very earliest.

According to 9to 5 Mac, every configuration of the Mac Book Neo has sold out in the US and won’t be shipped until between April 6 and April 13 when you order from Apple’s online store, pushing shipping dates back a good two to three weeks.

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Apple’s online store in the UK is showing similar dates, and most models are due to be shipped between April 9 and April 16. Based on which iteration of the Neo you opt for, you could be looking between April 16 and April 23 for your device to be shipped — this is mainly for the Mac Book Neo with the Blush finish, and applies to both the 256GB and 512GB models. Ordering from your local Apple store may not be the best idea either, as in-store collection dates are also being pushed back.

Waiting until next month to snag what will undoubtedly become one of the best budget laptops isn’t ideal, but a few weeks back, we predicted that Apple would sell these by the boatload, and voilà. But despite the frustrating delays, it reveals something monumental for Apple as a company, and it’s all thanks to first-time Mac customers.

For the first time, a Mac Book launch has ushered in a demand that you only really see with the release of a new i Phone. Apple CEO Tim Cook has deemed it the ‘best launch week ever’ for Macs, which has been fuelled by first-time Mac Book owners. This can be attributed to the Mac Book Neo’s affordability, giving users who've wanted to convert to Mac a better entry point, but could never justify the hefty price tag. But the Neo has also done a stellar job at luring casual users and students.

Just like us, users on Reddit also expected the demand, with one describing the Mac Book Neo as ‘such a neat notebook’, garnering a shedload of responses agreeing that it'll be a big hit with scholars, especially when September comes around. Not only that, but Apple’s budget laptop has given users more reason to not opt for an i Pad, which costs around the same as the Mac Book Neo, but requires purchasing a separate keyboard and other accessories, which aren’t budget-friendly.

With this in mind, picking a Mac Book Neo up at your nearest Apple store may be your best option if you don’t want to wait nearly three weeks for one to arrive. Alternatively, you can try other retailers such as Amazon, which offers same-week shipping. Unfortunately, the Mac Book Neo is out of stock on Amazon UK, so heading to the Apple store is your best shot right now.

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Rowan is an Editorial Associate and Apprentice Writer for Tech Radar. A recent addition to the news team, he is involved in generating stories for topics that spread across Tech Radar's categories. His interests in audio tech and knowledge in entertainment culture help bring the latest updates in tech news to our readers.

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Key Takeaways

• The Mac Book Neo is experiencing i Phone-like shortages — as Tim Cook hails ‘best launch week ever’ for new Mac buyers

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• Apple is experiencing shipping delays for the Mac Book Neo

• Orders from Apple's online store aren't expected to ship until mid-April

• This demand is attributed to first-time Mac owners, making it the biggest Mac launch for Apple