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Buying a MacBook Pro? You may have to wait until March

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It seems that even supply chain savvy Apple is still victim to the ongoing chip shortages. The company’s redesigned MacBook Pro line is showing shipping times in weeks with high demand driving the delay. Fortunately, Apple’s other Mac models seem to be shipping within reasonable times.

Taking a look at Apple’s website for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models show shipping times around mid-to-late February for the base M1 Pro models. Springing for the higher-end M1 Pro or the M1 Max increases shipping times to mid-to-late March.

14-inch MacBook Pro on Apple Website.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Keep in mind that’s for United States customers. MacRumors reports that U.K. and Canadian customers can see shipping dates between five and eight weeks as of this writing.

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These lengthy delays are almost certainly caused by a combination of heavy demand and the pandemic-induced chip shortage. The M1 Pro and M1 Max processors inside of Apple’s pro laptops have garnered widespread praise for their performance and efficiency. Popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (aka MKBHD), who used to lug an entire iMac Pro around airports, now comfortably does video editing on the new MacBook Pro while on the go. The mixture of power and efficiency has prompted many professional Mac users to upgrade their setups despite increased prices.

However, even as more people try to order a new MacBook Pro, Apple cannot escape the realities of the chip shortage. The company has had to cut back iPad production in order to support the demand for the new iPhone 13, subsequently lengthening wait times for the iPad. Even then, iPhone 13 production was halted temporarily in October due to workers getting time off.

The new MacBook Pro seen from the side.
Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel, however. Several companies have indicated that we may be getting towards the tail end of the shortage. Nvidia has been trying to finesse its supply chain relationships to shore up components for 2022. AMD’s CEO Dr. Lisa Su seemed confident that the shortage will improve throughout the second half of 2022. Intel was somewhat pessimistic, saying that the shortage may not end until 2023 at the earliest.

At the very least, Apple’s products don’t seem to be subject to unavailabilities like graphics cards and game consoles. You can still order a new MacBook Pro right now on their website, you just may not get it until March.

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David Matthews
David Matthews
Former Digital Trends Contributor
David is a freelance journalist based just outside of Washington D.C. specializing in consumer technology and gaming. He has…
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