Apple changes how you buy Macs: No more ready-made options online

New Delhi: Apple has changed how people in India and the rest of the world buy computers from its website. In late January 2026, the company removed the old preconfigured options that shoppers usually saw. Earlier, you would see a few set boxes with fixed RAM and storage choices before you started customizing. Now, that list of starter models has disappeared. When you click the buy button on any Mac, the site takes you straight to a page where you have to build the machine from scratch.

This update was first spotted by MacWorld and it makes buying a Mac more like buying an iPhone or an iPad. You now have to pick every single spec one by one. It might feel like a bit more work for some people who just want a basic laptop. However, it gives more control to professional users who need specific hardware for their work. I remember when I bought my last MacBook, I spent a lot of time comparing the three preset boxes on the screen, but those boxes are gone now. This change affects all models including the MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac mini.

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The new system is quite simple but it requires you to know exactly what you want before you start. Instead of picking a base model, you now start by choosing the screen size and the color. Then you move on to the chip type, memory, and storage. According to MacWorld, "the new configurator lets you choose one spec after another instead." This means you can even pick your power adapter and add pre-installed apps like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro right at the start. It is a very step by step process that puts all choices up front.

Mark Gurman from Bloomberg has suggested that this design change could be preparation for new hardware coming soon. He noted that "the latest MacBook Pro could be queued up for a release alongside macOS 26.3." This version of the software usually has a release cycle between February and March. There are also rumors that the upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max chips will be offered with more flexibility. This would let you choose exactly how many CPU and GPU cores you want for your specific tasks.

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Since there are no more preset bundles to compare side by side, you have to be very careful about the final price. Every time you upgrade the memory or the storage, the total cost goes up on the screen immediately. It is a good idea to check the financing and EMI options before you reach the final payment page. Many buyers might find it a bit confusing at first because you have to make many more clicks than you did in the past.

If you are planning to buy a new Mac this week, make sure you read the specs like unified memory and SSD capacity very carefully. It is easy to accidentally pick a lower spec when you are doing it all manually. You should also compare the configurations manually if you want to weigh performance against your budget. Apple has "removed all preconfigured Mac options that shoppers normally saw before customizing," so you are now starting with a blank slate every time you shop. This new experience is all about forcing a fully custom build from the very first click.