New Apple MacBook arrives in South Africa with pricing details [update]

Update: The new Apple MacBook range is now available for preorder on the iStore website.

It’s always good to gain word of a new product’s imminent arriving in South Africa, but more often than not, Apple products seem to take that much longer than its rivals’ offerings.

After what has been just a few weeks since its March launch, Apple’s South African importer Core has announced that the new 12-inch MacBook will be “available for [its] in-store preview in Apple Premium Resellers on Friday, 8 May 2015.” These resellers include Digicape and the iStore, but note, the device will not be available for sale just yet.

That’s right, folks.

“Stock availability dates are still to be announced,” so you’ll have to wait a little bit longer to own a gold laptop. But it’s not all doom and gloom for those frantically counting pennies found beneath the couch cushions. Core has announced the recommended retail pricing, for the two models that will start us off.

The cheapest MacBook offering will begin at R18 999, boasting a 1.1GHz Intel Core M CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. Prices will balloon to R23 999 should you fancy the 1.2GHz Intel Core M, 8GB of RAM and 512GB SSD option. And if you’re worried about the quality of the finish, these prices will be shared across the Gold, Silver and Space Grey variants.

Read more: 6 sleek Apple MacBook features that are making fans go ape

The new MacBook, along with boasting more intuitive touch technology thanks to Apple’s Force Touch feature, also flaunts a fanless design and a new USB Type-C port, which allows the device to be charged, connected to a display and transfer data.

It will remain to be seen just how popular the new MacBook will become, but thankfully it may very well drive the prices of older MacBooks down ever so slightly.