It's a testament to the ridiculousness of Apple's newly-released Mac Pro Wheels Kit that, in a world where everything is ridiculous right now, it still seems really, really ridiculous. Sure, the wheels might be made of "custom-designed stainless steel and rubber". Sure, they might "make it easy to move your Mac Pro around." But for $699? ridiculous.
The kit, which appeared on Apple's website last week, includes four wheels, an installation guide (which we hope is printed on very high-quality paper) and a 1/4-inch to 4 mm hex bit (a tool, we assume – no doubt solid gold). Adding insult to expensive injury, Apple notes that "additional tools are necessary" for the installation of the wheels.
Sure, the Mac Pro is an extremely powerful machine (which may well enter our list of the best computers for graphic design) but... $699... for wheels. Well, Apple is charging $999 for a Mac Pro stand.
Wheel not be ordering these in a hurry (Image credit: Apple)
The wheels were already available as an add-on when purchasing the Mac Pro. We were shocked back then that, at $100 per wheel, they added $400 to the price of an already eye-wateringly expensive machine. But now that the four wheels are available as a separate purchase for an extra $299, we find ourselves compelled to ask: is Apple okay? If anyone is able to explain the extra cost for buying them separately, we're all ears. Apple doesn't even appear to have reinvented the wheels – which means your Mac Pro could still be prone to wandering off thanks to the absence of brakes. It goes without saying that we're not alone in our surprise about the price:
I just priced a fully decked out Mac Pro and it is the same price as a new one ton diesel pickup truck. Which is probably why it needs wheels. So you can ride it around and feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.April 17, 2020
We accept, of course, that the Mac Pro isn't aimed at most creatives – it's more likely to be found inside a high-powered production suite than your average apartment, but Apple is definitely on a roll when it comes to expensive accessories. You could bag yourself a new iPad for the same price as the $399 Magic Keyboard for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, for example. And if you did originally opt for wheels with the Mac Pro and would prefer a set of feet instead, Apple has also released a new Feet Kit for $299. Bargain.
The Mac Pro (with feet, not wheels) (Image credit: Apple)
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
