This article is more than 1 year old

That's how we roll: OWC savagely undercuts Apple's $699 Mac Pro wheels with bargain $199 alternative

Doesn't matter if design was perfected at dawn of humankind, you still have to pay Cupertino tax

Apple's $699 Mac Pro Wheel Kit provoked astonishment from the general public, swiftly followed by raucous laughter. Even by Apple's standards, these were a blatant piss-take. Fortunately, there's now an alternative for thrifty punters from Mac accessory biz OWC that costs "just" $199.

Yes, $199 is still a lot of money. You can get some actual car tyres for that. Hell, that's roughly the price of a 2009-era Mac Pro on eBay. Nonetheless, OWC manages to undercut Apple by almost two-thirds – which, to be fair, says more about Apple than OWC.

Made in the US, the OWC Rover Pro is constructed out of stainless steel and uses a patent-pending design that supposedly allows you to install them in minutes without any tools. Meanwhile, there's 360˚ of rotation and a braking system that stops them rolling about. OWC also throws in a free lifetime warranty.

Come to think of it, there doesn't seem to a single area where they're eclipsed by the Mac Pro Wheels Kit. There's nothing particularly special about Cupertino's version. They let you move your computer without having to carry it. That's it.

It's not as though Tim Cook fashioned them himself from recycled odds and ends or they were lubricated with angels' tears. They don't cure coronavirus. They're wheels.

Unfortunately for Apple, that particular gravy train is coming to a crashing halt, thanks to some lovely free-market competition.

If you're tempted, you can pre-order the OWC Rover Pro now, with units shipping in September. After that point, the price soars to $249 (although still cheaper than what you'd pay at the Apple Store).

Failing that, just send us the money. This correspondent can whip you up something with the Meccano in the loft. ®

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