Apple raises MacBook prices amid RAM shortage

Apple unveiled its latest slate of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops on Tuesday morning. The newly launched laptop models feature new hardware, including Apple’s new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. However, the launch comes with price increases across the lineup, making the new MacBook Pro laptops more expensive than their predecessors. The new MacBook Pro devices are between $100 and $400 more expensive than previous models. Because of these price increases, consumers may be surprised by the price of the new MacBook Pro devices. The price jump also affects the new MacBook Air laptops.

The pricing for the newly launched laptop models contrasts with the previous generation models as follows:

• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro): Starts at $2,199. This is more expensive than the $1,999 price for the M4 Pro version released last year.
• 16-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro): Starts at $2,699. This is more expensive than the $2,499 price for the M4 Pro version released last year.
• 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Max): Starts at $3,599. This represents a price increase of as much as $400 compared to its predecessor.
• 16-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Max): Starts at $3,899. This is also $400 more expensive than the previous model.
• 13-inch MacBook Air: Starts at $1,099. This is up from the previous starting price of $999.
• 15-inch MacBook Air: Starts at $1,299, which also reflects the price jump affecting the lineup.

Beyond the pricing changes, the new hardware introduces performance specifications. The new MacBook Pro hardware includes the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which feature an 18-core CPU. According to Apple, these new chips feature over 4x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation. This performance upgrade is a key feature of the newly launched laptop models.

These price hikes are linked to a shortage of RAM (Random Access Memory), which is causing memory prices to surge. Analysts predict that smartphone shipments will plummet this year due to the shortage. Naturally, other hardware like laptops would be impacted, too. Apple’s pricing could serve as a bellwether for how much the sector will be affected by these supply constraints, as memory costs continue to rise.

Why it matters

Apple’s pricing adjustments could serve as a bellwether for how much the broader hardware sector will be affected by supply constraints. The shortage of RAM is driving up memory prices, forcing manufacturers to adjust their pricing structures and potentially impacting shipments of other consumer electronics like smartphones.