Apple introduced its new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops on Tuesday morning. The MacBook Pro features new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. These chips boast an 18-core CPU and are claimed to offer over four times the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation. However, the new MacBook Pro models have seen a price increase, ranging from $100 to $400 more than their predecessors.
The base MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip starts at $2,199 for the 14-inch model and $2,699 for the 16-inch variant, increased from $1,999 and $2,499, respectively, for the M4 Pro versions released last year. MacBook Pro models featuring the M5 Max chips are priced at $3,599 and $3,899 for the 14-inch and 16-inch models, respectively, which is $400 more than previous models.
The MacBook Air line is also affected by the price hike. The 13-inch MacBook Air is now $1,099, up from $999, while the 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299, a $100 increase from last year’s base model.
With the rising demand for computers and data centers driven by AI, there is a RAM shortage impacting the market, leading to increased memory prices. Analysts foresee a significant drop in smartphone shipments this year due to the shortage, and this trend is likely to affect other hardware, including laptops. Apple’s pricing strategy could indicate the broader implications for the industry.