Apple introduced its economical MacBook Neo laptop along with new M5-powered MacBook Air and M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro versions. The Neo represents the most affordable MacBook ever offered by the company, whereas the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are merely updates to Apple’s current lineup, pledging performance enhancements compared to their predecessors. Apple claims a 4x performance improvement in AI functions on both the updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro compared to the previous generation. With these new models, if you own a MacBook and were considering an upgrade to a newer and superior model in 2026, you have ample choices available.
Nonetheless, if you intended to upgrade your MacBook later this year, you should really think twice about that plan. In case you weren’t aware, the ongoing AI-driven memory shortage is adversely impacting the consumer technology market, causing prices for various everyday items that utilize memory, like laptops, consoles, and smartphones, to be expected to rise consequently. While some companies have increased the price of their current products, such as Sony with its PS5 price hike, Apple has merely elevated the entry point across its MacBook Air and Pro series.
If you wish to acquire the new M5 MacBook Air, for instance, and have allocated a budget of $999 (the same price as the introductory M4 Air), you will need to adjust your budget upward by $100 as it now starts at $1,099. Whether the company will adopt the pricing strategies of other manufacturers (such as Sony, Samsung, and Nintendo) to raise the prices of existing products remains uncertain, but to be cautious, don’t delay in upgrading your MacBook.