The price hike does not affect iPhones, but it impacts Apple’s Mac and iPad lineup|Marlith|CC BY-SA 4.0
Apple hiked iPad and MacBook prices yesterday, citing rising costs for memory and storage chips, driven by massive AI data center investments.
Some laptop and tablet models now cost nearly 20% more, marking the company’s first major price increase after months of absorbing higher component costs. Apple said demand for chips used in AI data centers has created an unprecedented supply crunch, making further price hikes unavoidable.
The price increases do not affect iPhones, but they impact Apple’s Mac and iPad lineup.
- The entry-level MacBook Neo now starts at $699, up from $599.
- The MacBook Air (512GB) now costs $1,299, up from $1,099.
- The MacBook Pro (1TB) has increased to $1,999 from $1,699.
- The iPad Air (128GB) now starts at $749, compared with $599 previously.
Industry tracker TrendForce estimates that DRAM memory prices surged 98% in the first quarter of 2026 and could rise another 58% to 63% this quarter.
Why the price hike?
The AI data center boom is driving up the price of memory chips. Suppliers are prioritizing demand for artificial intelligence, pushing memory chip prices up more than fourfold since late last year, according to an industry expert cited by TechCrunch.
These higher costs are rippling through the market, with computer and electronics prices rising roughly 6% from December to May, according to government data.
Apple shares fell nearly 5%, while Dell dropped more than 8%, reflecting investor concerns over rising costs and weaker demand across the consumer electronics market.
Analysts warn that other PC makers may need even steeper price increases than Apple.