Windows laptops aren't the only computers getting more expensive amid the global RAM shortage. Two PC makers have quietly raised the prices of their premium Chromebooks.As of mid-May, two configurations of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 and one variant of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 were up to $250 pricier than they were at launch last year:Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 16GB RAM, 256GB UFS) — was $749.99, now $999Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 12GB RAM, 128GB UFS) — was $649.99, now $829.99 (but sold out)Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 12GB RAM, 256GB UFS) — was $699.99, now $749A second configuration of the Acer model has remained steady at $799.99 since its release in September 2025, though it was out of stock at the time of writing.

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Lenovo and Acer haven't formally announced these price hikes, which were first reported by the tech site Chrome Unboxed.When reached for comment, an Acer spokesperson issued the following statement to Mashable:

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Acer is adopting flexible pricing and promotional strategies to support demand and stabilize product availability as component costs increase. With any given model, as existing inventory sells out and new product is manufactured, there may be increases beyond Acer’s original MSRP guidance. This pricing will change based on demand, supply, as well as component costs at the time of manufacture.A representative for Lenovo acknowledged Mashable's request for comment and said they'll follow up soon. We'll update this story once we hear back.Both Chromebooks are best-in-class machines (we've tested them), but they were already costly at their original MSRPs. The now-$999 Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, in particular, is impossible for me to recommend at full price despite its beautiful OLED display and peppy processor. An on-sale M5 MacBook Air is a vastly smarter buy.If nothing else, these Chromebooks make Apple's new budget laptop, the Mashable Choice Award-winning MacBook Neo, look like even more of a bargain at $599 (or $499 for education buyers). But it might not be available at that price for much longer.