Memory, storage chip prices quadruple in a year, costs expected to keep rising
Shoppers try out Macs at Apple Iconsiam, Thailand’s flagship store, in March 2026. (Photo: Somchai Poomlard)
NEW YORK — Apple raised the prices of its Macs and iPads on Thursday, citing the soaring costs of memory and storage chips as the artificial intelligence (AI) boom has created a frenzy for the components.Apple increased prices on some laptop and tablet models US$200 or more. A base model of the MacBook Pro, for example, now costs $1,999, up from $1,699. Apple’s entry-level laptop, the MacBook Neo, now costs $699, $100 higher than when it was unveiled in March.
The price of an iPad Air increased $150 to $749, while the price of an iPad Pro jumped $200 to $1,199.
The increases show that even Apple, with its sprawling supply chain, is not immune to a global shortage in memory and storage chips. AI chipmakers like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices have demanded more of the components for their own chips, which are then used in data centres for developing and running AI systems.
