Apple has been compelled to increase the prices of its MacBook laptops and iPads. Notably, the 2026 flagship product, the MacBook Neo, has seen a significant price hike. The base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD has gone from 699 euros to 799 euros, the previous price for the 512GB RAM and Touch ID model. The 512GB model has now risen from 799 to 899 euros. This price increase is mirrored in the US, with a 1:1 parity, meaning the MacBook Neo’s starting price jumped from $599 to $699, a $100 increase.
These price increases are conservative, as the impact is most pronounced on devices where memory and storage constitute a larger portion of the total cost. In Europe, the MacBook Air’s price has risen from 1,199 to 1,399 euros, and the base MacBook Pro has increased from 1,899 to 2,199 euros. iPads have also seen price adjustments: the iPad Air now starts at 509 euros, up from 389 euros, and the iPad Pro’s starting price has climbed from 1,119 to 1,319 euros. These price hikes range from 100 euros to as much as 600 euros on higher-end models.
The most powerful MacBook Pros are the most affected by Apple’s price increases
This decision follows Tim Cook’s recent warning that price increases were inevitable. Apple’s CEO explained that the pressure on RAM and storage costs had become “unsustainable.” Suppliers are prioritizing HBM memory for AI accelerators and servers, diverting capacity away from chips used in laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Essentially, while memory is available, it’s being prioritized for the highly profitable AI sector, often requiring advance payments months or even years in advance.
The underlying issue is that the AI industry is competing for the same memory suppliers that serve the consumer market. Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix are prioritizing high-value contracts for data centers, where High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) offers superior profit margins. According to the analysis firm TrendForce, DRAM prices surged by up to 98% in the first quarter of 2026 and are projected to increase by another 58% to 63% in the current quarter.
Apple has chosen to protect the prices of iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods for now. However, several analysts predict that iPhone prices might increase with the next generation. The strategy appears to be to preemptively announce bad news before the major September launch to prevent price increases from overshadowing the new iPhone’s debut. Prices for Mac Studio desktops, Vision Pro glasses, and other devices have also been raised.
While Apple may increase its average revenue per unit by raising prices, this does not necessarily translate to higher profits, and the market has reacted negatively. At the time of writing, Apple’s stock had fallen by nearly 6%, resulting in a loss of approximately $248 billion (218 billion euros) in market capitalization immediately after the announcement.
This will particularly impact their more budget-friendly model, the MacBook Neo. This device surprised the industry by offering a well-rounded product at a relatively affordable price, given Apple’s usual pricing. While 699 euros is a manageable price for many, reaching the 800-euro mark opens up more options outside the Apple ecosystem, options that are not limited by the 8GB of RAM offered in this model. It remains to be seen how these price increases will affect the company’s sales.
“The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen such a large and rapid increase in component prices. It has reached a point where we need to start raising prices on several products. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”
