- Updated: March 3, 2026
- 4 min read
Apple’s New MacBook Pro Laptops See Price Surge Amid RAM Shortage – Ubos Tech News
–:–:–:– Founder Summit 2026 in Boston: Don’t miss ticket savings of up to $300. Register Now. Save up to $680 on your Disrupt 2026 pass. Ends 11:59 p.m. PT tonight. REGISTER NOW. Close Image Credits:Apple Hardware The new MacBook Pro laptops are as much as $400 more expensive than their predecessors. Thank the RAM shortage.Amanda Silberling 9:39 AM PST · March 3, 2026 Apple unveiled its latest slate of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops on Tuesday morning, and in the case of the MacBook Pro, the new hardware comes with the announcement of new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. The specs on the new chips are impressive, featuring an 18-core CPU that Apple says is over 4x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation.But consumers may be surprised to see the price of the new MacBook Pro devices, which are all between $100 and $400 more expensive than their previous models. For the base MacBook Pro, which has an M5 Pro chip, prices start at $2,199 for the 14-inch model and $2,699 for the 16-inch models. That’s up from $1,999 and $2,499, respectively, for the M4 Pro versions released last year.The MacBook Pro models with the M5 Max chips start at a whopping $3,599 and $3,899 for the 14-inch and 16-inch models, respectively. That’s a full $400 more expensive than their predecesssors. The price jump also affects the new MacBook Air laptops. The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,099, up from $999. The 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299, also up $100 from last year’s base model.With the demands for more computers and data centers to power AI, the market is experiencing a shortage of RAM, causing memory prices to surge. Analysts are already predicting that smartphone shipments will plummet this year as a result of the shortage. Naturally, other hardware like laptops would be impacted, too, and Apple’s pricing could serve as a bellwether for how much the sector will be affected. Techcrunch event Disrupt 2026: The tech ecosystem, all in one room Your next round.Your next hire. Your next breakout opportunity. Find it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where 10,000+ founders, investors, and tech leaders gather for three days of 250+ tactical sessions, powerful introductions, and market-defining innovation. Register now to save up to $400. Save up to $300 or 30% to TechCrunch Founder Summit 1,000+ founders and investors come together at TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 for a full day focused on growth, execution, and real-world scaling.Learn from founders and investors who have shaped the industry. Connect with peers navigating similar growth stages. Walk away with tactics you can apply immediatelyOffer ends March 13. San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026 REGISTER NOW Topics Apple, Gadgets, Hardware, In Brief, macbook pro, RAM Amanda Silberling Senior Writer Amanda Silberling is a senior writer at TechCrunch covering the intersection of technology and culture.She has also written for publications like Polygon, MTV, the Kenyon Review, NPR, and Business Insider. She is the co-host of Wow If True, a podcast about internet culture, with science fiction author Isabel J. Kim. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she worked as a grassroots organizer, museum educator, and film festival coordinator. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and served as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Laos.You can contact or verify outreach from Amanda by emailing amanda@techcrunch.com or via encrypted message at @amanda.100 on Signal. View Bio June 9 Boston, MA Actively scaling? Fundraising? Planning your next launch?TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 delivers tactical playbooks and direct access to 1,000+ founders and investors who are building, backing, and closing.Register by March 13 to save up to $300.REGISTER NOW Most Popular ChatGPT uninstalls surged by 295% after DoD deal Sarah Perez MyFitnessPal has acquired Cal AI, the viral calorie app built by teens Julie Bort The trap Anthropic built for itself Connie Loizos Why did Netflix back down from its deal to acquire Warner Bros?Anthony Ha India disrupts access to popular developer platform Supabase with blocking order Jagmeet Singh Jack Dorsey just halved the size of Block’s employee base — and he says your company is next Connie Loizos An accountant won a big jackpot on Kalshi by betting against DOGE Julie Bort Loading the next article Error loading the next article