Apple introduced new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops on Tuesday, pairing the MacBook Pro line with newly announced M5 Pro and M5 Max chips while increasing prices across the lineup. The new models feature higher processing capabilities aimed at artificial intelligence workloads, while base prices for the laptops rise between $100 and $400 compared with the previous generation.
The announcement includes updates to both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro families. Apple presented the new laptops alongside details of the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors, which the company says deliver major gains in graphics compute performance.
New M5 Chips Focus On AI Performance
The M5 Pro and M5 Max chips include specifications designed for demanding AI workloads. Apple said the processors feature an 18-core CPU and deliver more than four times the peak GPU compute performance for AI tasks compared with the previous generation.
These upgrades place the new MacBook Pro models among Apple’s most powerful portable systems, with the company emphasizing the chips’ ability to support increasingly intensive artificial intelligence applications.
MacBook Pro Prices Rise Up To $400
Alongside the hardware upgrades, the new MacBook Pro models come with higher prices. The base MacBook Pro configuration, equipped with the M5 Pro chip, starts at $2,199 for the 14-inch model and $2,699 for the 16-inch version.
Those prices represent a $200 increase over last year’s models with the M4 Pro chip, which started at $1,999 for the 14-inch laptop and $2,499 for the 16-inch model.
Configurations equipped with the M5 Max chip carry larger price increases. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max starts at $3,599, while the 16-inch model begins at $3,899. Each of those prices is $400 higher than the equivalent models from the previous generation.
MacBook Air Models Also See Price Increases
Apple also raised prices for the MacBook Air line. The 13-inch MacBook Air now starts at $1,099, up from $999 in last year’s model.
The 15-inch MacBook Air begins at $1,299, which is also $100 higher than the base price of the previous version.
Memory Shortage Linked To AI Demand
The price increases come as the technology sector faces rising memory costs. Demand for computers and data centers used to power artificial intelligence systems has increased pressure on the supply of RAM, pushing memory prices higher.
Analysts have warned that the shortage could affect multiple areas of the hardware market. Some forecasts indicate that smartphone shipments may decline this year as manufacturers adjust to higher component costs and supply constraints.
Other hardware categories, including laptops, are expected to experience similar pressure. Apple’s pricing for the new MacBook lineup may signal how the broader computer market could respond to rising memory costs.
Featured image credits: Pickpik
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