Apple hikes prices across hardware lineup: RAM crisis drives increases from $30 to $4,200

Apple has increased prices on the majority of its hardware lineup, from iPads to Mac Pro, in response to the ongoing RAM crisis. According to The Verge, the price hikes affect both entry-level and high-end configurations, with increases ranging from $30 to as much as $4,200.

The reason for the surge is the rapid rise in memory and storage costs, driven by AI companies' massive stockpiling of RAM and SSDs for data centers. Tim Cook had previously indicated that Apple tried to shield customers from price increases, but the company has now joined Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft in raising prices.

Price changes by category:

• iPad: +$100 (from $349 to $449 for 128GB Wi-Fi model)
• iPad mini: +$100 (from $499 to $599)
• iPad Air (11-inch and 13-inch): +$150-$250
• iPad Pro (11-inch and 13-inch): +$200-$300
• HomePod: +$50 (from $299 to $349)
• HomePod mini: +$30 (from $99 to $129)
• MacBook Neo: +$100 (from $599 to $699)
• Apple TV 4K: +$70-$100
• Apple Vision Pro: +$200-$300 (256GB model now $3,699)
• MacBook Air (13-inch and 15-inch): +$200-$800
• MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch): +$300-$2,800
• iMac: +$200
• Mac Mini: +$200-$1,700
• Mac Studio: +$500-$4,200 (M3 Ultra version now $14,299)

These price changes take effect immediately, affecting new purchases and possibly existing orders. Apple continues to offer various models with different memory and storage configurations, but consumers should expect significant cost increases, especially for high-end devices.