Apple’s New MacBooks Promise AI Gains at a $400 Price Hike

Apple unveiled its latest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro line-up, introducing new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside noticeable price increases across the range.

The updated MacBook Pro models feature Apple’s new M5 Pro and M5 Max silicon, with specifications aimed squarely at AI-heavy workloads. The top-end configuration includes an 18-core CPU, delivering what Apple says is more than four times the peak GPU compute for AI compared with the previous generation.

However, the performance boost comes at a cost. The base 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip now starts at $2,199, while the 16-inch version begins at $2,699 — up from $1,999 and $2,499 respectively for last year’s M4 Pro models. Versions powered by the M5 Max chip start at $3,599 for the 14-inch and $3,899 for the 16-inch, a $400 increase over their predecessors.

The price rises extend to the MacBook Air range. The 13-inch model now starts at $1,099, up from $999, while the 15-inch variant begins at $1,299, marking a $100 increase year on year.

Industry analysts attribute the increases partly to mounting pressure on memory supply chains. Surging demand for AI infrastructure — from personal computers to hyperscale data centres — has contributed to a shortage of RAM, pushing component prices higher. Some analysts warn that smartphone shipments could decline this year as manufacturers grapple with constrained supply, with laptops and other hardware also affected.

The refreshed MacBook Air line-up includes 13-inch and 15-inch models, available in sky blue, midnight, starlight and silver. Notably, base storage has doubled to 512GB, compared with 256GB in the previous generation.

The MacBook Pro, as usual, targets professional users and developers, particularly those working with AI models. Apple says the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are up to four times faster at large language model prompt processing than their M4 counterparts, and up to eight times faster at AI image generation compared with the M1 Pro and M1 Max.

The company claims the performance gains will allow AI researchers to train custom models locally, while creative professionals should see improvements in 3D rendering, video editing and music production workflows.

Storage has also increased at the higher end. The MacBook Pro with M5 Pro now starts at 1TB, while the M5 Max version begins at 2TB. Apple says the devices offer up to 24 hours of battery life and can charge to 50% in 30 minutes using a 96W or higher USB-C adaptor. The laptops support Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and feature a six-speaker sound system.

The new MacBook models are available for pre-order and will go on sale from Wednesday, 11 March.