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Apple raises Mac and iPad prices as AI data-center demand drives DRAM up 98%

Apple raises Mac and iPad prices as AI data-center demand drives DRAM up 98%

Apple raised prices across its Mac, iPad, HomePod, and Vision Pro lines — the MacBook Air from $1,099 to $1,299, the iPad Air from $599 to $749 — after DRAM surged roughly 98% in Q1 2026 and NAND Flash over 90% quarter-over-quarter, both driven by AI data-center buildout. The shift is structural: Counterpoint Research notes memory costs have quadrupled since Q4 2025, other PC and tablet OEMs are expected to follow, and memory suppliers like Micron are posting 4x year-over-year revenue growth.

Source: techcrunch.com ↗

Post on XEmail

We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.

Apple, statement to CNBC

Why this matters

  • → AI data-center demand has quadrupled memory costs, forcing price hikes across consumer devices.
  • → Structural shift signals sustained component inflation, not temporary disruption.
  • → Other PC and tablet makers expected to follow, reshaping consumer electronics pricing.
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