Apple confirms price hike for iPads and MacBooks — what this means for YOU
Apple has just hiked prices across a huge chunk of its product range, including new iPads and MacBooks.
The Californian tech firm quietly updated its online store with new pricing that will have you paying anywhere from £100 to a whopping £1,300 more, depending on what you're adding to your basket.
Apple has acknowledged the cost increases, saying in a statement: "We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.
"We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today's increases for iPad and Mac."
So what's behind this? It all comes down to a global shortage of RAM – the memory chips that power pretty much every modern tech gadget.
The culprit is the massive boom in Artificial Intelligence (AI), with data centres gobbling up memory supplies faster than manufacturers can make them.
This means that even the recently released budget-friendly MacBook Neo has gotten pricier, and those dreaming of a high-end Mac Studio will need considerably deeper pockets.
This price surge didn't come out of nowhere – Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook gave fair warning last month.
During an earnings call in late April, Mr Cook told analysts to brace themselves, saying: "We expect significantly higher memory costs."
He added that beyond June, memory costs would "drive an increasing impact" on the company's business. There were also early whispers that the MacBook Neo could become a victim of its own success, with strong demand potentially driving a price increase. Apple was rumoured to be preparing to produce around 10 million units — roughly double its original production target of five**** to six million.
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To hit that target, the company needs fresh chips manufactured by TSMC using their 3-nanometre process.
According to industry tracker TrendForce, prices for DRAM – the type of memory found in virtually every tech device you own – shot up by as much as 98% in the first three months of 2026. The demand has affected various areas of the tech industry. Sony's PlayStation 5 consoles experienced a second price hike within a year. The founder of British start-up Nothing also confirms that smartphone prices will rise this year.
Here's a breakdown of every product with a new, higher price:
Apple UK Price Changes
iPad Price Changes (UK)
| Device | Old Price | New Price |
|---|---|---|
| iPad | £329 | £429 |
| iPad Air 11 | £599 | £749 |
| iPad Air 13 | £799 | £949 |
| iPad Pro 11 | £999 | £1,199 |
| iPad Pro 13 | £1,299 | £1,499 |
| iPad mini | £499 | £599 |
Mac Price Changes (UK)
| Device | Old Price | New Price |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Neo | £599 | £699 |
| MacBook Air 13 | £1,099 | £1,299 |
| MacBook Air 15 | £1,299 | £1,499 |
| MacBook Pro M5 | £1,699 | £1,999 |
| MacBook Pro M5 Pro | £2,199 | £2,499 |
| MacBook Pro M5 Max | £3,599 | £4,099 |
| Mac mini* | £699 | £799 |
| iMac | £1,299 | £1,499 |
| Mac Studio (M4 Max) | £1,999 | £2,499 |
| Mac Studio (M3 Ultra) | £3,999 | £5,299 |
Other Apple Price Changes (UK)
| Device | Old Price | New Price |
|---|---|---|
| HomePod mini | £99 | £129 |
| HomePod | £299 | £349 |
| Apple TV 4K | £149 | £199 |
| Vision Pro | £3,199 | £3,499 |
There is some good news, though – Apple's entire iPhone lineup, Apple Watch, and AirPods remain untouched by these price rises.
And while Apple has already changed its prices on its online site, there's still a way for you to snap up one of its devices at a discount.
Amazon has marked down several Apple devices for its Prime Day sale — ranging from iPads included in the price hikes, to the AirPods 4.
Avoid the price rise and buy the iPad Air 11-inch on Amazon
The newest iPad Air from Apple is designed to combine sleek portability with powerful performance, thanks to the Apple M4 chip and stunning Liquid Retina display. It's meant to deliver smooth multitasking, fast Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and all-day battery life. With Apple Intelligence, iPadOS, and support for Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard, it’s a versatile device that can help you create, stay productive, and enjoy content wherever you are
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Buy the Apple AirPods 4 at their lowest ever price on Amazon
AirPods 4 launched with a design that bolsters comfort and greater stability when exercising. Despite the shorter stem, AirPods 4 still offer beam-forming for hands-free access to calls and commands to AI assistant, Siri. You can also quick-press to control music or calls. A quick shake of the head will dismiss an incoming call, while you can nod to accept — handy if your hands are full.
You can also opt for the model that boasts Active Noise-Cancellation (ANC) for £125. This eliminates unwanted background sound, so you're able to enjoy your favourite playlist, podcast, or audiobook at a lower volume, even in noisy environments.
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To dip into the deals, you'll need to be an Amazon Prime member. Luckily, it doesn't have to cost you anything. That's because the US shopping giant offers a 30-day free trial of its membership scheme. Sign up, then cancel immediately, and you'll still be able to enjoy all of the perks of Prime membership for a month.
That includes access to all discounts in the Prime Day sale, exclusive boxsets and films to stream via Prime Video, unlimited cloud storage for photos in Amazon Photos, free video games to download to your PC, next-day delivery on thousands of items, free Audible books to download and keep , and more.
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