Well, it’s happened. Apple has pushed through a brutal round of price rises, and MacBooks have been hit hard.
The new pricing came through the supply and distribution channels late last week, landing here in Australia on Friday 26th of June. The global increases went live first, and our local pricing followed right behind.
If you’ve been eyeing off a MacBook, brace yourself. The damage is real, and it’s across the whole Apple laptop range.
The new MacBook prices
Here’s what the increases look like on Apple’s laptops here in Australia:
| MacBook | Old price | New price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Neo | $899 | $1,049 | +17% |
| MacBook Air 13-inch | $1,799 | $2,099 | +17% |
| MacBook Pro 14-inch | $2,699 | $3,199 | +19% |
Let that sink in for a second:
- The MacBook Neo, Apple’s budget laptop, just put on $150. Its whole selling point was being the affordable way into a Mac. That edge has taken a hit.
- The MacBook Air 13-inch is up $300. The Air is the one most everyday buyers actually go for, so this is the rise that’ll hurt the most people.
- The MacBook Pro 14-inch copped the biggest percentage jump, up $500 to $3,199.
These aren’t small bumps. A $300 to $500 rise overnight is the sort of thing that makes many people rethink the whole purchase.
One thing worth pointing out. These percentages are based on Apple’s own official selling prices, old versus new.
In the real world, plenty of retailers used to sell MacBooks for less than Apple’s RRP. Good old competition. So if you were used to picking one up below Apple’s price, the jump to the new pricing might sting even more than the percentages above suggest. You’re not just losing the old price, you’re losing the old discount on top of it.
Why has Apple increased prices
This isn’t Apple being greedy for the sake of it. It’s the same story I’ve been banging on about since last year. The cost of the parts inside these machines has gone through the roof.
It comes down to two things:
- Memory (RAM) and storage (NAND flash) prices have exploded.
- The cause is the AI boom. Data centres are buying up memory and storage chips at a pace that’s starving the rest of the market.
The numbers are wild. Industry tracker TrendForce reported that DRAM prices rose as much as 98% in the first quarter of 2026, with more rises tipped after that.
Apple held out longer than most other brands. It buys parts at massive scale and had been wearing the cost itself to protect its prices. That buffer has now run out.
Apple boss Tim Cook had already tipped this in an interview with the Wall Street Journal the week before, calling the situation a “hundred-year flood” and saying price rises were unavoidable. You can read that Wall Street Journal piece here.
So if you’re wondering whether prices will drift back down soon, the answer is no. Memory maker Micron has said it expects the shortage to drag on at least through 2027, with no clear end in sight after that.
It’s hit Australia hard
This isn’t just a US story that we read about and shrug off. The increases have landed locally, and the Aussie tech press has been all over it.
- Tech Guide reported Apple lifted Mac and iPad prices by as much as 30% in Australia, driven by the same memory and storage shortage. You can read their write-up here. techguide
- The Guardian also covered the local price rise across Macs and iPads.
The market took the worldwide price increase seriously too. Apple shares fell more than 6% on the news, their worst day in months. When a price rise spooks the share market, you know it’s a big one.
This is exactly what I warned about
I don’t say this to gloat, because there’s nothing to celebrate here. But this has been coming for a while, and I called it.
Just last week, on June 24, I published Laptop Prices Are Going Up Again on July 1. In that piece I quoted Tim Cook’s “hundred-year flood” warning and said Apple price rises were coming. Just 2 days later the price increases came through.
And it goes back further than that. In November I wrote about how AI is pushing up the cost of computers and parts, and how it was only going to get worse. In December I put out a warning that laptop prices were about to jump.
The Apple rise is the same wave hitting a different shore. Windows brands have been pushing prices up all year. Apple was simply the last big holdout, and now it’s folded too.
It’s not just MacBooks
While my focus here is laptops, it’s worth knowing the rest of Apple’s range got hit too, so you can see the scale of it:
- iMac: up 20%
- Mac Studio: up 23%
- iPad (base): up 25%
- iPad Air: up 25%
- iPad mini: up 19%
- iPad Pro: up 18%
One more thing to keep an eye on. Apple left iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods pricing untouched this round. But it’s hinted more rises are coming, and most analysts reckon the iPhone is next when the new models land later this year. So this likely isn’t the last of it.
Old stock is selling out fast
Here’s the bit that makes this urgent.
Apple’s own store has already switched to the new pricing. But plenty of retailers still have stock on the shelf that was bought in at the old cost.
That old-price stock is moving quickly. The Aussie tech press is already reporting units at the old prices selling out, especially with everyone hunting EOFY bargains right now.
So if you spot a MacBook still listed at the old price, that’s your window. It won’t stay open long.
Officeworks is still holding old Apple pricing
Here’s the standout. Officeworks looks to be the only major retailer still listing a good chunk of MacBooks at the old, pre-rise pricing.
Most of it is online only. But some models, typically the MacBook Air, are still in stock at certain stores. Worth ringing your local to check before you head in.
Here’s how a few models stack up right now against Apple and the other big retailers, all of whom have moved to the new pricing:
| MacBook model | Officeworks | Apple & major retailers | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 14″ M5 (16GB/1TB) | $2,497 (online only) | $3,199 | $702 |
| MacBook Pro 14″ M5 Pro (24GB/2TB) | $3,797 (online only) | $4,794 | $997 |
| MacBook Air 13″ M5 (16GB/512GB) | $1,597 (select stores) | $2,099 | $502 |
Model numbers if you want to match the exact SKU: Pro 14 M5 (MDE54X/A), Pro 14 M5 Pro (MJLV4X/A).
A few things to keep in mind:
- These are real savings, not “was/now” theatre. You’re genuinely paying the old price while everyone else has jumped to the new one. That’s a $500 to nearly $1,000 difference depending on the model.
- Prices are correct at the time of writing. Officeworks stock and online listings change fast, so check the live price before you commit. The cheap stock won’t last.
- Officeworks also runs a 5% price beat guarantee. So if you ever find one of these cheaper at a competitor, they’ll beat it by 5%. On these particular models they’re already the cheapest going, but it’s a handy lever to know about.
What you should do now
If a MacBook is on your shopping list, here’s my plain advice:
- Check Officeworks first. Right now they’re the best bet for old pricing. Online has the widest range, with some Air stock still in select stores.
- Move fast. End of financial year deals are live and the old-price stock is clearing quickly. Once it’s gone, the higher numbers are all that’s left.
- Don’t pay the new price if you don’t have to. A MacBook still on the old pricing is a genuine win, not a marketing gimmick.
- Consider a Windows alternative if value is your main concern. The Windows brands have risen too, but you’ll still find more grunt for your dollar in that camp. My student and business buying guides will point you in the right direction.
And don’t fall for any “was/now” pricing theatre that pops up around this. Some sellers will use the chaos to make a normal price look like a deal. Always check what the laptop actually sold for last week, not the sticker.
The New Reality
Apple has lifted MacBook prices by 17% to 19% in Australia, effective now.
It’s driven by the same memory and storage shortage hammering the whole industry, and with supply tight until at least 2027, it’s not a temporary blip.
Right now, Officeworks is your best shot at grabbing one at the old price, but that stock is clearing fast. If you can find a MacBook still on the old pricing, grab it before it’s gone. If not, weigh up whether a Windows machine gets you more for your money.
Either way, the days of cheap laptops are well and truly behind us.
Thinking about a specific model and want a straight opinion before you spend? Get in touch and I’ll give you my honest take.
