Apple raises MacBook prices across the board as M5 chips, new displays signal AI-first strategy

Source: CNBC

Tech

Apple raises MacBook prices across the board as M5 chips, new displays signal AI-first strategy

Published Tue, Mar 3 202612:20 PM ESTUpdated 9 Min Ago

MacKenzie Sigalos
@KENZIESIGALOS

Key Points
* Apple rolled out new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with M5 chips, plus a revamped Studio Display lineup.
* The new Macs are more expensive, with MacBook Air prices rising by $100 and the 16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro starting at $3,899.
* Wednesday could still bring a lower-cost MacBook that broadens the week’s strategy beyond high-end buyers.

Apple on Tuesday rolled out new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with its latest M5 chips, along with an updated Studio Display lineup, in its biggest Mac refresh in more than a year.

The push gives Apple a fresh shot at reviving Mac demand while making a broader case that more AI work will move onto the device itself, not just the cloud.

The announcements come at a critical moment for Apple’s Mac business, which saw sales drop nearly 7% to $8.39 billion during the holiday quarter, falling well short of analyst expectations of nearly $9 billion. These new machines are meant to get people to upgrade, especially users still hanging onto older Intel-era systems or early M-series devices.

But they also arrive at higher prices, with tighter memory supply driving up costs as suppliers favor the more lucrative AI data center market over consumer hardware.

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Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/03/apple-macbook-prices-m5-ai.html