CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA / Content Syndication Services / – Apple and Microsoft are raising prices on major consumer devices as AI data center growth tightens global supply of memory and storage chips. The increases affect MacBooks, iPads and Xbox consoles, adding fresh pressure to buyers of computers and gaming hardware. Both companies linked the changes to higher costs for components used in everyday electronics.
Apple raised prices on selected MacBook and iPad models by as much as $300. The MacBook Neo rose to $699 from $599. The 512GB MacBook Air moved to $1,299 from $1,099. The 1TB MacBook Pro increased to $1,999 from $1,699. Apple also raised the 128GB iPad Air to $749 from $599.
The company did not include the iPhone in the latest price increases. Apple said component costs had risen sharply and that it had reached the point of raising prices on several iPad and Mac products. Memory chips help devices run apps, store data and manage AI functions. Storage chips support local files, photos, video and software.
AI demand tightens chip supply
Microsoft said Xbox console prices will rise worldwide from August 1, 2026. The company said 512GB Xbox models will increase by $100. Models with 1TB of storage will rise by $150. Microsoft also said it will discontinue the 2TB model. The company had raised Xbox console prices in the United States last October by $20 to $70.
Microsoft said console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5 times. It also said the consumer electronics industry faces a components crisis. Xbox consoles rely on memory and storage parts that also serve computers, phones, servers and data centers. Higher storage prices hit consoles hard because storage capacity defines many product versions.
Memory market pressure spreads
Market research firm TrendForce said conventional DRAM contract prices rose sharply in early 2026. It said suppliers shifted more capacity toward high bandwidth memory and server applications. These parts support AI servers and large data centers. TrendForce also reported tight supply in NAND flash, a key storage technology used in solid state drives and consumer devices.
The price moves show how AI infrastructure demand now reaches the retail electronics market. MacBooks, iPads and Xbox consoles sit in product categories that depend on steady access to DRAM, NAND flash and solid state storage. Rising component costs have moved from suppliers to device makers and then to consumers. The changes give shoppers a clear sign that the memory chip shortage has entered mainstream electronics pricing.