A global memory chip shortage has driven up prices of Apple's flagship MacBook models by more than 1 million won ($700) in South Korea.
Apple unveiled the MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) equipped with its proprietary M5 Pro and M5 Max artificial intelligence chips on Monday local time. Pre-orders begin Tuesday, with official release scheduled for Nov. 11.
The M5 Pro and Max chips are based on the M5 chip announced in October last year. Apple emphasized that the M5 "delivers performance levels suitable for AI professionals." The performance gains come from a system-on-chip design that combines two third-generation 3-nanometer chips featuring high bandwidth and minimal latency. Compared to the previous generation, the M5's CPU performance improved by up to 30%, while GPU computing performance for AI applications increased more than fourfold.
Apple also introduced the MacBook Air (13-inch and 15-inch) with the base M5 chip. Storage processing speeds doubled compared to existing models, with maximum storage capacity expandable to 4TB.
The memory shortage driven by surging demand pushed MacBook Pro and MacBook Air prices up by $100 to $400 from their predecessors. South Korean launch prices jumped by 200,000 won to as much as 1.1 million won above previous models. This contrasts with Apple's decision to freeze prices on the iPhone 17e and M4-equipped iPad announced the previous day. Although base storage capacity increased from 256GB to 512GB for the MacBook Air and from 512GB to 1TB for the MacBook Pro, the price burden has grown.
Apple's Mac division posted revenue of $8.39 billion in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 (October-December last year), down 6.7% year-over-year and below market expectations of $9 billion. Apple aims to attract consumers by enhancing AI capabilities while raising prices to account for the memory shortage. CNBC noted that "Apple is expected to introduce lower-priced MacBooks," suggesting the company could attract customers with a broader price range of products.