By Reuters
March 3, 2026 – 6:07 AM PST
(Reuters) – On Tuesday, Apple (AAPL.O) introduced refreshed MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, which feature the new M5-series chips and increased base storage. This launch aims to attract buyers amid a weakening PC market affected by rising memory costs.
The new lineup includes an upgraded MacBook Air powered by Apple’s M5 chip, alongside high-end MacBook Pro models utilizing the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors, touted for their significant performance improvements and advanced on-device AI capabilities.
The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,099, now offering 512 gigabytes of storage as standard—double the amount of the previous version. In the earlier models, customers had to spend $1,199 for the same storage, effectively marking a price reduction for that tier.
Since shifting from Intel processors to its proprietary M-series chips in 2020, Apple has emphasized the benefits in performance and battery life, allowing it to stand out from Windows PC manufacturers.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro, powered by the M5 Pro chip, begins at $2,199 and now features 1 terabyte of standard storage, an increase from 512GB in many earlier models.
With this adjustment in base storage for the MacBook Pro, Apple has employed a similar pricing strategy, increasing standard configurations while keeping the overall prices largely stable.
The overall PC market has experienced fluctuating demand in recent years, with manufacturers aggressively competing on price as both consumers and businesses postpone upgrades following a surge in laptop purchases during the pandemic.
Key components like DRAM and NAND flash memory are essential for laptops, influencing performance and storage capacity. Their prices have escalated sharply due to limited supply as chipmakers prioritize production for AI-related applications.
Additionally, on Monday, Apple introduced the iPhone 17e, its budget-friendly smartphone model starting at $599, which now includes 256 gigabytes of base storage.
Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva
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