In summary:
- Macworld reports that Microsoft’s Surface Pro now costs $1,050, nearly double Apple’s MacBook Neo price of $599, highlighting dramatic market shifts.
- Rising RAM and component costs have forced Microsoft and competitors to raise prices significantly, while Apple maintains stability through long-term supplier contracts.
- Apple faces emerging supply constraints and may need to increase prices on future products like the touchscreen MacBook Pro and iPhone 18 Pro.
You’ve probably heard by now that the MacBook Neo has shaken up the laptop market. With its combination of quality, performance, and price, some think that Apple’s $599 laptop is a nightmare for companies like Microsoft. How are the big PC firms responding? Well… Microsoft has decided that the best strategy is to raise the prices of its Surface laptops.
For example, the Microsoft Surface Pro, the company’s cheapest laptop, has gone up from $800 in the U.S. to $1,050 (and that’s not including a $150 keyboard), almost twice the price of the Neo. Other Surface models have seen even bigger price rises: anywhere from $300 to $500. Meanwhile, Apple’s laptop prices remain the same. Is Microsoft changing its approach from affordable to premium price? Seems like an odd way to compete with the MacBook Neo.
Seriously, though, Microsoft’s prices are really a result of the rising cost of RAM and other components. Other computer and phone companies are raising prices, too, and it’s gotten so bad that Samsung wasn’t able to sell its RAM to Samsung last December.
What about Apple? Why hasn’t Apple raised its prices? Apple signs long-term deals with suppliers, allowing it to lock in prices, so for a while at least, Apple can maintain its price points. However, it’s possible those contacts aren’t long enough to weather this pricing storm. During its first-quarter 2026 financial results announcement last January, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that the company was “in a supply chase mode” and is experiencing supply constraints like the rest of the industry. He did not state if prices would be affected.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will do what it can to maintain prices; the short-term hit to its bottom line could be worth it for long-term growth. But the supply constraints aren’t showing any signs of letting up, so it’s possible that we could see higher prices for products Apple is scheduled to release later this year, such as the touchscreen MacBook Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro. So, get those barbs in to your PC-loving buddies while you can, because things could change later this year.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.