Price for entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro RAM upgrade quietly doubles to $200

By Aaron Mamiit Updated April 25, 2023

The price tag to upgrade the RAM of the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro has doubled, opening the door for similar cost increases to affect other Apple computers.

Recommended Videos

Apple quietly made the price adjustment without any official announcement, taking the price to upgrade the RAM of the cheapest model of the recently released 13-inch MacBook Pro from $100 to $200, as first spotted by MacRumors.

The doubled price tag has also been seen in other countries, including in Germany where the RAM upgrade has gone from 125 euros to 250 euros, and in the United Kingdom where it has gone from 100 British pounds to 200 pounds.

The RAM upgrade to bring the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro to 16GB from 8GB is just one of the many options available to customers upon checkout of the laptop on Apple’s online store. Other options include upgrades to the computer’s processor, storage, and pre-installed software, all of which have retained their price tags.

Digital Trends asked Apple to comment on the new pricing. We will update this story when we hear back.

Apple’s adjusted price of the RAM upgrade is unusual not only because it is an increase, compared with the traditional decrease, but also because the 13-inch MacBook Pro was only released earlier this month.

The reason for the doubled cost for the upgrade remains unknown, but 9to5Mac believes that Apple’s supplier for the RAM of the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro may be experiencing disruptions, possibly due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Apple has apparently not made similar adjustments to the RAM upgrades of other Mac computers, as different machines are equipped with different types of RAM. However, this does not mean that similar price increases will not affect other components, especially if the ongoing health crisis is the primary reason.

13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,299

The entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro carries a base price tag of $1,299, but customers who want Intel’s 10th-generation Ice Lake processors will need to shell out at least $1,799.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro offers confusing processor choices and an average battery life, but with an industry-leading display, a thin and light design, an excellent new keyboard, and a hard-as-rock build quality, it remains a solid option for aspiring creative professionals.

Contributor

Aaron received an NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was four years old, and he has been fascinated…

Topics

Computing

The long overdue MacBook Pro design refresh might land in 2026

MacBook Pro

Apple likes to stick around with each product design refresh for at least a few generations. Take for example the M4 MacBook Pro, which is still carrying the same design language that was first introduced atop the M1 series models back in 2021.
Things could finally change next year. “In terms of major new Mac designs, I don’t expect the MacBook Pro to get an overhaul until around 2026 — when the M6 model is due to come out,” says a Bloomberg report.
Apple is currently working on refreshed MacBook Air and Pro models with M5-series processors. They might, however, stick with the same aesthetic formula as their respective M4-series counterparts. It’s not bad, but not without its flaws either.

“It’s no joke to lug around. Some will appreciate the extra screen real estate, no doubt, but there’s definitely a trade-off in mobility,” said Digital Trends’ review of the current-gen MacBook Pro.
“The one eyesore in the whole experience to me is still the notch in the display. I find it quite ugly and intrusive, and the way it cuts into the menu bar can be clumsy, especially on the 14-inch model,” the review adds.

Computing

Apple silicon has made the MacBook Pro a consumer favorite

Someone using a MacBook Pro at a desk.

Apple’s computer lineup has greatly benefitted from its update to the M4 chip in 2024. The brand introduced the M4 MacBook Pro and iMac lines in the last year– and research has further indicated that Apple’s decision to shift from Intel processors to proprietary silicon was a solid move. It has made consumers favor Apple laptops more.

According to statistics from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), MacBook form factors, in either MacBook Pro or MacBook Air made up 86% of Apple’s PC market share in 2024. Consumers especially favored the M4 MacBook Pro at a rate of 53%, while 33% of MacBook Air models shipped during the year, and 14% of iMac models. These figures vary only slightly from the year prior; however, CIRP noted that Apple appears to have weathered any fluctuations that may have occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Computing

Here’s how Apple’s first foldable MacBook might win me over

The Zenbook Fold 17 open on a table.

Rumors have persisted for years now that Apple is working on a touchscreen MacBook, but I’ve never been truly convinced. For one thing, I don’t see how a touchscreen could improve my MacBook experience enough to justify the inevitable price rise. This is Apple we’re talking about, after all, and there’s just no way that a touchscreen MacBook will possibly come cheap.

As well as that, I’ve long agreed with Steve Jobs’ belief that adding a touchscreen to a regular MacBook is an ergonomic nightmare. Constantly reaching up to the display is a quick way to exhaust your arms, and paining its users isn’t really part of Apple’s playbook. The Mac operating system isn’t designed for touch either, and in any case, adding a touchscreen would result in all manner of greasy fingerprints on your monitor. It’s never seemed like a good idea to me.