The AI datacenter buildout around the US has wreaked havoc across the entire consumer electronics industry. All of this newly found high volume purchasing of high end HBM2 DRAM has shifted entire supply chains, making it incredibly difficult to come across consumer grade memory and storage.
SSDs and DDR5 RAM have shot up in price since the start of the year, and Apple finally had to adjust its pricing in late June – with everything becoming $100-400+ more across the board. Despite those price hikes, the company is still struggling to keep MacBook Air in stock.
In June, Apple adjusted the price of MacBook Air from $1099 to $1299, after already raising it slightly from $999 to $1099 in March with the debut of the M5 model. Granted, the company increased the base storage configuration from 256GB to 512GB, so it actually was a net benefit if you already purchased more storage.
Nonetheless, even with the higher prices to cover the higher memory and storage costs, Apple is still struggling to keep the M5 MacBook Air in stock – despite being a relatively new computer.
Pointed out by Mark Gurman, if you try to order a MacBook Air from Apple right now, you won’t get one until the very end of the month, and retail sources describe MacBook Air as “more constrained than they can ever recall.”
In Apple’s recent promotional material for the back to school deal, the company has also highlighted that MacBook Air is subject to availability – which the company doesn’t often highlight for midcycle products.
Why the MacBook Air is constrained
Per Gurman’s sources, this supply shortage is because of the memory crisis, but it’s also fueled by the fact that Apple is prioritizing the base M5 MacBook Pro ahead of its refresh later this fall. From the Power On newsletter:
From what I’ve heard, the MacBook Air shortage is indeed tied to the ongoing memory crunch. Apple has been working to alleviate the issue by preparing to source memory from Chinese suppliers, at least for devices sold in that country.
And I’ve heard the company is prioritizing sales of the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, in part to clear the way for an M6 refresh coming this fall. I don’t expect a new MacBook Air until a bit later.
All in all, the next few years are going to prove a challenging time for Apple. The company has already warned of supply constraints impacting sales in the coming quarter, and the company has also warned of additional price hikes coming in the future. It’s possible we’ll see more Mac pricing adjustments to help balance demand.
Amazon currently has M5 MacBook Air in stock with next-day delivery and a $100 discount. If you’re in the market for one of these, this could potentially be a last opportunity before things worsen in third party channels.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
- Anker MagSafe/Qi2 Ultra-Slim Battery Pack
- AirPods Pro 3 (2x ANC vs AirPods Pro 2!)
- Anker Nano 45W Fast Charger with Smart Display
- Anker Nano 13-in-1 MacBook Docking Station
- Logitech MX Master 4 Mouse for Mac
- Belkin Qi2 3-in-1 MagSafe Charging Stand
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