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Apple has long been criticized for the high prices of memory and SSD upgrades in Macs. The latest price increases, however, have led many users to talk about record-high configuration prices. The company says the changes are due to rising memory costs and a global crisis in the component market. For customers, though, this means an even higher price to buy new computers. Those planning to purchase higher-end MacBook Pro configurations will feel it most.
Apple raised memory upgrade prices by as much as 100 percent
The latest changes in the MacBook Pro configurator show that Apple has significantly increased the surcharge for additional RAM. Before the hikes, expanding memory from 48 GB to 64 GB cost $200. Now the identical configuration requires a $400 surcharge. Even bigger differences appear at the highest tiers. Upgrading a machine to 128 GB of RAM previously cost $1,000, while Apple now prices it at as much as $2,000. That amounts to nearly a twofold increase in just one price update. The company explains the decision by a sharp rise in the cost of memory chips and SSDs on the global market. The crisis in memory component availability is indeed affecting the whole electronics industry, but many users point out that Apple has long applied much higher margins than most computer makers. The latest increases have only made that gap more visible. The problem affects not only Macs but also some iPad models and other Apple devices that were included in the new price list. The strongest reactions, however, concern the machines aimed at professionals, where memory expansion is especially important.
Customers have virtually no alternative
The situation is further complicated by the design of modern Apple computers. RAM and SSDs are integrated into the logic board and cannot be replaced after purchase. That means the user must choose the desired configuration when placing the order. If, after a few years, the computer needs more memory, upgrading it will not be possible. That's why many customers opt for more expensive configurations up front. According to available analyses, even before the price increases Apple charged much higher fees for additional memory and drives than the value of comparable components on the market. After the recent changes the gap has grown even larger. The company argues it uses its own unified memory architecture and integrated components that cannot be directly compared to conventional RAM modules. Despite this, many users feel current prices are exceptionally high. Rising memory costs worldwide could mean similar increases appear at other computer manufacturers. For now, however, Apple is at the center of discussions about ever more expensive premium hardware configurations.
Apple has significantly increased the price of RAM upgrades in Macs. In some cases, the upcharges have risen by as much as 100 percent, further increasing the cost of purchasing professional MacBook configurations and other computers from the manufacturer.
source: digitaltrends
