Additionally, many upper-level SKUs saw increases. The Mac mini with M4 Pro got a $200 bump to $1,599, while the M5 Max MacBook Pro jumped from $3,599 to $4,099. As expected, increases really stack up when you start configuring higher-end options like larger SSDs and additional unified memory.

Apple addressed the increases to The Wall Street Journal’s Rolfe Winkler:

“We have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices,” [Apple] said in the statement. “We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.”

Driven by surging demand from AI hyperscalers, the prices of memory chips, called DRAM, and storage chips, called NAND, have both quadrupled over the past 12 months, according to research firm TechInsights, which projects those prices to keep rising into next year.

Source: Apple Has Increased Prices Across Mac and iPad Models

Looks like hardware purchases have to be delayed by a few more years. It’s unlikely that Apple will ever bring the price back down. And it does feel painful to see after decades of the price more or less remaining the same (and lowering inflation-adjusted). I hope trade-in prices also increase. Although, I doubt that they will increase it immediately as that just provides scalpers a motive to buy up all used inventory.

Anyway, my plan to wait out the Openclaw Mac Mini returns will likely have to wait for a few more years. In addition, this also just means that I am going to stick with my hardware for a LOT longer. Hmm, maybe I finally have to buy AppleCare+. Ugh.