Entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro memory upgrade doubles in price

If you were gearing up to purchase an entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro this week, be prepared for a shock. The relatively cheap and desirable upgrade to 16GB of RAM doubled in price over the weekend.

As MacRumors reports, when the 2020 model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro launched last month, it was offered in two forms: an entry-level spec using an 8th gen Intel chips, and a high-end model using Intel’s latest 10th gen chips. The entry-level model ships with 8GB of RAM as standard, but can be upgraded to 16GB for just $100. On Saturday, that changed, with the upgrade doubling in price to $200 without warning.

The high-end model ships with 16GB as standard, but its price hasn’t changed. There is a key difference, however. The high-end model uses LPDDR4X RAM, where as the entry-level model uses LPDDR3 RAM. For Apple to suddenly double the price of a memory upgrade suggests the company is struggling to source LPDDR3 modules and is having to pay significantly more for an ongoing supply.

The latest model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro is highly desirable because it uses the new Magic Keyboard, replacing the much-hated Butterfly version that featured in different forms over the past few years. With that in mind, it’s understandable how Apple could quickly burn through its existing supply of LPDDR3 RAM and have to replenish, and therefore revise its pricing so quickly.

With 16GB of RAM, the entry-level model comes in at $1,499, which is still $300 than the high-end model. The extra money gets you that faster and more efficient 10th gen Core i5 Intel chip, which can be upgraded to a Core i7, but then the price jumps to $1,999. Want 32GB of RAM? Prepare to pay an additional $400.

This article originally published at PCMag
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