Apple price increases hit Australia: Mac Book Neo, i Pad and Mac mini prices rise | Tech Radar

Overview

News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Details

Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.

Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.

Apple price hikes have hit Australia, and the Mac Book Neo no longer looks quite so cheap

Macs, i Pads, Apple TV 4K and Home Pod have all gone up locally as RAM and storage costs bite

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Apple has raised prices across multiple categories in Australia

The Mac Book Neo has lost some of its entry-level appeal

Australian shoppers looking for EOFY offers, or waiting for early Amazon Prime Day tech deals, now have another price shift to factor in. Apple has raised local prices across several major product categories, including the new Mac Book Neo, Mac Book Air, i Pad range, Apple TV 4K, Home Pod mini and more.

The timing is awkward, but it also hasn't come from nowhere. Apple has usually been better than most tech companies at absorbing supply chain pressure before it reaches shoppers, though the current RAM and component crunch has been dragging on for long enough to change that calculation.

The warning signs came last month, when Tim Cook flagged "significantly higher memory costs" on an earnings call, then said RAM prices would "drive an increasing impact" on Apple products from this month.

One of the clearest examples is the new Mac Book Neo, Apple's lower-cost Mac Book model and the machine most likely to appeal to students, or anyone trying to get a new Apple laptop for less than Mac Book Air money. In Australia it launched with a price from AU

Sure, it’s still Apple's cheapest laptop, but the higher starting price makes it less competitive against Windows laptops that have been fighting to compete with the Neo. The 512GB model with Touch ID has also gone from AU

Apple just announced big price hikes across its major products — and yes, RAM prices are to blame

Apple price hikes live — all the latest on new Mac, i Pad and Home Pod prices

Mac Book price rises could be far worse than i Phone 18 Pro, analysts predict

The Mac Book Air has lost some of its competitive edge, and the 13-inch model with the M5 chip (check out our Mac Book Air 13-inch M5 review) has jumped from AU

The 15-inch model is up by the same AU

The Mac Book Pro increases are especially notable in some configurations. The 14-inch Mac Book Pro with M5 now starts at AU

The Mac mini is another notable hit. It has gone from AU

The i Pad range is up, which matters for students, families and anyone who was looking at a new tablet for work, study, travel or general use. The 11-inch i Pad Air now starts at AU

Apple's Mac and i Pad prices just went up — these Prime Day deals beat them

Apple's price hikes prove that more expensive i Phones are all but inevitable

Tim Cook warns that 'price increases are unavoidable' for Apple products

The rises are not limited to Macs and i Pads. Home Pod mini has gone from AU

Apple's i Phone lineup, Apple Watch and Air Pods appear to have avoided this round of increases at least. That helps limit the pain for some buyers, but it doesn’t change the issue for anyone who was waiting to buy a Mac, i Pad or other Apple device.

Of course, Apple is not the only company dealing with higher memory and storage costs, but the scale of these changes is still pretty notable. Price rises across one or two products are easy enough to explain. Price rises across most of Apple’s range are not something that’s easily avoided.

An Apple spokesperson said: “The consumer electronics industry is facing an unprecedented challenge. The rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage. We have never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly. We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products, including today’s increases for i Pad and Mac. We know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions.”

The main question is whether the Australian prices come back down if the RAM shortage eases, or whether these higher starting points become normal. We are hopeful, but Apple hasn’t promised a reversal.

For now, local retailers may be worth checking more closely, especially if older stock or short-term deal pricing remains available during EOFY and early Prime Day sales periods.

To help out, we have included some of the better remaining Apple deals below.

All these Mac Book Neos on Amazon are currently listed as temporarily out of stock, but you can still order then from Amazon at this price to lock it in, and then Amazon will ship it out once available. With stock disappearing quickly, this might be one of your best ways to score the old price, as long as you don't mind waiting for delivery.

You can also get the 512GB model for AU$1,079, also temporarily out of stock, but still able to be ordered.

The Mac Book Air M5 launched recently, so most of this saving comes from Apple's price hikes, but that means it's still a useful discount on Apple's newest lightweight laptop. In comparison, it's currently AU$2,099 from Apple. Want to know more? Check out our Mac Book Air M5 review.

Also consider the 1TB SSD model for AU

The 15-inch Mac Book Air is currently AU$2,499 from Apple, so this is now a solid discount. Keep in mind that it is temporarily out of stock, so you can order now but delivery will be delayed.

Also consider the 1TB SSD model for AU

This 16GB Mac Book Pro currently has a great discount from Amazon compared to buying it for AU$3,199 from Apple. There's very limited stock though so it will likely sell out fast.

This is a tempting discount on the 11-inch i Pad Air (base price was AU$999 yesterday) if you want a fast, lightweight tablet for streaming, study or work without stepping up to an i Pad Pro. The M3 chip gives it plenty of headroom for multitasking and creative apps, and our i Pad Air 11-inch (2025) review noted its excellent screen and impressive battery life.

These products haven't gone up in price, but they're still great deals. Want more? Check out our dedicated EOFY Apple sales page. Or for more laptops, take a look at our best EOFY laptop deals.

This four-pack is a decent buy if you want to cover keys, bags, wallets and luggage in one go, especially in an i Phone household. Our Air Tag 2 hands-on found the new model easier to find from farther away and clearly louder than the original.

The Air Pods 4 are a tempting buy if you want Apple’s latest open-fit earbuds without stepping up to the ANC model. Our Air Pods 4 review found they sounded good and offered a secure, comfortable fit despite the lack of in-ear tips.

This is a tempting price for i Phone users who want a full-featured Apple Watch without jumping to the Ultra. The always-on display, ECG app, sleep score and fitness tracking make it a useful everyday smartwatch, while the 42mm case is the more manageable size. Our Apple Watch Series 11 review praised the improved battery life, though Series 10 owners have less reason to upgrade.

While this discount is small, the i Phone 16e is a decent buy if you’re after a lower-cost i Phone with Apple Intelligence support, especially if you’re upgrading from an older SE model. The A18 chip, 6.1-inch OLED display and USB-C port make it feel much more modern. Our i Phone 16e review praised its screen and performance, but the single rear camera and lack of Mag Safe may matter to some people.

Lindsay is an Australian tech journalist who loves nothing more than rigorous product testing and benchmarking. He is especially passionate about portable computing, doing deep dives into the USB-C specification or getting hands on with energy storage, from power banks to off grid systems. In his spare time Lindsay is usually found tinkering with an endless array of projects or exploring the many waterways around Sydney.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

1 First UAVs that can stalk and kill Russian Shahed drones autonomously have been battle-tested in the Kharkiv region

2 My ultimate Prime Day hi-fi tip — buy the Wiim Amp Ultra and these speakers all on sale

3 The Anker Solix F2000 is the portable power station serious campers, RV owners, and home backup users have been waiting for — and it's just got a major Prime Day price cut

4 The Fitbit Inspire 3 is an 'easy-to-use and efficient device that will help any newcomers to the fitness tracking scene' — and it's on sale for only $74

5 The Sopranos is coming to 4K Blu-ray, and this is one for the collectors

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
• Unlock instant access to exclusive member features
• Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards