Apple has raised the MacBook Neo's starting price from $599 to $649 on its online education store in the U.S., meaning college students and other eligible groups now receive only a $50 discount on the laptop, down from $100. The change was made within the past week, with equivalent increases in local currencies in other countries.
When the MacBook Neo first launched in March, it started at just $499 on Apple's education store. That price rose to $599 in June and now to $649. Apple also raised the general public starting price from $599 to $699 in June, and it has raised prices on iPhones, other Macs and iPads, and additional products this year. The company has attributed the increases to a memory chip shortage that has driven up costs for RAM and storage chips.
In May, Apple expanded the UNiDAYS verification system, which it already used in many European countries, to the U.S. and Canada. Customers who are not students, educational staff, or otherwise eligible can no longer take advantage of the lower prices available through the education store.
Apple reportedly plans to release a second-generation MacBook Neo with an A19 chip, 12GB of RAM, and new color options in the first half of 2027. The current model has an A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM and is available in Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo.
Source: MacRumors · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing