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Apple’s touchscreen MacBook Pro pushes laptop pricing to a new extreme

By · Via TechCrunch · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The new lineup begins at $2,899, but premium component upgrades push maxed-out configurations to record highs for the company's portable computers. Both the 14-inch and 16-inch flagships are powered by the high-end M5 Max chip, which carries an 18-core CPU and a 40-core GPU. The dramatic cost increase over previous generations is exacerbated by expensive add-ons, including a newly introduced 16TB solid-state drive that alone adds $7,000 to the total cost. Preorders open on October 30 ahead of the official November launch.

Key points

  • Touchscreen capabilities represent a significant design reversal after the company previo…: Touchscreen capabilities represent a significant design reversal after the company previously discontinued its Touch Bar interface.
  • Industry-wide memory shortages and surging demand for artificial intelligence hardware ar…: Industry-wide memory shortages and surging demand for artificial intelligence hardware are driving laptop upgrade prices to historic highs.
  • The top-tier models rely on the M5 Max processor equipped with an 18-core CPU and a 40-co…: The top-tier models rely on the M5 Max processor equipped with an 18-core CPU and a 40-core GPU.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Apple has officially entered the touchscreen MacBook Pro era, and apparently, it wants to drain your wallet while it’s at it.

The new touchscreen MacBook Pro starts at $2,899, which is already a hefty price tag in this economy. But if you want the absolute top-of-the-line model with every possible upgrade, prepare to cough up around $14,549.

According to MacRumors, Apple’s configurator prices the fully loaded 14-inch model at $14,249 and the 16-inch version at $14,549. Both come equipped with Apple’s top-tier M5 Max chip, featuring an 18-core CPU and 40-core GPU.

You can blame the ongoing memory shortage and AI’s seemingly endless appetite for hardware for some of the pricing pressure. Moving to a 4TB SSD costs an additional $1,000, while upgrading to 8TB adds $3,000. Want the new 16TB option? That’ll set you back another $7,000.

Another $2,000 gets you 128GB of memory, while nano-texture glass adds $150.

For some perspective, the previous 16-inch MacBook Pro topped out at $10,149. The new model raises that ceiling by a whopping $4,400.

Absurd prices aside, the launch marks a significant shift for Apple, nearly a decade after it first experimented with the Touch Bar. The company eventually abandoned that feature, but now it’s ready to embrace a touchscreen MacBook Pro.

Preorders open October 30, with availability beginning November 6.

Original source: techcrunch.com

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