Microsoft quietly hiked prices on all its Surface laptops — it's now cheaper to buy a MacBook Air

Microsoft has become the latest victim of the ongoing RAM crisis, quietly hiking the prices on its consumer-facing Surface laptops by as much as $300. This shouldn't come as a surprise — after all, we've just seen the PlayStation 5 get even more expensive for the same reason.

First picked up by the team at Windows Central, the price increases took effect at the Microsoft Store, with other retailers expected to follow suit. Just about every model is affected, and Windows Central notes that flagships like the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 are now $500 more expensive than their initial launch price in 2024.

"Due to recent increases in memory and component costs, Surface is updating pricing on Microsoft.com for its current‑generation hardware portfolio," a Microsoft spokesperson told the site.

Here's how the new pricing breaks down across the Surface line-up.

These price increases make Microsoft's offerings even harder to recommend against the competition. If you were choosing between an entry-level 13-inch Surface Laptop or an entry-level 13-inch MacBook Air M5, you would have saved $200 by opting for Microsoft. Now, Apple's computer comes in $100 cheaper. And that's not even taking into account the $599 MacBook Neo.

Finally, there have been some signs that costs of RAM have started to fall in recent weeks. Which makes Microsoft's decision not to try and weather the storm even more interesting. Trendforce reported that U.S. DDR5 RAM prices fell by over 20% in the last month.

It could be the case that Microsoft is attempting to set a new pricing benchmark with an eye on the upcoming Snapdragon X2 Plus-powered laptops coming in the future. Either way, the company says it remains "committed to delivering value to customers and partners while upholding our standards for quality and innovation.”

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