The introduction of the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup was accompanied by a pleasant surprise, as Apple has raised the minimum storage for all M5 and M5 Pro models. With these portable Macs now shipping with a 1TB SSD, buyers who were previously running into low internal memory warnings and had to resort to clever workarounds, such as using cloud storage, can finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, this upgrade isn't free, but the price is less aggressive compared to Apple's previous business practices.
The base storage upgrade won't come free for M5 and M5 MacBook Pro models, as Apple is charging $100, but it's far from outrageous
Previously, Apple would charge a pricey $200 if you opted to increase your storage from 512GB to 1TB. Now, the base M5 MacBook Pro is going for $1,699, marking a $100 increase. What's even better is that the M5 Pro versions are also listed with a minimum of a 1TB SSD. If you visit online retailers such as Amazon, an M4 Pro configuration with 24GB of unified RAM and 512GB of storage would be listed on the online retailer, making it quite the mismatch since it would only take a couple of installations for the space to reach dangerously low levels.
For the absolute ballers out there wanting to switch to the M5 Max, Apple is offering you 2TB of storage for the base model, because how else will the technology giant justify the ludicrous $3,599 starting price of its most powerful portable Mac? Fortunately, the good news doesn't end here, as the same upgrades have branched out to the M5 MacBook Air series, which now ships with a 512GB solid-state drive instead of the measly 256GB capacity.
Unfortunately, those interested in these less expensive machines will have to pay the $100 premium, but for potential customers livid over Apple charging the extra amount, keep in mind that the Cupertino firm had complete liberty to stamp a $200 or even a $300 premium for storage and memory upgrades. Instead, where Apple's competitors are forced to pay hefty sums for DRAM and NAND flash, the MacBook manufacturer is capitalizing on this opportunity as it is likely absorbing the component bills.
TF International Securities Ming-Chi Kuo even stated that Apple shouldn't pass the DRAM costs to consumers, as it will give the company a major advantage amid the chaos. Additionally, its Services division, which rakes in billions in quarterly revenue, can provide a sufficient financial cushion.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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