Microsoft raises Surface prices as RAM shortage drives component costs higher

Microsoft has raised prices across its Surface device lineup as a global RAM shortage pushes component costs higher. The 13-inch Surface Pro 11 and the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 now start at $1,499, up $500 from their original $999 starting price, according to The Verge. The price increases extend across the full Surface range. The 12-inch Surface Pro has gone from $799 to $1,049, while the 13-inch Surface Laptop has risen from $899 to $1,199. The 15-inch Surface Laptop now costs $1,599, up from its $1,299 starting price. A maxed-out configuration of the 15-inch model with a Snapdragon X Elite processor, 64GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage lists at $3,649, which The Verge notes is hundreds of dollars more than a 16-inch MacBook Pro with similar specifications. Microsoft previously stopped selling the $999 versions of the Surface Pro 11 and the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 last year, replacing them with $1,199 models that included more storage. At the time, the move appeared to be making room for the lower-cost 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop that launched last May. The price hikes place Microsoft's Surface devices at a further competitive disadvantage against Apple's $599 MacBook Neo, which has been outperforming rival Windows laptops. Windows Central, which first reported the price increases, also noted that Microsoft could reveal new Surface devices this spring or summer, though upcoming models may carry similar or higher price tags given ongoing RAM supply constraints.