Prices of just about everything are skyrocketing right now, but especially anything with RAM inside. Those components are in short supply – AI server farms are buying up the world’s RAM – which pushes up manufacturing costs for all kinds of tech, iPhones, iPads, and Macs included.
That’s mostly bad news for consumers. But there’s a silver lining: your existing tech is holding its value better than ever.
So your old devices aren’t just worth more on the resale market. Apple has taken the unprecedented step of raising trade-in values across many of its products – the opposite of what we usually see.
Most went up $5 to $20, with a few bigger jumps: the MacBook Air climbed $35 to $520, the Mac mini rose $35 to $375, and the iPad Pro is now worth up to $690. On the iPhone side, the 16 Pro Max edged up $10 to $695 and the standard iPhone 16 gained $25 to reach $460.
It’s not all up. The Apple Watch Ultra actually dropped $10 to $205, and a few models stayed flat. But the trend is clear, and so is the reason: that RAM shortage again.
This could stick around for a while, and it might nudge more people to hold onto their devices longer rather than shelling out for pricey new kit. But if you do decide to upgrade, this summer could be a sweet spot. Trade-in values have gone up, but Apple hasn’t hiked its hardware prices to match. Buy now and you could get more than usual for your trade-in before that window closes – though bear in mind new iPhones are just three months away, which could change the equation all over again.