REDMOND, Washington, April 16, 2026, 09:38 PDT
Microsoft has raised prices across its current-generation Surface PC line on its U.S. online store, leaving no consumer model below $1,000. The Surface Pro 12-inch now starts at $1,049.99, the 13-inch Surface Laptop at $1,149.99, the 13-inch Surface Pro and 13.8-inch Surface Laptop at $1,499.99, and the 15-inch Surface Laptop at $1,599.99. Microsoft said the update reflected higher memory and component costs.
The move matters because it shows the AI-led shortage in RAM — the chips PCs use as working memory — landing squarely in mainstream hardware. TrendForce said conventional DRAM, a common form of PC memory, is expected to rise 58% to 63% in the second quarter, while IDC now expects global PC shipments to fall 11.3% in 2026 as memory and supply constraints bite.
It also changes where Surface sits in the market. Devices Microsoft launched or pitched at about $800 to $1,000 now open at roughly $1,050 to $1,500, just as Apple sells a MacBook Neo that starts at $599.
Through a spokesperson, Microsoft said the price change was tied to “recent increases in memory and component costs.” Thurrott, which catalogued the updated store prices, said the 13-inch Surface Pro moved from $1,199.99 to $1,499.99 and the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop from $1,199.99 to $1,499.99. The Verge reported Microsoft had already retired some $999 configurations last year, making the cumulative jump look even steeper. Thurrott
At the top end, the reset bites harder. Microsoft’s U.S. store lists a 64GB RAM, 1TB 15-inch Surface Laptop at $3,649.99, though some 1TB variants are temporarily marked down by $450 and the company is still offering trade-in credits of up to $600.
IDC’s Jitesh Ubrani said memory shortages are “affecting the entire industry” and could reshape market dynamics for the next two years. Jean Philippe Bouchard, also at IDC, said vendors may even trim average PC memory specifications to preserve supply. IDC
Gartner’s Ranjit Atwal was blunter. He said combined memory and solid-state drive, or SSD, costs could surge 130% by the end of 2026, lifting PC prices 17% from 2025 levels, and making low-margin entry laptops “nonviable.” Gartner expects the sub-$500 PC segment to disappear by 2028. Gartner
The timing is awkward for Microsoft. Apple’s MacBook Neo starts at $599, and Surface no longer has a current-generation model sold direct by Microsoft below four figures.
But the price move could backfire if buyers wait, trade down or go refurbished. IDC said consumers may delay purchases or shift spending elsewhere, and Ryan Reith warned the broader tech market was facing “massive disruption” with little clarity on when the pressure would ease. IDC
Microsoft is already leaning on offsets. Its store is pushing student discounts and trade-ins, and The Verge reported a new U.S. college offer bundling Microsoft 365 Premium and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate with select Windows PCs through June 30. Even so, for a current-generation Surface bought direct from Microsoft, the sub-$1,000 tier is gone.
