MacBooks, iPads get pricier in Vietnam amid rising component costs

Many consumers who had been planning to upgrade their MacBooks for months were surprised to find that their desired laptops had become several million Vietnamese dong more expensive when they visited stores in July. (VND1 million = US$38).

Minh Truong, a Ho Chi Minh City resident, said he had been saving part of his income to buy a MacBook Air M3 with 16GB of RAM for his content design work.

"A few months ago, I checked the price of the 16GB MacBook Air M3, which was around VND27.9 million [$1,060], so I thought I would have enough," Truong said.

However, when he recently revisited a retailer's website, the listed price had risen to nearly VND30 million ($1,140), while some higher-storage configurations had increased by VND2-3.5 million ($76-133).

"I was planning to go directly to the store, see the laptop in person, and buy it. I checked the website first to see if there were any promotions," Truong said.

“I didn't expect the price itself to have changed. The increase has made me reconsider my plans." 

Thuy Vy, another Ho Chi Minh City resident, had also planned to buy a laptop for her younger brother, who is about to start university.

However, after finding that prices for many products had risen sharply, she decided to reconsider her options.

"In the past, I would simply buy a device that met my needs. Now I have to compare different product lines and look more closely at promotional offers," Vy said.

Many other consumers have similarly become more hesitant after learning that prices for a range of Apple MacBook and iPad models have increased significantly.

Visits to streets in Ho Chi Minh City with numerous electronics retailers, including Tran Quang Khai and Ba Thang Hai, found that shopping activity appeared noticeably quieter than during the same period last year.

One major factor was a global price adjustment in late June 2026 that affected Apple's product line-up, prompting many customers to hesitate before making a purchase.

A survey of major retail chains, including FPT Shop, 24hStore, Minh Tuan Mobile, and Di Dong Viet, found significant differences in price trends across Apple's product line-up.

While older smartphone models such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 have remained relatively stable in price, iPad and MacBook models designed for professional and specialized use have generally become more expensive.

MacBook Air M3 and MacBook Pro M3 and M5 models, as well as iPad Air and iPad Pro models equipped with M-series chips, are among the products affected by the price adjustments.

Prices for these devices have generally increased by 5-12 percent from early 2026.

For example, the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version of the MacBook Air M3, which previously sold for around VND27.99 million ($1,063), now costs VND29.99-30.49 million ($1,139-1,158), an increase of about VND2-2.5 million ($76-95).

MacBook Pro M3 and M5 models that previously cost around VND39.99 million ($1,519) now sell for VND42.5-43.99 million ($1,615-1,671), depending on the configuration, representing an increase of VND2.5-4 million ($95-152).

Tablets aimed at creative professionals have also been affected. The iPad Pro M4 and iPad Air M2 have seen price increases ranging from VND1.5 million ($57) to more than VND2 million ($76) per device.

Nguyen Thi Anh Hong, marketing director of 24hStore, attributed the price adjustments in late June primarily to a sharp global increase in the cost of RAM, semiconductor chips, and SSD storage components.

Manufacturers are prioritizing supplies for data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure, which has reduced the supply of components for personal devices and pushed up Apple's production costs, Hong said.

The price increases have not been limited to MacBooks and iPads. Some high-end smartphones, including iPhone Pro and Pro Max models, have also seen modest price adjustments, according to a representative of Minh Tuan Mobile.

The trend is expected to lengthen consumers' device replacement cycles as buyers become more cautious about upgrading their electronics.