The most expensive MacBook you can order from Apple today is the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max chip (18-core CPU, 40-core GPU) and a nano-texture display, at $5,149 as of October 26, 2026. That price is for the ready-to-ship configuration. Apple’s build-to-order menu goes higher, up to 128GB of memory and 8TB of storage. The wildest MacBooks are the jeweler editions, with reported prices from $6,499 to six figures.
This page has two lists. The first ranks Apple’s own models by price on Apple’s buy pages. The second covers custom luxury MacBooks, where prices are asking prices from the makers, not confirmed sales.
| Rank | MacBook (Apple, Oct 2026) | Price (USD) | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pro 16, top M5 Max, matte display | $5,149 | 18-core CPU, 40-core GPU, matte glass |
| 2 | Pro 16, top M5 Max, glossy display | $4,999 | same chip, glossy glass |
| 3 | Pro 14, top M5 Max, matte display | $4,849 | smaller body, same chip |
| 4 | Pro 16, lower M5 Max, matte display | $4,549 | 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU |
| 5 | Pro 16 with M5 Pro, matte display | $3,149 | M5 Pro, 20-core GPU |
| 6 | Air 15 with M5 | $1,499 | the priciest Air |
The Apple ranking
1. The 16-inch Pro at full tilt: $5,149
This is the top of the shelf. The M5 Max has 18 CPU cores and a 40-core GPU, and the nano-texture option matte-etches the glass to cut glare. Ready-to-ship models top out at 48GB of memory and 2TB of storage. In the configurator you can push to 128GB and 8TB, and the price climbs from there. We could not read the upgrade prices, so we do not quote a ceiling.
Basis: the price on Apple’s buy page on October 26, 2026.
2. Same Pro, glossy screen: $4,999
The same machine with a regular display. The nano-texture glass adds $150, which is the cheapest luxury in the line.
3. The small one with the big chip: $4,849
The 14-inch body can also carry the strongest M5 Max. It costs $300 less than the 16-inch with the same chip and screen finish, and that gap is the real price of screen size.
4. A slightly trimmed M5 Max: $4,549
Drop eight GPU cores and the big laptop costs $600 less. Same price page, same date.
5. The M5 Pro sweet spot: $3,149
The 16-inch with the M5 Pro and a 20-core GPU is where most creative professionals stop. Its standard-display sibling is $2,999.
6. The priciest Air: $1,499
The 15-inch is the top Air. The 13-inch starts at $1,299 for the 8-core GPU model and $1,399 with the 10-core GPU. Apple lists both sizes in four colors: Sky Blue, Silver, Starlight and Midnight, with up to 4TB of storage on the menu.
Custom luxury MacBooks (asking prices)
For years, jewelers have bought MacBooks and rebuilt the shell in precious metal. These are asking prices, not auction results, and we could not confirm that every unit sold.
1. Stuart Hughes MacBook Air Supreme Platinum Edition: reported about $500,000
Stuart Hughes, the British luxury customizer, is reported to have built this one in platinum, in a run of five, weighing around 7 kilograms. The figure comes from a single listing, so we hedge it.
2. Stuart Hughes MacBook Air Supreme Ice Edition: reported £139,995
The old version of this page listed $200,000 for this model, made from 2.5 kilograms of platinum with an Apple logo set with 53 diamonds of about 25.5 carats, in a run of ten. Another listing shows £139,995, so we show that figure and label it a listing.
3. Bling My Thing MacBook Air: $40,000 (old listing)
A gold-plated Air with a back covered in 12,000 Swarovski crystals, set by hand over a week, in a run of 20. The $40,000 figure comes from the old listing, from around 2008, and we have not re-verified it.
4. PowerMax Maxbook Pro: $6,499 or $7,999 (2007 listing)
A gold-plated MacBook Pro with a 24-karat case and an Apple logo set with diamonds, offered in 15.4-inch and 17-inch versions in the fall of 2007. The two prices correspond to the two sizes in the old listing, and we show them with their 2007 year.
Records set in 2025 and 2026
Apple moved the whole Pro line to the M5 generation, and the top ready-to-ship price is now $5,149. We found no MacBook auction record and no new jeweler edition in 2025 or 2026.
What drives these prices
- The Max chip. More GPU cores and memory bandwidth carry most of the Apple premium.
- Memory and storage. Every jump from 48GB to 128GB, or from 2TB to 8TB, is a separate charge.
- Screen finish. Nano-texture is $150 on every size.
- Precious metal. A jeweler edition is priced as jewelry, with the laptop as the hidden middle.
Where to buy: Apple sells every model above.
The habits that let people afford this
Short audio lessons on money, mindset and discipline, in the Alux app.
Get the Alux app →FAQ
What is the most expensive MacBook from Apple?
The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max, 40-core GPU and nano-texture display, at $5,149 in ready-to-ship form as of October 26, 2026.
What is the most expensive MacBook ever made?
A custom Stuart Hughes platinum edition, reported at about $500,000 in one listing, though we could not confirm a completed sale.
How much is the cheapest current MacBook?
The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299.
Can a MacBook cost more than $5,149?
Yes. The configurator offers up to 128GB of memory and 8TB of storage, which adds to the price.
Did Apple ever make a gold MacBook?
Not in solid gold. Gold-plated and diamond-set MacBooks are third-party customizations.
Does nano-texture cost extra?
Yes. On the 16-inch M5 Max it is $150.
How we put this list together
We ranked Apple models by the price on Apple’s own buy pages, and listed custom editions by the makers’ asking prices. Prices are approximate, shown in US dollars for October 2026, and change over time.
Keep reading
Last updated: October 2026.
