Apple has significantly reduced the configuration options for its Mac Mini and Mac Studio desktop lines due to ongoing global memory shortages. The company is discontinuing specific high-capacity RAM tiers and raising the entry-level storage minimums across the Mac Mini range. These changes effectively increase the starting price for new Mac Mini units while limiting customization for existing models.
The Mac Mini base model now starts with 512GB of SSD storage, replacing the previous 256GB option. This shift raises the entry price from $599 to $799. For the Mac Mini with M4 Pro chips, the maximum RAM configuration is now capped at 48GB, ending the availability of the 64GB option. Standard M4 Mac Mini models are restricted to 16GB or 24GB configurations after the 32GB tier was removed.
Mac Studio configurations have also seen reductions. The Mac Studio M3 Ultra is now available only with 96GB of RAM, as the 256GB option has been discontinued. Customers can no longer purchase the Mac Mini models that previously offered 32GB or 64GB RAM, nor the Mac Studio M3 Ultra with 256GB RAM. Current orders for Mac Studio M3 and M4 Max models face estimated delivery times of nine to ten weeks.
Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive officer, indicated that it will take several months for the supply and demand of Mac Mini and Mac Studio to return to balance. He cited the underestimation of demand for local artificial intelligence and agent tools as a primary driver for the current supply constraints. The company is managing these shortages by streamlining its product offerings rather than expanding capacity immediately.
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