Overview
- Apple’s store now shows the base M4 Mac mini with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage as “Currently Unavailable,” and every M4 mini with 256GB storage is also off-sale.
- Other desktop builds are constrained too, with many higher‑RAM Mac mini and Mac Studio configurations either unavailable or quoting long waits that stretch from several weeks to a few months.
- Reporters link the shortages to tight supplies of DRAM and NAND as AI data centers buy huge amounts of memory chips, which raises costs and limits what reaches consumer Macs.
- Demand from people running AI tools locally, including OpenClaw and newer options like Perplexity’s Computer features, is pushing more buyers toward small, always‑on Mac minis.
- Stock at retailers is hit or miss, with Best Buy listings often sold out, some M4 Pro units on Amazon shipping later, and eBay showing markups on new and used Mac minis, while an M5 refresh remains speculative.