- Other Mac models have now been retired by Apple
- Mac mini and Mac Studios now available in fewer configurations
- AI and associated lack of memory are to blame
As demand from AI data centers sucks up the world’s RAM supply, consumers are feeling the pinch: having already removed some configurations of the Mac Studio and Mac mini from its store last month, Apple has now reduced the available options even further.
As spotted by MacRumors, you can no longer buy Mac mini models with 32GB or 64GB of RAM, while the M3 Ultra Mac Studio with 256GB of RAM has also been removed from sale – so for now, this particular computer is only available with 96GB of RAM.
The M3 Mac Studio and M4 Max Mac Studio, meanwhile, have delivery estimates of 9 to 10 weeks. Even if the desired configuration can be purchased in the store, you may wait a long time for it.
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As for Mac mini, you still have an option of 48 GB of RAM for the M4 Pro model and 16 GB or 24 GB for the standard M4 version. The 256GB SSD storage option has also been removed in recent weeks, increasing the starting price.
“Balance of supply and demand”
Outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook has publicly stated that “the Mac mini and Mac Studio could take several months to reach balance between supply and demand” – and Cook specifically mentioned AI and agent tools as reasons why these computers are in such high demand.
These Macs are compressed in two ways: not only are they ideal for running AI models and software, increasing their popularity, but this same demand for AI processing power also significantly reduces the amount of memory to fit into these computers.
And there is no sign that the situation is improving in the short term. The industry’s biggest players have warned that it will be some time before supply can catch up, which is not encouraging for availability and pricing going forward.
Reactions online have been understandably negative: “I’ve come to despise AI,” admits one Reddit user, while other commenters want more done to limit the number of machines that can be purchased at one time (most often for large, complex AI projects).
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