- Some Mac mini and Mac Studio models are no longer available
- Shortage could be linked to RAM and storage issues
- A refresh of the M5 chipset for these Macs is also expected soon
A few days ago, we reported that some configurations of the Mac mini and Mac Studio were experiencing longer shipping delays if you ordered directly from Apple – and the inventory situation now looks even worse.
As spotted by 9to5Mac, some models in these ranges are now completely out of stock on the Apple Store in the United States. These include the M4 Mac mini with 32GB of RAM and the M3 Ultra Studio with 256GB of RAM, so the higher-spec and more expensive options appear to have been hit the hardest.
We’ve checked stock levels at Apple in the UK and Australia, and the same configurations appear as unavailable – you just can’t buy them at the moment. Models still available for purchase or collection in an Apple Store are in some cases significantly delayed by several months.
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This also appears to be more than “just” out of stock: When Apple products are no longer available for purchase, it usually means they are completely discontinued, which is what happened with the Apple Mac Pro late last month.
M5 refresh incoming?
With no official comment from Apple yet, we can only speculate on what’s going on here – but it seems likely that the current shortage of memory and storage caused by demand from AI data centers is having an effect on Apple’s production lines.
There is another angle here, however, and that is that M5 chip refreshes for the Mac mini and Mac Studio are reportedly imminent. Apple could reduce inventory to make room for new models that are about to be announced – or a combination of factors could all have an influence.
Reddit users pointed to “insane demand” for current models – partly due to Macs being used to run local AI – and the upcoming M5 refresh as the main reasons for the stock shortage. Less is said here about the RAM crisis, which Apple has so far managed to cope with quite successfully.
What is certain is that due to Apple’s “unified memory” approach, where the RAM is soldered directly onto the chipset, you can’t upgrade the RAM on these machines afterwards – so keep that in mind if you’re considering placing orders.
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