Apple raises Mac mini starting price to $799 amid chip shortages
The company has discontinued the $599 base model and warns of delivery delays lasting several months due to AI-driven memory chip demand.
Price Adjustment and Model Changes
Apple has increased the starting price of the Mac mini to $799. The company has discontinued the base model that previously started at $599, which featured 256GB of storage. The new entry-level configuration now begins at $799 and includes 512GB of storage.
According to reports, the $799 price point is not a price increase for the 512GB model itself, but rather a change in the product lineup that raises the minimum entry price for the Mac mini. The new base model retains the M4 chip and 16GB of RAM, matching the specifications of the discontinued $599 model except for the doubled storage capacity.
Supply Chain and Availability Issues
Customers are facing significant delays in receiving new hardware. Apple's U.S. online store is currently listing delivery estimates of up to four to five months for various Mac mini and Mac Studio configurations, particularly those with upgraded RAM. The 512GB version of the M4 Mac mini with 16GB of memory is currently backordered, with some shipping estimates extending into the second or third week of June.
These shortages are attributed to a severe global memory chip shortage. This supply crisis is being driven by surging demand from companies building AI servers that require large amounts of RAM. Apple's CEO has stated that he does not expect the RAM memory crisis to resolve in the near future.
Demand Driven by AI
Apple has struggled to keep pace with a surge in demand for the Mac mini specifically linked to artificial intelligence. During a recent quarterly earnings call, the company stated it has been unable to keep up with the "AI-related clamor" for the device.
Industry reports indicate that chip shortages and demand from AI enthusiasts are both contributing factors to the current availability issues. The Mac mini saw a boost in popularity earlier this year as tech enthusiasts sought the hardware for AI-related tasks.
Broader Market Context
While the Mac mini has seen a floor-price increase, other Apple products have seen different pricing strategies. Reports indicate that Apple has previously frozen prices on its MacBook lineup even as competitors like Microsoft increased prices for Surface laptops. Apple has also reportedly been securing available LPDDR5 supply while maintaining iPhone pricing.
Sources (8)Open
- 1.Ars Technica — Mac mini starting price goes up to $799, may be hard to get for "months"
- 2.Macrumors — Apple Stops Offering Mac Mini With 256GB of Storage, Starting Price Rises to $799 - MacRumors
- 3.Businessinsider — Demand for the Mac Mini is surging — and Apple just raised the starting price from $599 to $799 - Business Insider
- 4.9to5mac — Apple discontinues base Mac mini, now starts at $799 with 512GB storage - 9to5Mac
- 5.Mashable — Apple's $599 Mac Mini is no longer available - Mashable
- 6.Wccftech — Apple Held The Line On MacBook Pricing While Microsoft Hiked Surface Prices, But The iPhone 18 Is Where The Streak Reportedly Breaks - Wccftech
- 7.Eurogamer — Former Nintendo of America boss cut off Amazon's supply of Wii and DS consoles due to "obscene" demands: "I wasn't going to do something illegal" - Eurogamer.net
- 8.Yahoo — 5 days only: Bring a partner or colleague and get 50% off a second TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 pass - Yahoo Tech
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How NewsNews AI made this storyOpen
NewsNews AI researched this story across 8 sources, drafted it, and ran the result through an independent editorial pass. It cleared editorial review on first pass.
- 8 sources cited · linked in full at the bottom of the article
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From the editor
All major claims are supported by their cited snippets: the $599→$799 price floor change and 512GB base storage are confirmed by sources [^2][^3][^4][^5]; the 4-5 month delivery estimates and AI-driven chip shortage are confirmed by [^2]; the quarterly earnings call statement is confirmed by [^3]; the MacBook/Surface pricing context is confirmed by [^6]; and the CEO's comment on the RAM crisis persisting is supported by [^7]. The clarification that the $799 price is not a price hike for the 512GB model itself is accurately reflected from [^3][^4]. No fabricated quotes, no single-source dependency, and no unsupported claims were found.
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