Apple Removes Entry-Level M4 Mac Mini, Starting Price Rises to $799
The base model—with an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage—has been discontinued, raising the entry price from $599 to $799.
Apple has quietly removed the entry-level M4 Mac mini configuration with 256GB of storage from sale. The change, reflected on Apple’s website, increases the model’s starting price from $599 to $799. The move comes amid a global memory chip shortage and supply constraints acknowledged by Apple’s CEO.
Price and Configuration Change
According to Apple’s website, the previously available base model—featuring an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage at a price of $599—is no longer listed. The new entry-level configuration starts at $799, offering the same M4 chip and 16GB of RAM but with 512GB of storage.
This $799 configuration was already available prior to the change, meaning the update eliminates the lower-cost option without increasing the price of the 512GB model. Configurations with 24GB of RAM remain available. Mac mini models equipped with the M4 Pro chip, which already started at 512GB of storage, are unaffected and remain in stock.
Availability and Supply Constraints
The 256GB base model was listed as "currently unavailable" for delivery and in-store pickup on the Apple Online Store prior to its removal. Shortages have reportedly extended to other configurations. Apple’s website currently lists shipping estimates of approximately six weeks for the 512GB M4 Mac mini and nine to ten weeks for other models.
On a recent earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that supply for the Mac mini and Mac Studio is constrained due to demand exceeding the company’s expectations. Cook noted that it may take "several months to reach supply-demand balance." He attributed the high demand to customer recognition of the devices’ capabilities for running artificial intelligence (AI) and agentic tools locally.
Context and External Factors
Reports from multiple sources indicate that the supply constraints are part of a broader industry-wide shortage of memory and storage components. This shortage is linked to a surge in global demand for memory chips driven by the buildout of AI server infrastructure. Apple has stated it expects significantly higher memory costs in the current quarter.
Third-party retailers, such as Amazon, are reported to have only M4 Pro Mac mini models in stock. On the secondary market, eBay listings have shown prices ranging from $700 for used units to $979 for refurbished models of the discontinued base configuration.
The Mac mini had gained popularity among users for running on-device AI models. Some industry observers noted that Apple may be prioritizing component supply for its MacBook lineup over its desktop Macs.
Precedent
This is not the first instance of Apple adjusting its product lineup due to component costs. When Apple updated the MacBook Air with the M5 chip, storage was increased to a minimum of 512GB and the starting price was raised to $1,099.
Apple has been contacted for comment. Bloomberg has reported that an M5 Mac Studio refresh is not expected until October, and M5 versions of the Mac mini are reported to be in development for 2026.