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Apple Cuts Mac Studio and Mac Mini RAM Options in Ongoing Memory Squeeze

Apple blames a global memory squeeze tied to AI demand.

Overview

  • Apple’s online store, updated Tuesday, now caps Mac Studio at 96GB of unified memory and the M4 Pro Mac mini at 48GB, with many builds showing 9–10 week delivery windows.
  • The 256GB Mac mini was dropped last week, raising the starting price to $799 in the U.S. and $1,099 in Canada with a new 512GB base.
  • CEO Tim Cook told investors the Mac mini and Mac Studio could take several months to reach supply‑demand balance and warned of rising memory costs.
  • Suppliers have shifted factories toward high‑bandwidth memory for AI servers, pushing DRAM contract prices up sharply and leaving less standard RAM and flash for consumer Macs.
  • Shoppers now face fewer configuration choices and longer waits, and some higher‑memory MacBooks are also slipping to multi‑week delivery, showing the squeeze is spreading.