Apple has stopped selling its cheapest $599 Mac mini, raising the starting price to $799 with 512GB storage. The change follows strong demand from AI users and supply constraints. CEO Tim Cook noted it may take months to balance supply and demand.
Apple has discontinued its entry-level Mac mini model, which previously started at $599 with 256GB storage. Changes to the company's online store now show only configurations with at least 512GB storage available, effectively setting the new starting price at $799, as first reported by MacRumors and covered by Engadget. The compact desktop, powered by the M4 chip with at least 16GB RAM, had been popular since its 2024 redesign for running local AI models and agents like OpenClaw. Engadget has contacted Apple for confirmation on the discontinuation but has not yet received a response as of May 1, 2026. During Apple's most recent earnings call, CEO Tim Cook addressed supply challenges, stating, “We think, looking forward, that the Mac mini and Mac Studio may take several months to reach supply demand balance.” He attributed higher-than-expected demand to customer recognition of the products as platforms for AI and agentic tools. Analysts link the move to industry-wide pressures on memory and storage costs, dubbed “RAMaggedon,” amid AI-driven demand. Similar adjustments appeared in the recent MacBook Air update, which started at 512GB storage and $1099, though no low-cost alternative like the MacBook Neo exists for the Mac mini.
