Apple’s M4 Mac mini, including the $599 one, is gradually becoming impossible to buy

If you’re considering a MacBook, now might be the ideal time to make a purchase. With the budget-friendly MacBook Neo, the powerful M5 Pro and M5 Max models, and the versatile M5 MacBook Air, there are plenty of options available. However, the situation with Apple’s desktop offerings, particularly the Mac mini and Mac Studio, tells a different story. In recent months, these desktop models have become increasingly difficult to find. The 512GB M3 Ultra Mac Studio has been completely removed from Apple’s online store, and availability for various configurations of both the Mac mini and Mac Studio has shifted from a matter of days to weeks, and even months. Notably, the baseline $599 M4 Mac mini, which includes 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, has now been marked as “currently unavailable” for the first time. Although you can still order many Mac mini models, those with 512GB or more storage and configurations of 16 or 24GB of RAM are experiencing wait times of 5 to 12 weeks. Similarly, M4 Pro Mac minis, regardless of storage configuration and with either 24 or 48GB of RAM, are subject to the same extended delivery times, with most listings showing availability within 10 to 12 weeks. In contrast, all M4 Mac minis with 256GB storage, those with 32GB of RAM, and M4 Pro variants featuring 64GB of RAM are currently unavailable. Additionally, certain Mac Studio models boasting 128GB or 256GB of RAM are also out of stock. Interestingly, this supply issue does not appear to be limited to the M4 chip generation. Most configurations of M4 iMacs, including those with 32GB of RAM, can still be delivered within a week or two. This problem is not solely attributed to ongoing RAM and storage shortages, as new MacBook Pros equipped with 128GB of RAM and large SSDs are shipping within two to three weeks of order placement.