Apple's High-End Macs Vanish Amid Global RAM Crisis

Several high-end configurations of Apple's M4 Mac Mini and Mac Studio are now unavailable on the company's online store. Specifically, models with 32GB and 64GB of RAM for the Mac Mini, and 128GB and 256GB for the Mac Studio, are listed as "currently unavailable." This widespread unavailability appears linked to a global RAM shortage. This shortage is primarily driven by the surging demand for generative AI tools, which is consuming over 70% of the global RAM supply. Industry experts predict this crisis could extend until 2030, impacting prices and availability across various computing devices. Another potential factor is Apple preparing for an M5 chip refresh for these particular Mac models, with an announcement possibly occurring in early June before WWDC 2026. This theory is supported by Apple's past practices of adjusting product configurations and pricing, especially as these machines become popular for local AI development and research. Some analysts suggest that the high demand for these specific configurations may have depleted supplies faster than anticipated, prompting Apple to remove them in advance of the anticipated M5 updates.