Disappearing Macs? A global RAM supply crisis is likely to hit Apple

numerous Advanced Apple computers It’s sold out on the company’s online store, and there’s no indication when it will be back in stock. Multiple RAM-intensive configurations. M4 Mac mini and Mac studio It is now listed as “Currently Unavailable”.

Affected configurations include 32GB and 64GB RAM options For Mac Mini and 128GB and 256GB options For Mac studio. Meanwhile, available configurations of these PCs are facing shipping delays, with Apple’s official listings suggesting up to 18 weeks.

This is not unique Apple problem. Some manufacturers warn that the global shortage of random access memory (RAM) is driven by high demand for it Generative artificial intelligence Tools, will continue Until 2030 at least. with more than 70% From the global RAM supply allocated for use by AI computing giants, storage issues are a common sight across the computing industry at the moment, with… Rising prices of phones and laptops In the midst of a supply crisis.

The lack of storefront availability can sometimes be attributed to gearing up for a new announcement, but it’s unlikely that an M5 upgrade for these PCs will be on the way soon after Apple event in March. The Apple M5 processor, first announced in fall 2025, represents a major leap in AI performance with next-generation GPU and neural accelerator. while MacBook Pro and MacBook Air It received an update to the M5 chip in recent months, and the Mac Mini and Mac Studio are based on the M4 processor.

The most likely scenario is that Lack of global RAM It is claiming more casualties and Apple is reallocating resources to other products in its current lineup due to severe supply constraints.

CNET computing expert Elliot died He believes there is likely a kernel of truth in both theories. Apple may have pulled the high memory configurations of the M4 Mac Mini and Mac Studio while preparing updates for these computers. It is believed that an update to the M5 chip for the Mac Mini and Mac Studio could be announced sometime in early June, before the start of the new year. Worldwide Developers Conference 2026.

“Apple usually removes a product in the lead-up to replacing it, but this move usually happens close to launch rather than two months later,” Elliott said. “High demand for high-end configurations may have caused supplies to reach low levels sooner than Apple expected, accelerating the removal of these configurations before final M5 updates.”

The complete removal of multiple Mac Mini and Mac Studio configurations from the Store may seem surprising, but Apple has been constantly manipulating the prices and availability of these products as they become… Popular budget choice For developers and researchers running Amnesty International LLMs locally.

There is precedent for restricting configuration options for the M4 Mac family of products. According to the following websiteApple recently removed the 512GB RAM configuration of the Mac Studio, while simultaneously increasing the price of the 256GB RAM option by 25%.

An Apple representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.