Apple's online store in the US is currently showing delivery estimates of up to 4-5 months for many configurations of the Mac mini and Mac Studio with upgraded RAM. The delays come amid a severe global memory chip shortage, caused by increased demand from companies building AI servers (which require large amounts of RAM).
Delays for Mac Mini and Mac Studio
For example, a Mac mini with an M4 Pro chip and 64GB of RAM ordered from Apple's online store in the U.S. today is estimated to ship in 16-18 weeks.
See also: MacBook Pro 16-inch: Problem with the new charger
Even the $599 base model with an M4 chip and 16GB of RAM is a month late.
Similarly, a Mac Studio with an M3 Ultra chip and 256GB of RAM is estimated to ship in 4-5 months, with store pickup not available until September.
Last month, Apple completely removed the 512GB RAM option for the Mac Studio.
Market-wide impact
It's worth noting that memory chip prices are reportedly starting to stabilize or decline slightly, but they still remain well above the market. Therefore, shipment estimates for the high-end Mac mini and Mac Studio are unlikely to improve anytime soon.
See also: Apple launches affordable MacBook Neo with A18 Pro chip
The picture emerging in the market clearly shows that the explosive growth of artificial intelligence is now directly affecting the consumer sector. Increased demand for memory chips from data centers and AI infrastructures has created a “domino” of shortages, which reaches products such as the Mac mini and Mac Studio. Despite the fact that Apple maintains a strong supply chain, even it is struggling to meet the demand for configurations with high RAM, something that was previously taken for granted for professional users.
See also: macOS 26.4: Apple reveals six new features for Mac
In this context, consumers and professionals are being asked to redefine their choices, either by choosing more basic versions or planning their purchases with a longer time horizon. While there are signs of stabilization in memory chip prices, it seems that it will take time for the market to fully normalize. Until then, delays in high-end systems will likely continue, highlighting how are now intertwined AI developments with everyday technology.
