Apple raises Mac mini’s starting price to $799 after AI frenzy drains supply; Cheaper version discontinued with upgraded specs.

Apple Inc. raised the starting price of its Mac mini from £599 to £799, effectively discontinuing the entry-level configuration in response to strong demand for AI technologies and subsequent inventory constraints. The company has pivoted away from its less expensive model, which featured an M4 processor with 256GB of storage, and now only offers configurations beginning with the same chip but with 512GB of storage.

As noted by Apple, the change reflects the ongoing shift in consumer preferences toward machines capable of supporting local AI agents. CEO Tim Cook acknowledged this trend, stating, “Both of these are amazing platforms for AI and agentic tools and the customer recognition of that is happening faster than what we had predicted, and so we saw higher than expected demand.” This shift in the market has resulted in higher than anticipated demand, impacting the supply chain. Cook added that it may take several months to achieve a balance between supply and demand for the Mac mini and the Mac Studio models.

With only configurations accessible with at least 512GB of storage, customers seeking the Mac mini will now have to adjust to this new price point, reflecting both upgrades in specifications and changes in market dynamics driven by AI. Engadget has reached out for official confirmation regarding the discontinuation of the entry-level Mac mini, with evidence seen in the company's updated store page.

Apple has raised the starting price of its Mac mini from $599 to $799, discontinuing its entry-level model due to supply shortages driven by increased demand for AI capabilities. The new base configuration offers upgraded specs, now starting at 512GB of storage.