Mac mini: Apple discontinues 256GB variant Apfelpatient

Apple has significantly raised the starting price of the Mac mini worldwide: The 256GB configuration has been discontinued, and the entry-level model now starts at 512GB for US$799 or €949. This is due to the global RAM shortage – and it has direct consequences for German buyers as well.

What at first glance sounds like a minor adjustment to the product range is actually quite significant: Apple is no longer offering the Mac mini with 256 GB of storage – and this applies to all stores worldwide. This removes the cheapest model from the lineup, effectively increasing the entry-level price by €250. Behind this decision lies a supply shortage that has affected the entire industry and is forcing Apple to make these uncomfortable corrections.

What Apple has specifically changed

Apple has completely removed the 256GB Mac mini option from its configurator this week – in all stores worldwide, including Germany. The new starting price is €949 – for a model with an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. Previously, the same Mac mini was available in a 256GB version for €699. This configuration has been discontinued without replacement.

Even before the official announcement, the 256GB version of the Mac mini was no longer available for order last week, effectively sold out. With the current update to the configurator, Apple is officially confirming its discontinuation. Nothing changes for the Mac mini with the M4 Pro chip, as this variant already starts with at least 512GB of storage.

Why Apple is cutting costs right now

The cancellation is not a coincidence. Tim Cook has in Earnings Call for Q2 2026 Apple has confirmed that the Mac mini and Mac Studio are currently experiencing supply shortages. Apple expects it will take "several months" for supply and demand to rebalance. According to Cook, both models are heavily used as platforms for AI and agent workloads, resulting in surprisingly high demand.

Added to this is the main factor: a global shortage of memory chips. Because hyperscalers like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft are massively expanding their AI server capacities, RAM and flash components have become extremely scarce. Apple accordingly announced "significantly higher memory costs" for the current quarter in its earnings call – an indication that current product line decisions are also a direct consequence of this shortage.

Mac Studio Correction as a preview

To put this into perspective, one should look at the Mac Studio. Back in March 2026, Apple removed the 512GB RAM option from the Mac Studio lineup – for the same reasons. At the time, the adjustment was seen as a response to the memory chip shortage. The current Mac mini discontinuation follows the same pattern: Apple is concentrating production on the highest-margin configurations and foregoing variants that are not economically viable under current market conditions.

What this means for German buyers

The discontinuation primarily affects price-conscious buyers who had previously considered the Mac mini as the most affordable entry point into the Apple Silicon ecosystem. Those in Germany who wanted to order directly from Apple now only have the option of a 512GB configuration or larger. However, those who would have upgraded to 512GB or more anyway are not affected by the change.

One alternative is to check the remaining stock at German retailers. Price comparisons show that the 256GB version with 16GB RAM is currently available from some vendors at prices significantly below Apple's original list price – however, these stocks are also likely to sell out within a few weeks.

Apple's product range in the shadow of the AI wave

What appears to be a minor technical detail in the Mac mini's adjustments is actually a symptom of a much larger shift. The AI server boom is forcing even a company like Apple to restructure its consumer product line around the real bottlenecks. That the next Mac mini - the anticipated Mac mini with the M5 chip - will launch with higher entry-level prices is, after this product line streamlining, more of an expectation than speculation. For Apple buyers in Germany, this means: Anyone looking for an affordable mini desktop system should keep a close eye on the coming weeks and months. (Image: Shutterstock / PHLD Luca)