Mac mini and Mac Studio Shortage to Persist for Months
Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed delight with the strong performance of new Mac products, but this is not good news for consumers hoping to purchase a Mac mini. Cook stated that Apple has its "most advanced Mac lineup ever" and that the new entry-level MacBook Neo has generated unprecedented market enthusiasm, attracting many first-time buyers to the Mac.
The MacBook Neo, launched in early March, is currently Apple's most affordable MacBook model, starting at $599.
Despite some criticism regarding its A18 Pro "mobile chip," strong sales demonstrate a clear market demand for such products.
Cook revealed that thanks to the MacBook Neo, Mac experienced its "best launch week ever" for new users, with the "little steel cannon" laptop making a significant contribution to first-time purchases.
However, high demand has also brought another consequence: severe supply constraints.
In some models, "selling too well" has shifted from a positive factor to actual supply pressure, particularly for the M4 chip-equipped Mac mini.
Reports indicate that demand for the M4 Mac mini has reached "historic highs," making it nearly impossible for consumers to find stock.
Regarding the Mac mini, Cook frankly admitted that demand is "huge," so large that Apple cannot fully meet it, and the entire quarter will be affected by supply limitations, a situation that will continue for the next few months.
A key reason for the prolonged shortage of the Mac mini is that this small-form-factor desktop has become a favorite for running local AI models and tools.
Supply is tight not only through Apple's official channels but also through third-party distributors, with many users turning to platforms like eBay to purchase models with significant markups.
Supply issues are also affecting some Mac Studio models.
Reports indicate that some configurations are currently completely out of stock; a few "lower-spec" versions are still available for order, but delivery times may be as long as 12 weeks, while higher-spec versions are directly marked as "unavailable."
Overall, Mac's performance this quarter has been strong, successfully attracting a large number of new users and demonstrating the combined effect of Apple's products across all price points, from entry-level to high-end.
However, against the backdrop of the local AI wave driving up hardware demand, constraints on chip and complete machine production capacity are becoming apparent, leading to widespread market expectations that the supply-demand tension for the Mac mini and Mac Studio will be difficult to completely alleviate in the coming months.