Good luck trying to find an M4 Mac mini

It’s hard enough finding a MacBook Neo in the color you want, but head over to the Apple Store this weekend, and you’re also going to have a hard time finding a Mac mini. And the same goes for Amazon, B&H Photo, and some Best Buy stores, too.

A check of stock for the M4 Mac mini for 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage shows low to no stock basically everywhere. That might be common for a new iPhone, but the Mac mini is nearly 18 months old. 

SWhile it’s unlikely there will be a run on Mac minis in the immediate future, the lack of stock does pose an interesting question: Why? Usually, low stock is a sign that Apple is preparing an update–we are expecting an M5 model soon–but Apple just finished a round of releases and the Mac mini wasn’t part of it.

It could also be the result of the recent interest in the Mac mini as an AI server. First Claudebot and now Perplexity have AI enthusiasts taking an interest in the Mac mini as a vessel for AI agents due to its small stature and powerful chip. It’s entirely possible that the sudden spike in interest has led to a temporary sell-out.

Or, perhaps MacBook Neo has people interested in Apple’s affordable devices more than usual. We’ll let you know if the Apple Watch SE suddenly sells out.