Apple’s Mac mini now has a higher starting price, as it discontinues the entry-level model and slides down to the mid-range

Bye-bye $599 / £599 / AU$999

News By Jacob Krol published 1 May 2026

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• Apple's entry-level $599 Mac mini with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM is no longer available
• It now starts at $799 for 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM
• Apple's still quoting over a month for delivery as well

Less than 24 hours after Apple’s earnings call in which CEO Tim Cook commented on supply chain issues hitting the Mac mini — shipping dates for the popular entry-level Mac desktop unit have been slipping — the price has gone up, and the former mid-range model is the new entry-level model on Apple.com.

Prior to this story's publication, Apple’s entry-level Mac mini was priced at $599 and came with 256GB of solid-state storage and 16GB of RAM, though that model was out of stock for over a week. That’s no longer an option, though, and the Mac mini now starts at $799 for 512GB of solid-state storage and 16GB of RAM.

MacRumors was the first to spot this change, and the price has increased internationally as well. The Mac mini now starts at £799 in the UK and AU$1,299 in Australia, both with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

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Essentially, the $599 / £599 / AU$999 model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is discontinued, and the previous mid-range $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is now the entry-level. Same hardware specs and cost, but that previous step-up price is now the entry point.

As we noted in our review when this refreshed Mac mini hit the market, it delivered significant value, especially at the $599 price point in the United States. That value’s a bit tougher with a $200 MSRP increase, but one could say the MacBook Neo takes that spot — albeit with less power — while still staying affordable.

Considering the ongoing RAM crisis, which is bleeding into storage, and slipping times for Apple’s Mac mini already stretched out by weeks, this is likely a way for the supply chain teams within the Cupertino-based technology giant to manage the model.

On the earnings call, Cook didn't give many specifics or tease this forthcoming change, but did say, "We think, looking forward, that the ‌Mac mini‌ and ‌Mac Studio‌ may take several months to reach supply demand balance."

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