Amazon Takes Up to $149 Off Apple's M2 Mac Mini, Including New Low Price on 512GB Model

[MilaM]

Evidence.

Daily quotes:

DRAMeXchange - World leading DRAM and NAND Flash market research firm, with more than a decade of most authoritative database

DRAM, NAND Flash, SSD, Module and Memory card, and provides market research on spot and contract prices, daily news, market views and reports, and monthly datasheets of semiconductor industry.集邦科技

www.dramexchange.com

If you prefer a nice graph with somewhat dated information:

DRAM spot prices 2025| Statista

As of August 19, 2025, the spot price of DDR5 16G (2Gx8) 4800/5600 had reached as high as **** U.S.

www.statista.com

☝️ seems to be only available for premium subscribers. But I just searched for "DRAM spot prices". It's easy to find current data.

 

[Agincourt]

Daily quotes:

DRAMeXchange - World leading DRAM and NAND Flash market research firm, with more than a decade of most authoritative database

DRAM, NAND Flash, SSD, Module and Memory card, and provides market research on spot and contract prices, daily news, market views and reports, and monthly datasheets of semiconductor industry.集邦科技

www.dramexchange.com

If you prefer a nice graph with somewhat dated information:

DRAM spot prices 2025| Statista

As of August 19, 2025, the spot price of DDR5 16G (2Gx8) 4800/5600 had reached as high as **** U.S.

www.statista.com

☝️ seems to be only available for premium subscribers. But I just searched for "DRAM spot prices". It's easy to find current data.

Okay I think I need you to clarify some details. From what I got from your initial post you suggested Apple got a higher profit margin off the 8 GB RAM than the 16 GB models... suggesting that they spend more than $200 upgrading the RAM to 16 GB. While I may not know exactly what they do spend on manufacturing if Apple really can't make 16 GB more profitable than their base specs despite slapping a HUGE $200 upgrade cost, then this company seems pathetically incompetent.

Also $3.45 per GB means it would cost them ~$55.2 in terms of material costs with an upgrade markup of $200... making this a significant value added practice. Apple stands to make gigantic profits off customers paying almost 4:1 on RAM, making this a highly profitable practice for them. Note my original comment pertained to them being unable to sell their 8 GB models, thus demanding steep discounts. The same does not apply to the 16 GB RAM upgrades, which would effectively erase their profit margin.

 

[Highway61]

It might also be that consumers aren't being swayed by their, "if you're not willing to downgrade to our 24" AIO iMac, you'll have to start buying individual components like back in the day when Dell and Amstrad made you buy a monitor and a tower" approach.

 

[MilaM]

Also $3.45 per GB means it would cost them ~$55.2 in terms of material costs with an upgrade markup of $200

It's 3.45 USD (or likely less in my opinion) for the whole 8GB, not per GB. That's the cost of the chip package that goes onto the mainboard. To enjoy 16GB you'd need two chips or 6.90 USD.

My reasoning is the following. It woud cost them 3.45 to make a 16GB base model, which would sell much better in my opinion. But they prefer to save 3.45 and sell an inferior product, just to earn a huge margin on buyers who know what they are doing and opting for the upgrade to 16GB.

 

[CalMin]

I was having that all the time.

Eventually, a particular array of USB hubs and drives seemed fairly stable, but I was always expecting it to happen again.

Decided to try a powered USB hub and got the one below. Bunged all external drives through that - even cascaded another USB hub off it to get more ports. And it has been 100% since installation. Have used five drives - one spinner and four SSD. Time machine on two drives - runs fine every day.

Aceele USB C Hub 3.2 Gen 2, 10Gbps USB C to USB C Adaptor with 4 Type-C Data Ports, 2ft USB Extension Cable Extender Splitter with Type-C Power Port for Laptop, MacBook Pro, Samsung Chromebook, Etc
UK ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C2YN8F7Z

It might be there are dozens of other such hubs - I know there are several. The extra length cable and reasonable price are why I chose this one and kept my fingers crossed.

This actually makes a lot of sense. I mostly use bus-powered drives for the convenience and never thought about it being a power issue.

I look into it. Thanks for the informative post!

 

[Agincourt]

It's 3.45 USD (or likely less in my opinion) for the whole 8GB, not per GB. That's the cost of the chip package that goes onto the mainboard. To enjoy 16GB you'd need two chips or 6.90 USD.

My reasoning is the following. It woud cost them 3.45 to make a 16GB base model, which would sell much better in my opinion. But they prefer to save 3.45 and sell an inferior product, just to earn a huge margin on buyers who know what they are doing and opting for the upgrade to 16GB.

Thank you for clarifying. I seriously thought the cost to them was 20-50 USD but their profit margin is in fact so much greater than I ever imagined.

The sheer, naked will behind all their greed can easily be seen in their refusal to upgrade their base stats. This gigantic value-added measure is too great for them to just give up, especially when you consider all the reasons for them not to. If the computer isn't viable 5+ years down the line consumers will be more inclined to buy a replacement. That or no one would be willing to buy an Apple with only 8 GB RAM years down the line, making the secondhand market that much less viable as well.

Apple's greed is just sickening.

 

[MilaM]

I would not be surprised if the margins are higher than in the drug trade 😬.

Engineers at Apple very likely don't feel very good about this. But I think the marketing people, who are really good at their job, have the last say about the price politics. It's working very well so far, if you look at the share price. But I'm not sure how long customers will play along. We'll see.

 

[bgillander]

Where are the 16 GB RAM options?! This discount doesn't allow us to upgrade the RAM.

If Apple can't sell their 8 GB models without steep discounts then why should anyone want to buy them?

Because of steep discounts?

Most companies discount their products that aren't selling as well, rather than the products that do sell well. That is pretty much standard capitalist supply and demand. Apple probably does it less often than most others.