My idea is, of course, kind of a conspiracy theory because I can’t prove any of it, but your Neo objection doesn't contradict it. In my view, the Neo is more closely related to iPhones or iPads. It’s more an iPad+ than a real Mac.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Cuts More Mac Studio and Mac Mini RAM Options as Memory Shortage Worsens
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
We peaked in the 1990s and didn't realize it.
pretty sure they've never done anything like this through the entire intel and apple silicon eras
That's when I peaked as well. So reality might actually just be a dream in my head. 😁
the next Mac minis and studios were never meant to appear until october
now I'd put my money on Q2 2027
Maybe Ternus wants to return to the one product and configuration per category of the Jobs era, and they are clearing the ship.
You may wait forever, as there may be no bubble. Some companies like OpenAI are in kind of a bubble, but the whole industry is not. As much as people are going to hate to hear this, prices aren't likely to go down for a very long time....
I decided to upgrade my Linux PC instead of waiting for Apple to release the Mac Studio M5 Ultra. My confidence in Apple has cratered in the past year, and it started with Apple ramming Liquid Glass down people's throats and went downhill from there.
more like over 6 months, the real RAM-pocalypse started in Autumn 2025, and Apple is being hit not much later than any big tech company (consumers started being hit hard in Oct-Nov 2025)
Because they have higher margins and RAM represents a (much) smaller cost element of those. For the same reason why they removed the base storage, since the upgraded one gives them a lot more margins to absorb RAM price increases
EdwardC
macrumors 6502a
Seems to be the same RAM (not sure if the CPU affects the transfer rate)
M5 Max LPDDR5X 9600 MT/s
M4 Max LPDDR5X 8533 MT/s
They realize. They don't care. They already feed upon our hatred. It sustains them, nourishes them.
for what its worth, RAM in a desktop environment is generally going to outperform a laptop environment due to better heat dissipation.
LPDDR isn't interchangeable like DDR DIMMs or DODIMMs
the ram doesn't tell the cpu what it can do, it's programmed in to the cpu itself
you have to commit to a single memory spec when you design the SOC
Conserving for what?
I think there's some needless speculation going on here:
- Apart from the Mini and Studio, AFAIK only the iPad Air still uses M4, and nothing else uses M3.
- It's known that M5/M5/M5 max need faster LPDDR chips than the M3/M4 so they can't reassign "Studio/mini" RAM to M5 MBPs.
- Even the M4 iPad uses a 12GB RAM configuration that isn't used by any Mini/Studio.
- New M5 Minis and Studios were already widely expected to launch this year. Apple will probably have stopped manufacturing new M4/M3U Minis and Studios by now.
- Apple have said that the withdrawn/constrained Mini/Studio models are due to unexpected demand.
- The M4 iMac doesn't seem to be constrained at the moment - but the run was on Minis and Studios for AI work.
- Apples efforts to secure future chip supplies will obviously be focussed on RAM for M5 systems
Yes, RAM prices have gone up & the prices of the M5 Minis/Studios, when they launch, may be higher, but their's no current reason not to re-introduce the high RAN models, since those are Apple's best offering for AI work. They'll just be even more expensive than before...
turbineseaplane
macrumors Penryn
Never been a better time to do this.
People are flat out giving away old 5k iMacs on FB.
V.K.
macrumors 6502a
thanks. this is quite a bit more involved than I would personally be comfortable undertaking. My plan is to wait until the M5 minis and/or studios come out and then see what 3rd party monitor options are available at the time. I expect I'll either get a 5K 27'' or 4k 32''. would have liked 5k 32'' but I don't think any are being made. and 6k is going to be too expensive.
this may be of interest to you:
The *COMPLETE* list of 27" 5K Displays?
[Update 26 May 2026] This list follows the information format used for the 32" 6K and 8K *complete* list WikiPost threads. Specifications are based on the manufacturer's claims. YMMV. The list is divided into six ► sections: Announced (not yet shipping); Available (pre-orders and shipping)...
forums.macrumors.com
The rabbit in the hat is the $200B-$300B in *cash* Apple is sitting on, they can draw down cash reserves if they need to in a way no other major company can. But they have to do it strategically, we’ll see what Ternus does.