Apple refused to sell the Mac Studio with 512 GB of RAM due to a shortage of components

Apple has reduced the available memory options for the Mac Studio

This week the company announced an update to the configurations of its laptop‑workstation Mac Studio. As a result, the 512 GB RAM option was removed, and the maximum configuration is now limited to 256 GB.

- The base model – 36 GB RAM (as before).

- Previously the lineup included options from 48 GB up to 512 GB. Now the maximum is 256 GB, available only when selecting the M3 Ultra processor.

How this will affect the buyer
1. Delivery times – a Mac Studio with 256 GB will be on hold until May.

2. Memory cost – the price for increasing memory has risen:

- Previously upgrading from 96 GB to 256 GB cost $1,600; now it’s $2,000.

- If 512 GB were available (currently not), the cost would have been $4,000.

Why Apple did this
The decision is likely related to a global shortage of memory chips. The cap at 256 GB and delivery delays are due to component shortages.

Demand trend
In recent times interest in the Mac Studio has risen significantly: more users are looking for a device capable of efficiently running local AI models.

Thus, buyers can now choose only up to 256 GB of RAM, and prices for additional memory have increased noticeably.