Marked-up Mac minis flood eBay amid shortages pushed by AI

[ad_1] Overpriced Mac minis are flooding eBay amid shortages of the sold-out machines, which have turn out to be a popular instrument for working on-device AI fashions like OpenClaw.

This week, reviews indicated that the $599 M4 Mac mini base mannequin with 16GB RAM and 256GB of storage is bought out on Apple’s retail web site, with no choices for supply or in-store pickup. The shortages have since prolonged to different configurations of the bottom mannequin, whatever the quantity of reminiscence chosen. That is the primary time the bottom mannequin has been bought out, some retailers famous. In the meantime, fashions with greater storage (512GB and up) are solely accessible to ship beginning in June.

Consequently, eBay has turn out to be a secondary marketplace for these in-demand computer systems. On the positioning, varied configurations of the M4 Mac mini can be found on the market at greater costs than if shopping for direct from Apple, which is now not an possibility.

Apple’s power-efficient Mac minis have turn out to be well-liked gadgets for testing and working at-home, on-device AI fashions, starting with the OpenClaw craze however now extending to OpenClaw options like ZeroClaw, different AI instruments from Anthropic and OpenAI, Perplexity Pc, or different specialised native fashions. In contrast to some PCs, Mac minis additionally run quietly and are typically extra dependable for twenty-four/7 use, in contrast with laptop computer computer systems.

The scarcity of the gadgets additionally comes alongside an industry-wide reminiscence crunch and plans for a Mac mini refresh, based on Bloomberg. Nevertheless, refreshes of product traces haven’t led to shortages earlier than.

Apple didn't instantly reply to a request for remark.

This good storm of provide chain stress and elevated demand for AI-friendly machines has inflated the costs of used shopper electronics.

As of Friday morning, M4 base fashions with the 16GB RAM/256GB SSD configuration had been promoting at markups like $715-$795 for a brand new, “open field” mannequin, and as excessive as $979 for an “glorious” refurbished model. Some “calmly used, pre-owned” Mac minis with this configuration had been promoting for round $700 — greater than $100 greater than the value of a brand new base mannequin.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="484" width="680" src="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?w=680" alt="" class="wp-image-3116172" srcset="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg 2160w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=150,107 150w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=300,213 300w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=768,546 768w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=680,484 680w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=1200,853 1200w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=1280,910 1280w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=430,306 430w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=720,512 720w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=900,640 900w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=800,569 800w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=1536,1092 1536w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=2048,1456 2048w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=668,475 668w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=527,375 527w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=868,617 868w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=708,503 708w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.58.21-AM.jpg?resize=50,36 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px"/> Picture Credit:eBay (screenshot)

There was additionally a single itemizing for a $925 brand-new M4 Mac mini with the identical 16GB RAM and 256GB storage; the itemizing warned in shiny purple textual content: “Final one.”

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" height="192" width="680" src="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?w=680" alt="" class="wp-image-3116171" srcset="https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg 1960w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=150,42 150w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=300,85 300w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=768,217 768w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=680,192 680w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=1200,339 1200w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=1280,362 1280w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=430,122 430w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=720,204 720w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=900,254 900w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=800,226 800w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=1536,434 1536w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=668,189 668w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=1440,407 1440w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=708,200 708w, https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-24-at-11.57.03-AM.jpg?resize=50,14 50w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px"/> Picture Credit:eBay (screenshot)

Whilst you nonetheless might be able to rating a fairly priced refurb in case you preserve an in depth eye out (or in case you win an eBay public sale the place the bid has began at a lower cost level), plainly the demand for the gadget goes to maintain costs up till Apple’s provide chain refreshes.

And now that the Mac mini is unavailable, Apple has begun to see elevated demand for the Mac Studio, too. That laptop can also be now bought out throughout a number of configurations.

As Ars Technica identified, you'll be able to nonetheless get a MacBook Professional with 128GB RAM and bigger SSDs inside just a few weeks, and even the brand new and well-liked MacBook Neo continues to be delivery inside two to a few weeks. This implies the true problem is shopper demand for the Mac mini itself.

While you buy by means of hyperlinks in our articles, we could earn a small fee. This doesn’t have an effect on our editorial independence.

[ad_2] Source link

Marked-up Mac minis flood eBay amid shortages pushed by AI

The one that allegedly leaked the brand new Avatar film has been arrested

Google plans to speculate much more cash into Anthropic

Techmeme: Anthropic says Google is committing to speculate $10B now in money at a $350B valuation and can make investments one other $30B if Anthropic hits efficiency targets (Bloomberg)

greater

Related Posts

The one that allegedly leaked the brand new Avatar film has been arrested

Google plans to speculate much more cash into Anthropic

Techmeme: Anthropic says Google is committing to speculate $10B now in money at a $350B valuation and can make investments one other $30B if Anthropic hits efficiency targets (Bloomberg)

China-nexus cyber actors’ are turning routers and IoT infrastructure into covert botnets ‘at scale’ – NCSC, 5 Eyes, and others warn of marketing campaign involving Storm-designated teams

Realme C100x Tipped to Launch in India Quickly as Key Specs and Design Floor On-line

For All Mankind spinoff ‘Star Metropolis’ lastly tells the Soviet facet of the area race in a brand new trailer

DOJ Expands Federal Dying Penalty Protocols to Embrace Firing Squad and Pentobarbital

Officers vastly underestimated affect of AI datacentres on UK carbon emissions | AI (synthetic intelligence)

Recommended Stories

Iran seizes container ships in Strait of Hormuz after Trump extends ceasefire

Florida launches prison probe into ChatGPT over FSU taking pictures : NPR

‘He would not belief himself…’: Finch questions ‘angle’ of India’s ‘double-World Cup winner’

Popular Stories

Christian Hubicki Has No Regrets About His ‘Survivor’ 50 Recreation

Former Mexican magnificence queen, 27, discovered shot lifeless in Mexico Metropolis: studies

Palestinian boy, 14, amongst two killed in settler assault close to West Financial institution faculty | West Financial institution

5 issues John Ternus received’t change as Apple CEO when he takes over from Tim Cook dinner (and a couple of issues he would possibly)

Syed Suhail | Iran Israel Struggle: अब ईरान ने कब्ज़ा किया जहाज़! | Trump | |Bharat Ki Baat Batata Hoon

Categories

Site Map

Recent Posts

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Add New Playlist

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

Are you sure want to cancel subscription?

Marked-up Mac minis flood eBay amid shortages pushed by AI

RELATED POSTS

Support Greater and Subscribe to view content

Subscribe

Related Posts

Recommended Stories

Popular Stories

Categories

Site Map

Recent Posts

Welcome Back!

Create New Account!

Retrieve your password

Add New Playlist

Are you sure want to unlock this post?

Are you sure want to cancel subscription?