Apple has raised the base price of its Mac Mini from $599 to $799, citing supply constraints driven by increased demand for chips in artificial intelligence applications. The price hike follows the discontinuation of the entry-level model, which featured an M4 chip with 256GB storage. The new base model retains the M4 chip but offers an upgraded 512GB storage. Meanwhile, the starting price for the M4 Pro model remains at $1,399. The $599 configuration has sold out at most retail locations, and other configurations ordered from Apple's online store face extended shipping times of several weeks or months. Inventory at Apple retail stores is also reported to be extremely limited, reflecting the broader impact of AI-driven demand on chip availability.