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

Apple’s M4 Mac mini (base model, 16GB/256GB) is sold out on Apple’s website, driven by demand for at-home on-device AI workloads. Shortages and an industry memory crunch have pushed buyers to secondary markets like eBay, where open-box units are trading at $715–$795 and some refurbished or new listings reach $925–$979 — more than $100 above the $599 retail price. The scarcity has also lifted demand for higher-end Apple desktops such as the Mac Studio. The supply shortfall and AI-driven demand are inflating used-device prices and could sustain elevated revenue for Apple hardware sales until supply refreshes or inventory is replenished.