Distinctive mini Macs are flooding eBay amid AI-triggered shortages

Small, expensive Macs have been flooding eBay amid a shortage of sold devices, which have become a go-to tool for running on-device AI models like OpenClaw.

Reports this week indicated that the $599 base model M4 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage was sold out on Apple’s retail site, with no options for delivery or in-store pickup. The shortage has since extended to other configurations of the base model, regardless of the amount of memory specified. Some outlets noted that this is the first time the base model has been sold. Meanwhile, models with higher storage capacities (512GB and above) are only available for shipping starting in June.

As a result, eBay became a secondary market for in-demand computers. Various configurations of the M4 Mac mini are available on the site for sale at prices higher than the direct purchase price from Apple, which is no longer an option.

Apple’s power-efficient Mac minis have become popular devices for testing and running at home, on-device AI models, starting with the OpenClaw craze but now extending to OpenClaw alternatives like ZeroClaw, other AI tools from Anthropic and OpenAI, Perplexity Computer, or other specialized homegrown models. Unlike some PCs, Mac minis also run quieter and tend to be more reliable for 24/7 use, compared to laptops.

The hardware shortage also comes alongside an industry-wide memory crunch and plans to refresh the Mac mini, according to Bloomberg. However, production line upgrades have never led to shortages before.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This perfect storm of supply chain pressures and increased demand for AI-friendly machines has inflated the prices of used consumer electronics.

As of Friday morning, base M4 models with the 16GB RAM/256GB SSD configuration were selling for prices between $715 and $795 for the new “open box” model, and up to $979 for the refurbished “premium” version. Some “lightly used, used” Mac minis with this configuration sold for about $700—more than $100 more than the price of a new base model.

There was also one listing for a brand-new $925 M4 Mac mini with the same 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage; The menu was warned in bright red text: “Last one.”

Although you’ll still be able to get a refurbished at a reasonable price if you watch closely (or if you win an eBay auction where bidding starts at a lower price point), it looks like demand for the device will keep prices high until Apple’s supply chain is refreshed.

Now that the Mac mini is no longer available, Apple is starting to see increased demand for the Mac Studio as well. This computer is now also sold across several configurations.

As Ars Technica pointed out, you can still get a MacBook Pro with 128GB of RAM and larger SSDs within a few weeks, and even the popular new MacBook Neo still ships within two to three weeks. This suggests that the real issue is consumer demand for the Mac mini itself.