Tech giant Apple has reduced memory options for its professional desktop, the Mac Studio, as the global DRAM shortage continues to affect the hardware industry.
The company has removed the highest memory configuration while also raising the price of existing upgrades.
According to recent updates on the Apple online store, the biggest change affects the Mac Studio with M3 Ultra.
The company has discontinued the 512GB unified memory upgrade, which previously represented the maximum memory configuration available for the workstation.
As a result, users can now configure the system with a maximum of 256GB of unified memory.
Price of memory upgrades increases
Along with removing the highest tier, Apple has also raised the price of its remaining memory upgrades.
Previously, upgrading the Mac Studio from the base 96GB unified memory to 256GB cost $1,600 in the United States.
The same upgrade now costs $2,000, marking a noticeable price increase.
For comparison, when the 512GB option was available, it required a premium of $4,000.
Industry analysts say the adjustments are linked to a broader global DRAM shortage affecting the technology sector.
The shortage is being driven by a combination of component supply constraints and a surge in demand for high-capacity computing hardware.
Because of its large unified memory architecture, the Mac Studio has gained popularity among developers and researchers working with Artificial Intelligence tools.
Many AI researchers use high-memory systems to run large language models locally, increasing demand for machines with massive memory configurations.
Supply constraints affect availability
The supply crunch has also affected delivery timelines.
Customers ordering the 256GB configuration of the Mac Studio are now facing significantly longer wait times.
In the United States and several other markets, delivery estimates have slipped to 10–12 weeks, pushing expected arrival dates into May 2026.
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