Apple pulls $4,000 512GB Mac Studio upgrade option as AI RAM squeeze continues, raises 256GB upgrade price — M3 256GB upgrade now costs $2,000

Apple has removed the 512GB RAM upgrade option for the Mac Studio, now capping at 256GB and raising the price of the 96GB-to-256GB upgrade to $2,000. This change is likely due to the ongoing memory shortage, impacting commodity prices and supply across the industry. The memory shortage is driven by manufacturers reallocating production capacity to high-bandwidth memory for AI accelerators, leading to increased prices and constrained supply. Apple has secured long-term DRAM supply agreements but may still face challenges, with the 512GB tier disappearing due to scarcity. Apple is expected to release M5 Max and M5 Ultra versions of the Mac Studio in 2026, with uncertainty on the return of the 512GB option depending on DRAM supply conditions.