Apple has a surprise in store for M4 Mac mini customers who are still awaiting their deliveries.
Apple is upgrading some pending orders for the Mac mini from the outgoing M4 chip to the new M6 processor at no extra charge. This upgrade is reportedly being applied to orders that had not shipped when the new Mac mini was announced earlier this week.
Details from the upgrade email
As reported by MacRumors, Apple recently informed customers about this upgrade offer through an email, which states: “Thank you for your recent Mac order. We understand you’re eager to receive your purchase. As you may have heard, Apple has announced the new Mac mini. Since your order has not yet shipped, we have automatically upgraded you to the new Mac mini at no additional cost.”
The M4 Mac mini was launched in 2024, priced at $599 for the base 256GB version. This configuration was discontinued in May, leaving the $799 512GB model as the least expensive available M4 Mac mini until the announcement of the new M6 model. The equivalent M6 model now starts at $899, effectively providing a $100 discount for those still waiting for delivery. However, this change has not been well-received by all customers.
Varied shipping experiences
One buyer on X noted that Apple advanced their estimated delivery from October to September with the free chip upgrade, which is a positive outcome. Conversely, a student who reached out to MacRumors reported delays of several weeks in their shipping estimate and noted that Apple provided no option to opt out of the upgrade in order to receive the M4 Mac mini by the original delivery date.
A user shared: “I had a Mac mini on backorder from Apple with a delivery date of October 26. I checked my email today and found that they upgraded my order to the new model, moved delivery up to September, and honored my original price. So, I’m getting the newer Mac mini early, at a discount. I’ll take it.”
The notification about the upgrade comes right after the launch of Apple's new Mac mini and Mac Studio models this week. The Mac mini now offers options with M6 or M5 Pro chips, while the Mac Studio features the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. Both devices are currently available for preorder and are expected to ship on September 22.
Apple has not disclosed how many orders are impacted by this upgrade or if the same automatic change applies to M4 Pro configurations or orders made outside the United States.
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