Apple just axed its cheapest Mac Mini option, a compact 256GB desktop brain that previously cost Apple shoppers just $599. First reported by MacRumors , the tech giant's new lineup starts with the Mac Mini at the company's $799, 512GB option. The more expensive model runs on Apple's M4 chip and offers 16GB of RAM, just like the $599 model, but with twice the storage. Mashable Light Speed Last week, Apple paused orders of the then sold-out 256GB Mac Mini, hinting at a lineup change. Apple CEO Tim Cook — who recently announced his departure from the company after 14 years — said on a recent earnings call that Mac Mini supply was currently constrained under global manufacturing squeezes and that meeting existing demand may be difficult . Tech companies and AI enthusiasts are weathering a global memory chip shortage , which is expected to worsen over the next year.…