Price Increase Details
The Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB of RAM now costs $385 after an $80 price hike, the latest in a string of increases driven by the ongoing RAM shortage. This configuration launched at $120 and now costs more than triple that price. The 16GB versions of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 also got a $40 price hike and now cost between $375 and $415.
The 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 got another ‘unavoidable’ RAM price hike
The top configuration of the Raspberry Pi 5 now costs three times more than its launch price.
CEO Comments and Alternatives
According to Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton, these price hikes were driven specifically by a lack of alternative supply for 16GB DRAM, on top of shortages for other components. Upton noted that while these increases are unavoidable, customers should ensure they are not paying for more memory than necessary. He suggested using models with less memory or older hardware as alternatives. Other configurations have also seen price adjustments, including a price increase for the 2GB version.
Future Outlook
At $385, the 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 approaches the pricing territory of traditional desktop mini PCs. Upton reiterated plans to reverse the price increases once the difficult memory market stabilizes and costs eventually decline.
