The latest price hike for the 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 makes it 3x more expensive than at launch
It now costs just shy of $400.
The RAM shortage has caused a significant impact on the Raspberry Pi, leading to successive price increases for the boards as the Foundation strives to cover hardware costs. The latest price hike has made the Raspberry Pi 5 16 GB model $385, which is three times its launch price back in January 2025. The Foundation announced this new price increase on their blog, citing a lack of alternative supply for 16GB DRAM as the reason behind the $80 increase.
It's worth noting that the Pi 5 debuted at $120 almost two years ago, highlighting the severity of the RAM crisis.
However, there is a silver lining. The Foundation does not perform blanket price hikes across its entire range, so other models, including Pi 5s with less memory, do not see an increase in cost. The Foundation emphasizes that individuals should assess whether they truly require a 16 GB Pi 5 for their project, as bigger always doesn't necessarily mean better.
Furthermore, the Foundation hints at the possibility of reducing the board's cost should RAM prices decrease again. The timing and feasibility of this reduction remain uncertain, but it's reassuring to see the Foundation has plans to mitigate the impact of rising RAM costs.
Written by urgent.news from XDA Developers's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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