Raspberry Pi 5 16GB Now Costs $385 After Another Price Increase

Raspberry Pi buyers are facing another painful price increase, and this time, the 16GB models are taking the biggest hit. The company has raised the price of its 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 by $80, pushing the tiny computer to $385. Meanwhile, Compute Module 5 variants are also getting more expensive as memory shortages continue. Not to forget, the company increased the price of its 2GB Pi 4 and Pi 5 Models just last month.

Raspberry Pi blames rising DRAM costs for another price hike

Eben Upton announced the changes today, citing limited supplies of 16GB DRAM and ongoing component shortages. The company says it has spent the past two years making selective price adjustments as memory costs climbed across the industry.

The 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 now costs $385, up from $305. That’s an increase of around 26%, making the high-memory configuration considerably more expensive for hobbyists and developers. The 16GB Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 variants are also seeing $40 price increases. Raspberry Pi has directed customers to the product brief on its official website for updated pricing.

Interestingly, the company is not increasing prices across its entire lineup. The Raspberry Pi 500+, its desktop computer built into a mechanical keyboard, will retain its current price despite featuring 16GB of RAM.

Raspberry Pi 500+ escapes the latest increase

Raspberry Pi says it is qualifying alternative components and exploring other sourcing options to limit the impact on customers. However, the shortage of alternative suppliers for 16GB DRAM has left the company with fewer options for its highest-memory products.

The company is also encouraging buyers to reconsider their memory requirements. Using lower-memory models, older Raspberry Pi boards, or optimizing applications could help keep project costs under control. That said, the company acknowledges that these increases are unwelcome. It also warns buyers about sellers exploiting the shortage by charging inflated prices or advertising products that may not be genuine.

Customers can purchase Raspberry Pi products through its approved reseller network to avoid questionable listings. Raspberry Pi describes the current memory situation as difficult but temporary. The company says it hopes to reverse the increases once memory costs fall again. For now, budget-conscious buyers may need to reconsider whether they really need 16GB of RAM.