Raspberry Pi 5 16GB Price Surges to $385 Amid DRAM Shortage

The 16GB variants of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 have not been spared, seeing a $40 hike that pushes their cost between $375 and $415. Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton cited a lack of alternative supply for 16GB DRAM as the primary driver behind these figures. While acknowledging the frustration these costs cause, Upton advised customers to evaluate whether they truly require such high memory capacity, suggesting that users consider older models or lower-spec alternatives to avoid the premium.

At $385, the high-end Raspberry Pi 5 approaches the territory of entry-level desktop mini PCs, potentially altering the value proposition for hobbyists and developers. This follows a previous price increase on the 2GB version just last month. Despite the current market volatility, the company maintains that these adjustments are temporary. Upton stated that Raspberry Pi plans to roll back these increases once memory costs stabilize and the supply landscape becomes more favorable.