Raspberry Pi raises 2 GB board prices amid soaring memory costs
Raspberry Pi has raised prices for its 2 GB models, with the Pi 4 increasing from $45 to $67.50 and the Pi 5 rising to $77.50, citing rapidly escalating memory costs. This represents a significant jump from the board's original $35 launch price, reflecting broader supply chain pressures affecting the electronics sector.
Raspberry Pi's financial performance has remained strong, with first-half revenue rising 90 per cent to $256.9 million and gross profit per board climbing 53 per cent to $12.20. The company advised customers to consider older models or check their actual RAM requirements, though memory shortages are expected to persist until 2028 or beyond, according to semiconductor manufacturers.
- 2 GB Raspberry Pi 4 price doubled from $35 to $67.50 due to memory costs.
- Memory shortages expected to persist until 2028, blocking price relief soon.
- Company suggests customers consider older Pi models or lower RAM configurations.
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Raspberry Pi is a small, affordable computer the size of a credit card that became popular after its launch in 2012 with students, hobbyists and educators worldwide. It costs far less than traditional computers whilst offering enough capability to run programming projects, educational applications and creative computing tasks. Its affordability and accessibility have made it a widely adopted tool for learning technology and building projects in schools and maker communities.
What has made Raspberry Pi distinctive is its affordability, allowing people with modest budgets to learn programming and build technology projects. Price increases therefore affect the device's key strength and its appeal to the communities that have driven its popularity.
The electronics industry is currently experiencing sharply rising costs for computer memory and other components, which manufacturers predict will remain elevated for several years. This wider economic pressure has prompted many technology companies to increase their prices, as rising production costs force difficult trade-offs between maintaining affordability and ensuring profitability.
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Originally published by The Register as “Once a $35 computer, the 2 GB Raspberry Pi 4 now costs $67.50”.