Raspberry Pi 5 Price Rises Again as DRAM Shortage Pushes Up Costs
The Raspberry Pi 5 is becoming more expensive once again, with the latest price hike hitting the most powerful version of the popular single-board computer. The 16 GB Raspberry Pi 5 is seeing a significant increase in its recommended retail price, rising from $305 to $385. That marks an $80 jump, or roughly 26 percent.
The price change comes as the global DRAM shortage continues to affect hardware makers. High-density memory chips have become harder to source, and production costs have climbed sharply as demand remains strong across the tech industry.
The Raspberry Pi 5 has already faced pricing pressure in recent months. In early October, the 2 GB RAM version also received a price adjustment. Now, the impact has reached the top-end 16 GB model, which is often chosen by users who need extra memory for heavier workloads, development projects, server use, emulation, and multitasking.
The Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 with 16 GB of RAM is also becoming more expensive. Its price is increasing by $40, reflecting the same memory supply challenges affecting the standard Raspberry Pi 5 lineup.
For now, one product appears to be avoiding the latest round of price increases. The Raspberry Pi 500+ keyboard computer will keep its current price, regardless of RAM configuration. This may make it a more appealing option for buyers who want a ready-to-use Raspberry Pi system without facing the newest cost jump.
According to the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the price increases are directly tied to the ongoing DRAM crisis. The organization says that while it has worked to diversify suppliers, that strategy is no longer enough to fully offset rising costs for products using 16 GB of RAM. High-density memory chips are currently difficult to obtain from alternative sources, leaving manufacturers with fewer options.
There is some good news for buyers: the foundation says it plans to lower prices again once the DRAM market stabilizes. However, that may not happen quickly. Strong demand from AI data centers is expected to keep pressure on memory supplies, and the current shortage could continue for years if demand remains high.
In the meantime, customers are being encouraged to carefully consider how much RAM they actually need. For many projects, a Raspberry Pi model with less memory may still be suitable, especially if software is optimized to reduce RAM usage. Users running lightweight operating systems, basic home automation tasks, media servers, coding projects, or simple web services may not need the 16 GB version.
The foundation is also warning buyers to avoid unofficial sellers. During periods of limited supply and rising prices, some third-party sellers may charge inflated prices or misrepresent products. In some cases, devices may be advertised as having more RAM than they actually include, creating a risk for customers looking for specific configurations.
While the Raspberry Pi 5 remains one of the most flexible and widely used single-board computers on the market, the latest price increase makes choosing the right model more important than ever. Buyers who need the full 16 GB of RAM may have to absorb the higher cost, while others may be better served by choosing a lower-memory model or waiting for prices to settle.
For makers, developers, educators, and hobbyists, the Raspberry Pi ecosystem still offers strong value, but the DRAM shortage is clearly reshaping the pricing landscape. Until memory supply improves, high-RAM Raspberry Pi models are likely to remain under pricing pressure.
