The new Raspberry Pi price scenario due to the RAM increase

 

El Raspberry Pi price It has ceased to be the almost immutable and inexpensive value that many had in mind. In recent months, the foundation behind these plaques has confirmed a general increase in rates which particularly affects models with more RAM, precisely at a time when demand for hardware for artificial intelligence It's driving up component costs.

This change comes after several previous warnings about the DRAM memory price increaseThis includes both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, as well as LPDDR4 integrated into devices. What was initially conceived as a temporary price adjustment has ultimately become permanent. very visible increases, with some Raspberry Pi models now operating in price ranges where they compete head-to-head with budget x86 mini PCs.

RAM memory drives up the price of Raspberry Pi

From mid-2025, the cost of the global RAM memory It has been rising quarter after quarter. What began primarily affecting DDR5 modules for PCs and servers has ended up dragging down DDR4 as well, and, in general, any component that integrates DRAM. Industry estimates indicate that DDR5 is on track to increase fivefold in price. compared to previous levels, while DDR4 has already tripled in many wholesale contracts.

This tension isn't limited to the world of traditional PCs. It also extends to products like laptops, graphics cards, consoles, notebooks, televisions, and small single-board computersAmong the latter are the Raspberry Pi, which base a large part of their cost on the LPDDR4 memory soldered onto the board. The result is that Raspberry Pi has seen its price increase by more than 70% in some models., a figure that breaks with the image of an ultra-cheap device it had until now.

The trigger for this scenario is closely linked to the rise of infrastructure for artificial intelligenceMuch of the memory manufacturing capacity is being directed towards high-margin products, such as High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)This is essential for GPUs and dedicated AI accelerators. This reduces the availability of production lines for "conventional" memory like LPDDR4, ultimately resulting in less supply and higher prices throughout the supply chain.

In several recent statements, Eben Upton, co-founder of Raspberry Pi, has acknowledged that Some key components have practically doubled in cost in a very short time. For a period, the foundation tried to absorb part of that surcharge, but the situation has become unsustainable and it has had to pass the increase on to the end user, explicitly adjusting the price of the boards according to the amount of memory.

How the upgrade is structured: more RAM, more surcharge

The new pricing policy of Raspberry Pi is directly connected to RAM installed in each model. The increases are not random, but follow a clear scale common to the entire affected range. The official message is simple: the more memory the motherboard has, the greater the surcharge applied to the previous price.

Specifically, a phased increase scheme by capacityAll versions with 2GB LPDDR4 memory increases in price by $10, the configurations with 4 GB increases its RRP by $15, the models with 8 GB adds $30 and the variants of 16 GB now costs $60 more of what they previously indicated. This guideline applies to both conventional boards and Compute Modules aimed at integrators.

Looking at the situation in more detail, one can see that The impact is especially strong in configurations with more memoryIn the family Raspberry Pi 4For example, the increases are around 22,2% for the 2GB modelnear the 25% off for the 4GB version and up to around 35,3% in the 8GB variantA specific example: a Raspberry Pi 4 with 8 GB of RAM, which previously cost around $85, now costs approximately... $115, while the entry-level model has jumped from about $45 to about $55.

La Raspberry Pi 5 It is not spared either and shows even more striking increases in relative terms. The versions see increases that are close to 18,2% on the 2GB model, of the 21,4% in the 4GB version, of the 31,6% in the 8GB version and reach approximately one 41,4% in the 16 GB variantThis last one is, in fact, the most affected of the entire range: it has gone from costing around $145 to about $205, which represents a total price increase of around 70,8%.

The price evolution of Raspberry Pi 5 in the latest revisions

To get a clearer idea of ​​how it has changed official price of the Raspberry Pi 5The price lists published at different times can be used as a reference: the end of November 2025, the revision at the beginning of December, and the most recent one, announced at the beginning of 2026. During that period, the MSRP table shows a progressive increase that has consolidated the initial temporary increases.

The data handled by the foundation itself and collected by some distributors shows the Raspberry Pi 5 series with this approximate evolution:

Model	MSRP 30.11.2025	MSRP 12.01.2025	MSRP 02.02.2026
Raspberry Pi 5 (1GB)	–	$45	$45
Raspberry Pi 5 (2GB)	$50	$55	$65
Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB)	$60	$70	$85
Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB)	$80	$95	$125
Raspberry Pi 5 (16GB)	$120	$145	$205

In practice, the The first price increases at the end of 2025 already served as a warning.with relatively modest adjustments, on the order of $5 in some configurations. However, the latest revision consolidates a much more significant jump, especially in the variants with more memory. The case of the model of 16 GB This is the clearest example: its price already places it in a range where competes directly with low-power x86 mini PC, which until recently were seen as a higher-end alternative.

Which Raspberry Pi models are increasing in price and which are staying the same

The price increase does not affect the entire catalog equally. The foundation has specified that the increase applies primarily to Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 5, in addition to the Compute Module 4 and 5, provided that these are configurations with 2 GB of RAM or moreThis review also includes compact computers with integrated keyboards. Raspberry Pi 500 and Raspberry Pi 500+, which share the same LPDDR4 memory base.

Conversely, there are devices that, at least for now, They maintain their original price.. The Raspberry Pi 4 and Raspberry Pi 5 with only 1 GB of RAM They retain their reference rates, which are around $35 and $45 respectivelySimilarly, the Raspberry Pi 400The previous all-in-one model with integrated keyboard has not been affected by this round of increases.

Another group that is currently unaffected by the price increase is made up of the plates that use LPDDR2 memoryThis is where models like Raspberry Pi Zero, Raspberry Pi 3 and other variants of previous generationsAccording to the foundation itself, it still They have several years' worth of LPDDR2 inventoryThis allows them to continue selling these boards without adjusting prices in the short term, since this technology does not suffer the same demand pressure as LPDDR4.

This means that those who seek the lowest possible cost for simple projects They still have a place in the older range. Although they don't offer the same performance as the latest Raspberry Pi 4 and 5, boards with LPDDR2 memory remain perfectly suitable for uses such as small servers, basic automation, or entry-level educational environments.

Why LPDDR2 is spared the price increase

The key to this difference lies in the very nature of the LPDDR2 memory vs. LPDDR4The first is already considered an obsolete technology for most cutting-edge applications, so it's hardly used in high-volume, high-margin products. Neither large data centers nor high-end AI-oriented devices use it significantly, and that keeps its relatively stable price compared to other more modern variants.

In contrast, recent license plates such as Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 5, next-generation Compute Module, and the Raspberry Pi 500 series They are using LPDDR4, precisely the type of memory that has become most expensive due to current demand. Since the foundation has a Ample stock of LPDDR2 chipsIt does not need to pass on price increases to the models that use it, so it can continue to offer them as an economical alternative while the DRAM market remains strained.

This contrast creates a two-speed catalog, in which Modern motherboards with more RAM are significantly more expensive.Meanwhile, older models are becoming established as a low-cost option for those who don't require as much power or advanced features. In practical terms, many users are starting to wonder if, for certain tasks, one of these older motherboards or refurbished hardware wouldn't suffice.

"Temporary" price increases and what may come

When the first price revisions were announced in late 2025, the foundation spoke openly about temporary price increases linked to the RAM marketThe idea was that, once memory costs stabilized, motherboard prices could be returned to levels closer to the original ones. However, the DRAM price trend has not slowed and has forced a new price increase at the beginning of 2026.

In his latest statements, Eben Upton maintains his commitment to reduce official prices as soon as the cost of components allowsAt the same time, he acknowledges that the current context greatly complicates any optimistic forecast: with AI consuming a large part of manufacturing capacity and manufacturers focusing their efforts on higher-margin products, 2026 is shaping up to be a complicated year for everything that depends on conventional memory.

For now, the only certainties are the new rates and the warning that Additional adjustments are not ruled out If DRAM continues to rise in price, the possibility remains that, once the market stabilizes, these increases could be partially or completely reversed, although there's no clear timeframe. For European users, this translates into a period of careful consideration, where it's wise to carefully evaluate which model and how much RAM is worthwhile for each project before making a purchase.

In this new landscape, the Raspberry Pi remains a versatile platform, but it's no longer as inexpensive as it once was. Those requiring maximum performance and large amounts of memory will need to consider higher prices. clearly higher pricesMeanwhile, those content with simple tasks can continue using boards with LPDDR2 or 1GB configurations, which remain unchanged. As long as RAM continues to dictate the market, any Raspberry Pi project in Spain or Europe will require more careful calculations and a more thorough comparison of alternatives than in previous years.