GoKawiilRaspberry Pi raises price of 16GB Pi 5 to $385 amid memory cost surge
Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton announced the 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 now costs $385, an $80 increase, while the 16GB Compute Module 5 rises by $40. The 16GB Raspberry Pi 500+ desktop, already priced at $485, will not see a price hike this round. Upton attributed the increases to rising memory component costs, noting other computer makers have faced similar pressures.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The repeated price hikes—following a similar increase to 2GB models just a month earlier—suggest memory costs are squeezing margins across the entire Pi lineup, not just high-capacity units. This could push budget-conscious makers toward cheaper microcontrollers like Pico or ESP32 for simple projects, or toward mini PCs for more demanding tasks, potentially eroding the Pi's traditional value proposition for hobbyists.
- 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 price jumps to $385, over triple its original $120 launch price
- 16GB Compute Module 5 increases by $40; 16GB Pi 500+ desktop price held at $485
- Upton cites ongoing memory cost increases as the reason, following a similar hike to 2GB models a month prior
Raspberry Pi 5 8GB Board — With 16GB models getting pricier due to memory costs, the 8GB Raspberry Pi 5 remains a sweet spot for most hobbyist and maker projects. It's plenty powerful for everything from home automation to retro gaming emulation without paying the premium for extra RAM you may not need.
See Raspberry Pi 5 8GB Board on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: tomshardware.com — Mark Tyson, 2026-11-02
Published there as: “16GB Raspberry Pi 5 hiked to $385, more than triple its launch price — makers are already shifting to Pico/ESP32 for small projects, mini PCs for more ambitious tasks”
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