Raspberry Pi 5 16GB Model Price Skyrockets by $100 Amid RAM Shortage

The Raspberry Pi Foundation has implemented a severe price hike, with the cost of its flagship 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 model jumping by $100—a near-doubling of its original $120 price tag. This is not an isolated adjustment but part of a sweeping series of increases affecting over a dozen of its bare-bones computer models, with price bumps ranging from $11.25 to $150. The move follows previous increases in December and February, signaling sustained and mounting pressure on the popular single-board computer maker.

The primary driver, according to the company, is a persistent global shortage of RAM components. In a blog post, Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton framed the increases as a direct response to these 'challenging' market circumstances. While the price surges are significant, Upton offered a conditional promise, stating the company intends to reverse the increases once the underlying supply constraints abate.

This latest wave of price adjustments places substantial new financial barriers for hobbyists, educators, and small-scale developers who rely on the platform's affordability. The repeated nature of the hikes raises questions about supply chain stability and the long-term accessibility of low-cost computing hardware. The situation puts the Raspberry Pi Foundation under scrutiny as it balances commercial realities against its foundational mission of providing accessible technology.