Raspberry Pi 5 16GB Price Hike: RAM Shortage Drives Cost to $385, Triple Launch Price

The Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB of RAM has seen another significant price increase, now retailing for $385 after an $80 jump. This latest hike means the board, which launched at just $120, now costs more than triple its original price. The increases are attributed to an ongoing global RAM shortage that has made memory components 'unavoidably' more expensive. The 16GB versions of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 have also been affected by the price adjustments. For makers, educators, and industrial users who rely on Raspberry Pi's affordability, this steep rise could impact project budgets and purchasing decisions. The shortage shows no immediate signs of easing, suggesting prices may remain elevated or climb further. Buyers may need to consider lower-RAM variants or alternative single-board computers until the memory market stabilizes.