Raspberry Pi Raises 16GB Board Prices to $385
Memory shortages push the 16GB Pi 5 up $80, with no sign yet of a cheaper DRAM supplier.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Computers
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Raspberry Pi has raised the price of its 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 by $80, to $385. The company also raised the price of the 16GB Compute Module 5 by $40. The change is a shipped price increase, not a new product.
Why it matters
The move reflects memory supply pressure: Raspberry Pi still lacks a suitable alternative source of 16GB DRAM modules amid several component shortages across the IT industry. Raspberry Pi is avoiding blanket increases across its product line, which signals the pressure is concentrated in high-memory configurations.
The 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 moved from $120 at its January 2025 debut to $385 now, a change the company attributes to memory costs. The 16GB Compute Module 5 rose $40 in the same announcement. The stub does not give a per-unit memory cost or a supplier price for DRAM modules.
The players
Raspberry Pi
A United Kingdom-based maker of low-cost single-board computers, known for the Raspberry Pi 5 and Compute Module line.
Eben Upton
Co-founder and CEO of Raspberry Pi, who announced the price hike earlier in the week.
The details
The Raspberry Pi 5 is a small single-board computer, and its memory is supplied as DRAM modules soldered to the board. The company has not yet found an alternative source of 16GB DRAM modules that meets its needs, so price pressure on that memory tier passes directly into the board's retail price. Raspberry Pi is handling the squeeze by raising prices only on the affected 16GB configurations rather than across its line. The Raspberry Pi 500+ keeps its price even though it also carries 16GB of RAM.
Timeline
January 2025: the 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 debuted at $120.
November 6, 2026: Raspberry Pi announced the 16GB Pi 5 price increase to $385 and the Compute Module 5 increase.
The Tech Race
The original Raspberry Pi 5 launched in 2023 at $80 for its 8GB model, a price point the company built its reputation on. The 16GB configuration now sits at $385, nearly five times that launch price, showing how far memory costs have pushed the top of the range.
Buyers who need 16GB on a Raspberry Pi 5 now pay $385, up $80, and Compute Module 5 users face a $40 increase. The stub does not say whether the 8GB and other configurations will see changes or when the 16GB prices might return to earlier levels.
The takeaway
Watch whether Raspberry Pi secures a suitable alternative source of 16GB DRAM modules, since that determines whether the higher price holds. The company has said price hikes could be rolled back if memory chip costs normalize, so future pricing changes on the 16GB boards are the signal to track.
Further reading
For context on how memory shortages are reshaping small-board hardware, see the Computers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TechSpot.
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