Raspberry Pi Price Increases Are Real
▼ Summary
– The 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 price is increasing by $100, nearly matching its original $120 cost.
– These price hikes, affecting over a dozen models, are due to an ongoing RAM shortage and follow previous increases.
– Raspberry Pi’s CEO states the increases are not permanent and will be reversed when market conditions improve.
– A new 3GB Raspberry Pi 4 model is being introduced at $83.75, partly to mitigate the impact of the price surges.
– The CEO confirmed the new model announcement is genuine and not an April Fools’ joke.
The cost of computing is rising for Raspberry Pi users. Effective immediately, the company has implemented significant price increases across more than a dozen of its single-board computers. The most dramatic change affects the Raspberry Pi 5, with its 16GB model seeing a $100 increase, bringing its price close to double the original $120 launch cost. This move, alongside other hikes ranging from $11.25 to $150, is a direct response to the persistent and ongoing global RAM shortage. These are not the first adjustments, following previous increases last December and February.
In a company blog post, Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton addressed the challenging market conditions driving these changes. He emphasized that the company views these increases as a temporary measure forced by external supply chain pressures. “The circumstances in which we find ourselves are challenging, but in the future they will abate,” Upton stated. He committed that once the situation improves, the company will roll back the price increases, adding that the team will “continue to work hard to limit their impact in every way we can.”
Alongside the price news, Raspberry Pi introduced a new hardware option, the Raspberry Pi 4 with 3GB of RAM, priced at $83.75. This model is positioned as a more accessible entry point, as devices with 4GB or more of memory have been disproportionately affected by the memory price surges. Upton took a moment to clarify the timing of the announcement, noting it was not a prank. “Notwithstanding today’s date, our new computer is as real as the rest of our products,” he said, assuring customers of its legitimacy despite the April 1st calendar listing.
(Source: The Verge)
