The big picture: It's been two months since Raspberry Pi increased the cost of some of its single-board computers due to the ongoing global memory shortage. At the time, founder Eben Upton left open the possibility that prices could go back down once the supply chain situation works itself out. Unfortunately, circumstances only got worse as we entered 2026, prompting yet another round of increases.
Upton revisited the matter in recent correspondence. In some cases, he said, the cost of parts more than doubled over the last quarter. Left with no other option, Raspberry Pi is having to increase its own prices yet again – a move that will impact most of the company's product lines.
Price bumps are as follows:
| Raspberry Pi model | Price increase | Final price |
|---|---|---|
| Pi 4 (4GB) | $20 | $75 |
| Pi 4 (8GB) | $40 | $115 |
| Pi 5 (1GB) | -- | $45 |
| Pi 5 (2GB) | $15 | $65 |
| Pi 5 (4GB) | $25 | $85 |
| Pi 5 (8GB) | $45 | $125 |
| Pi 5 (16GB) | $85 | $205 |
Upton noted that while the Raspberry Pi 5 and 5+ are affected, the Raspberry Pi 4 is not – making it their most affordable all-in-one PC at just $60. He highlighted the fact that they got away with not having to increase the price of 1GB products.
The foundation does not anticipate price hikes for older product lines like the Pi Zero or the Pi 3. Upton said such products rely on LPDDR2 memory and they currently have several years' worth of inventory to lean on.
For many, the new reality is a tough pill to swallow. When Raspberry Pi first hit the scene in 2012, they were lauded as an affordable option to help get kids interested in programming. Hobbyists also fell in love with the flexible boards and eventually, big IT brands started paying attention and adopting their products as well. For the most part, pricing increased marginally to meet inflation but the memory crunch has thrown the entire tech industry for a loop.
Looking ahead, Upton expects 2026 to be another challenging year for memory pricing, but he says they are working hard to limit the impact. Ultimately, they believe the current situation is temporary and eventually, they should be able to unwind pricing once supply constraints ease up.
Raspberry Pi prices soar amid AI memory shortage, 16GB models jump $60
