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PCWorld reported Nov. 3 that PiShop US listed the Raspberry Pi 5 16GB at $385, compared with its $120 debut price in January 2025. Raspberry Pi CEO Ebon Upton attributed recent increases to memory costs and said the situation is temporary, but gave no timeline for price reductions.
PCWorld reported on Nov. 3 that PiShop US listed the Raspberry Pi 5 with 16GB of memory at $385, up from the $120 price at its January 2025 debut. The price jump, which PCWorld links primarily to rising memory costs, puts the board far above the price many buyers associate with Raspberry Pi products.
The $385 figure is a retailer listing reported by PCWorld, not a universal price confirmed across all sellers. PCWorld’s price table also shows lower Raspberry Pi 5 configurations listed at $45 for 1GB, $77.50 for 2GB, $110 for 4GB and $175 for 8GB. The wide spread makes the memory capacity a major part of the cost: the 16GB model is listed at more than twice the price of the 8GB version.
Other products have also risen in price, according to PCWorld. The 16GB Compute Module 5 was listed at $375, compared with $335 previously. The report says the lineup is facing shortages and that scalping is adding to the difficulty of finding boards at affordable prices. Those conditions can make a listed price an imperfect guide to what a buyer will actually pay elsewhere.
PCWorld says Raspberry Pi CEO Ebon Upton attributed the increases to memory costs and said the company expects the current market conditions to be temporary. He also said Raspberry Pi would like to reverse the increases when memory prices fall. The report does not provide a date for that change, nor does it establish that every retailer or model has the same price.
Memory Costs Reshape Pi Pricing
Raspberry Pi boards are widely used for hobby electronics, learning, prototyping and small computing projects, where a modest purchase price has helped make them accessible. A 16GB Pi 5 listed at $385 may no longer fit the budget assumptions behind projects that depend on a low-cost single-board computer. Buyers may need to compare configurations, consider other hardware or postpone purchases.
The increase also matters beyond this one listing. If memory remains expensive and supply stays tight, the cost of boards with larger RAM capacities could affect schools, makers and developers who buy several units. At the same time, the report does not establish that all Raspberry Pi models have risen by the same amount, or that a buyer must pay $385 to obtain a Pi 5. The price and availability of a particular board depend on the seller and the time of purchase.
For prospective buyers, the key distinction is between the reported current listing and an announced permanent price. Upton’s remarks point to the possibility of future reductions, but do not promise when they will happen or how far prices might fall. That leaves buyers weighing an immediate need against uncertain future pricing.
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How the 16GB Price Changed
The Raspberry Pi 5 launched in 2023, and PCWorld says its 4GB version began at $60. The 16GB model arrived in January 2025 at $120. Against that launch figure, the reported $385 listing is more than three times as high. That comparison concerns the 16GB model’s reported current listing and launch price; it does not describe every configuration or retailer.
PCWorld’s report places the change against rising demand for memory, including demand from data centers, and says memory costs are the main driver of the recent increases. It also notes that shortages have accompanied the higher prices. The report provides no detailed breakdown of manufacturing costs, supply volumes or how much of the $385 listing reflects component costs rather than retailer pricing.
Upton’s comments offer a qualified outlook: Raspberry Pi views the conditions behind the increases as temporary and hopes to roll them back when memory costs decline. That is a statement of expectation, not a scheduled price change. PCWorld also reported that the company was trying to avoid increasing prices for the Pi 500+ keyboard computer, but supplied no broader pricing forecast for the full product range.
“Ultimately temporary.”
— Raspberry Pi CEO Ebon Upton, as quoted by PCWorld
Retail Prices and Timing Remain Open
The report identifies PiShop US pricing, but does not show whether $385 is the standard price across authorized retailers or how long that listing will remain in place. Prices and stock can vary by seller, and the source does not provide a broader retailer survey. The stated figure should not be read as a confirmed worldwide price.
It is also unclear when memory costs might fall, when supply shortages could ease, or whether Raspberry Pi would reduce each model’s price once conditions change. Upton’s description of the situation as temporary is a company assessment; the report gives no independent forecast or concrete schedule. Details about the scale of shortages and the contribution of scalping are also not quantified.
Watch Memory Costs and Stock
The next useful indicators will be changes in memory costs, retailer listings and product availability. Buyers can check current prices and stock with sellers before making plans, since the $385 figure comes from one retailer’s reported listing and may change.
Raspberry Pi has not announced a date for reversing the increases. Any future price reduction would depend, according to Upton’s remarks, on memory costs falling; the company’s next public pricing update or a sustained shift in retailer prices would clarify whether that is happening. Until then, the timing and scale of possible reductions remain unknown.
Key Questions
Is $385 the official price for every Raspberry Pi 5 16GB?
No. PCWorld reported a $385 listing at PiShop US. The article does not establish that this is a universal price across retailers or regions.
How much did the Raspberry Pi 5 16GB cost when it launched?
PCWorld says the 16GB model debuted in January 2025 at $120. The $385 figure in the report is the price listed later at PiShop US.
What is driving the price increase?
PCWorld attributes the increases mainly to higher memory costs and quotes Raspberry Pi CEO Ebon Upton describing memory costs as a factor. The report does not provide a detailed cost breakdown.
Will Raspberry Pi prices come down?
Upton said the current conditions are temporary and that the company hopes to roll back increases when memory costs fall. No date or specific future price has been announced.
Source: pcworld.com
