Pricing for the 1GB versions of the Pi 4 and Pi 5 isn’t changing, at least not for now—they’ll continue to be available for $35 and $45, respectively. Pricing is also staying level for the Pi 400 computer. Older models that use LPDDR2, like the Pi 3 and the Pi Zero, will also stick around at their current prices.
The Raspberry Pi initially rose to prominence not because it was a cutting-edge computer, but because it offered a complete tinkerer-friendly system for just $35. At this point, the Pi has been around long enough that the robust ecosystem of operating system distributions, applications, and scripts is part of what you’re paying for, but the higher the price climbs, the more attractive things like no-name x86-based mini PCs or used PCs become. During the last widespread Pi shortages in 2022 and 2023, some users turned to old thin client PCs for the kinds of simple appliance-like hobby projects that the Pi is often recommended for.
Upton says the company intends to bring prices back down when memory pricing comes down enough to make it possible.
“The current situation is ultimately a temporary one,” Upton writes, “and we look forward to unwinding these price increases once it abates.”
