The Raspberry Pi 5 is the most powerful Pi single-board computer to date, but it’s also the most expensive model. Thankfully, Raspberry Pi has now released a cheaper model with less RAM.
The Raspberry Pi 5 was released in 2023 with a 2.4GHz ARM CPU, a GPU with OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2 support, dual HDMI ports capable of 4K 60FPS output, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and a bunch of other features. It was a significant leap from previous models, but it also had a price tag to match: the 4GB RAM model costs $60, and the 8GB RAM model costs $80. That was a big jump from the typical $30-40 prices of previous mainstream Pi boards—the Pico and Zero models are cheaper, but much less capable.
Raspberry Pi has now introduced a more affordable Pi 5 with 2GB RAM, priced at $50. It uses a modified version of the Broadcom BCM2712 chipset, with some features removed that the Pi 5 never used in the first place. Raspberry Pi says the 2GB RAM model has “the same fast quad-core processor; the same multimedia capabilities; and the same PCI Express bus” as the other models. The modified chip and decreased memory reduce manufacturing costs, allowing the 2GB RAM model to be priced at just $50.
The downside is that 2GB RAM isn’t a lot of memory, especially for a device intended to function as a computer in 2024. Basic productivity work, some coding, and select games should still work. If you want to run RAM-heavy servers or have a fast web browsing experience, you will want to avoid the new 2GB model. The Register tried out the 2GB Pi 5 model, saying, “The 2 GB version was snappy enough but began to exhibit signs of distress as we loaded up multiple applications.”
Raspberry Pi also confirmed that a cheaper Pi 5 with even less memory (or other removed features) is unlikely. The company told The Register, “The cost gap would be too small to justify it, and it’s getting harder to buy LPDDR4X at that density at all.” If you don’t need as much processing power, the Pi 4 Model B is still widely available for purchase, starting at $35 for 1GB RAM.
You’ll be able to buy the Raspberry Pi 5 2GB soon from approved resellers. It’s not yet available from MicroCenter, PiShop.us, or other US retailers.
Source: Raspberry Pi, The Register
