The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Raspberry Pi announced a 1GB Raspberry Pi 5 at $45 on 1 December 2025, while raising the announced prices of several Pi 4 and Pi 5 configurations. The company attributed the increases to sharply higher LPDDR4 memory costs. Those figures are dated manufacturer announcements, not confirmed September 2026 retail prices; Raspberry Pi announced additional increases in February and April 2026.
What Raspberry Pi announced on 1 December 2025
The new 1GB Raspberry Pi 5 became immediately available at a stated $45. Raspberry Pi also changed prices for selected Pi 4, Pi 5 and Compute Module 5 products. The company said the increases were needed to offset what it called an unprecedented rise in LPDDR4 memory costs.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 5 Basic Kit (2GB RAM | NO SD Card) | $114.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Vilros Basic Starter Kit for Raspberry Pi 5 with Dual Passive and Active Cooling Case-Includes Pi 5... | $114.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Raspberry Pi 4 1GB | Buy on Amazon | |
| 4 |
|
Raspberry Pi 5.2GB RAM | $108.15 | Buy on Amazon |
The announcement’s Pi 5 pricing and changes were:
| Product | Memory | Previous announced price | 1 December 2025 announced price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 5 | 1GB | New model | $45 |
| Raspberry Pi 5 | 2GB | $50 | $55 |
| Raspberry Pi 5 | 4GB | $60 | $70 |
| Raspberry Pi 5 | 8GB | $80 | $95 |
| Raspberry Pi 5 | 16GB | $120 | $145 |
| Raspberry Pi 4 | 4GB | $55 | $60 |
| Raspberry Pi 4 | 8GB | $75 | $85 |
Raspberry Pi said lower-memory Pi 4 versions, Raspberry Pi 3+ and earlier boards, and Pi Zero products were unchanged in that announcement. It also announced a $20 increase for 16GB Compute Module 5 variants.
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#1 Best Overall
- CanaKit Raspberry Pi 5 Basic Kit
What the 1GB Pi 5 includes
The 1GB version uses the same Pi 5 platform described in Raspberry Pi’s launch documentation, rather than a slower processor designed specifically for the lower memory capacity. Raspberry Pi lists:
- Quad-core 2.4GHz Arm Cortex-A76 processor
- Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth 5.0/BLE
- PCI Express connectivity
- Dual 4Kp60 HDMI output
- 4Kp60 HEVC video decoding
Platform specifications and architecture are detailed in Raspberry Pi’s Raspberry Pi 5 introduction.
Why Raspberry Pi raised prices
Raspberry Pi Trading chief executive Eben Upton said the company was responding to higher LPDDR4 costs. In a later 2 February 2026 update, Raspberry Pi said some component costs had more than doubled in the preceding quarter and linked the pressure to competition for memory-fabrication capacity from AI infrastructure. These are Raspberry Pi’s explanations, not independent market measurements.
In its 1 April 2026 update, Raspberry Pi said LPDDR4 DRAM prices had increased seven-fold over the preceding year. That statement is also the company’s attribution of market conditions. The original announcement and follow-ups do not provide an independent price index or regulator estimate.
Rank #2
- A RASPBERRY PI 5 KIT FROM AN APPROVED RESELLER: This Vilros Complete Starter Kit for Pi 5 Includes Raspberry Pi 5 Board with all the accessories you need to get started.
- 11 PART KIT INCLUDES MOST ACCESSORIES NEEDED YOU TO GET UP AND RUNNING : 1.Raspberry Pi 5 Board–2.Metal/Aluminum Alloy Passive & Active Cooling Case–3.Raspberry Pi 5 Compatible Power Supply–4. PWM fan With 10k Max RPM Capacity (pre installed in the case)--5. 128GB Micro SD Card With 64bit Raspberry Pi OS Preinstalled–6. Micro SD to USB Adapter to rewrite SD card if Desired–7. Standard HDMI to Micro HDMI Adapter Cable--8.Neoprene Storage bag–9.Vilros Quickstart Guide for Raspberry Pi–10. Mini To Standard Camera Module Adapter Cable to use a camera module with a PI 5--11.LIR2032 Battery Connector For Raspberry Pi 5 RTC Port (connector ONLY Battery NOT Included)
- RASPBERRY PI 5 SPECS AND FEATURES:--Processor: Broadcom BCM2712 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU, with cryptography extensions, 512KB per-core L2 caches, and a 2MB shared L3 cache----Features: 2.4GHz quad-core, 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU–VideoCore VII GPU supporting Vulkan 1.2 and OpenGL ES–LPDDR4X-4267 SDRAM (4GB and 8GB options)--PCIe 2.0 x1 interface for fast peripherals ( Requires adapter)--Dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz –Bluetooth 5.0 / Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
- MULTIFUNCTION PASSIVE & ACTIVE COOLED CASE : Case feautes a built in pole/column that contacts the main chip on the raspberry pi 5 board via an included thermal pad too passively cool the board and also includes a preinstalled PWM Fan that plugs directly into the fan port on the board. The fan will only turn on if needed and will also increase RPMs as needed. Other features include a built in power button that shows the on board light status, camera module compatiblilty, can be used in single layer configuration for hat compatibilty
- HIGH QUALITY COMPONENTS: All components are manufactured with Raspberry Pi in mind and are backed by the Vilros 1 Year wartranty.
Further changes in February and April 2026
2 February 2026: increases for 2GB-and-up products
Raspberry Pi announced additional increases affecting products with 2GB or more memory. It specifically said the 1GB Raspberry Pi 5 remained at $45 at that time. This was a February announcement price, not a guarantee of later retailer pricing.
1 April 2026: increases for 4GB-and-up products
The April announcement added further increases for products with 4GB or more memory, including Pi 4 and Pi 5 variants. It described 1GB and 2GB Pi 4 and Pi 5 variants as priced between $35 and $65, but did not separately restate a current 1GB Pi 5 price. Therefore, $45 should not be presented as a confirmed September 2026 retail price without checking a current seller listing.
Read the company’s updates at the February 2026 price announcement and the April 2026 price announcement.
Which memory size makes sense?
1GB: lowest entry price
The 1GB board is aimed at projects that can keep the operating system and applications within a small memory footprint: lightweight embedded services, simple sensors, basic automation and focused single-purpose installations. Desktop multitasking, large browsers, containers and development tools can exhaust 1GB quickly.
Rank #3
- Model: Raspberry Pi 4 B
- Board Type: Development
- Main component: motherboard
- Color: Green
- Processor: Broadcom BCM2711 Quad-core ARM v8 64-bit SoC
2GB: modest headroom
Choose 2GB when you need a graphical desktop or several small services but do not expect sustained multitasking. It costs more than the December 2025 1GB announcement price, and its current price must be checked against the seller and date.
4GB and above: heavier software
Memory-hungry desktops, compiling, databases, virtual machines, containers and multiple services benefit from 4GB or more. The December 2025 announcement listed $70 for 4GB, $95 for 8GB and $145 for 16GB, but subsequent announcements changed higher-memory pricing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Budget for the complete setup
The board price is only one part of a working Pi 5 system. Depending on the project, budget for:
- A compatible USB-C power supply capable of meeting Pi 5 requirements
- Cooling hardware, such as an active cooler or compatible case
- Boot storage, commonly a microSD card or another supported device
- Case, display cable, keyboard, mouse and other peripherals
Check compatibility before buying, especially for power and cooling. A low board price can disappear when required accessories are added.
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Rank #4
- Quad-core ARMA76 processor (64-bit - 2.4 GHz). Integrated VideoCore VII 800 MHz GPU °2 to 3 times more performance than version 4
- Significantly improved graphics reproduction ° high-speed micro SD ° display of 2 x 4K - 60 fps at the same time
- 2x USB 3.0 5GBps ° 2x 4-way MIPI DSI/CSI ports
- New features: ¤ ON/OFF button ¤ PCIe 2.0 port ¤ Integrated RTC port
- Modification: ^ 5V/5A DC power supply via USB-C ^ Highly recommended fan for Pi5 inch
How to interpret the $45 figure
- Treat $45 as Raspberry Pi’s 1 December 2025 announced price for the new 1GB model.
- Use the table above for the Pi 4 and Pi 5 prices announced on that same date.
- Account for the February and April 2026 changes when comparing 2GB, 4GB, 8GB or 16GB boards.
- Before ordering, verify the seller’s current price, tax, shipping, stock and exact memory variant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Raspberry Pi 5 1GB still $45 in September 2026?
Raspberry Pi stated $45 in December 2025 and said the price remained $45 in its February 2026 update. The April 2026 announcement did not separately restate the 1GB Pi 5 price, so confirm a current retailer listing rather than assuming $45 is today’s price.
Does the 1GB Raspberry Pi 5 use a slower processor?
No separate slower processor was announced. Raspberry Pi described the 1GB model as using the Pi 5 platform with a quad-core 2.4GHz Arm Cortex-A76 CPU, alongside the platform’s listed display, wireless and PCI Express features.
What changed besides the new 1GB model?
The December 2025 announcement raised Pi 4 4GB and 8GB prices, and Pi 5 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB prices. Raspberry Pi also announced a $20 increase for 16GB Compute Module 5 variants, followed by further memory-related increases in February and April 2026.
The Bottom Line
The 1GB Raspberry Pi 5 was introduced at a manufacturer-announced $45, giving buyers a lower-cost route to the Pi 5 platform. Because Raspberry Pi changed prices again in 2026, compare the memory capacity and complete setup cost, then verify the current seller price before purchase.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
