The Raspberry Pi 5 1GB is now the cheapest Pi 5, with an official US list price of $45. It is aimed at lightweight, headless and single-purpose projects. For a small desktop or general-purpose use, the 2GB Raspberry Pi 5 is the safer minimum; choose 4GB or more for sustained multitasking, dual 4K displays, large software builds or many browser tabs.
Raspberry Pi 5 memory tiers and the latest prices
Raspberry Pi sells the Pi 5 with 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB of LPDDR4X-4267 memory. The figures below are official US list prices from Raspberry Pi announcements; tax, shipping, regional pricing and reseller stock can change the checkout total.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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SANOOV Raspberry Pi 5 4GB Kit, 4GB RAM Single Board Computer with Active Cooler and ABS Case,... | $158.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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CanaKit Raspberry Pi 5 Essentials Starter Kit (4GB RAM) | $189.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Basic Kit with PiSwitch (4GB RAM) | $124.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Raspberry Pi 5 8GB | $199.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| Memory | Official list price | Price date and qualification | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB | $45 | Protected at $45 in Raspberry Pi’s 2 February 2026 notice | Headless, embedded, lightweight or single-purpose projects |
| 2GB | $65 | $55 on 1 December 2025, then increased by $10 on 2 February 2026 | Light desktop use and general-purpose projects |
| 4GB | $85 | $70 on 1 December 2025, then increased by $15 on 2 February 2026 | More demanding desktop work and multitasking |
| 8GB | $125 | $95 on 1 December 2025, then increased by $30 on 2 February 2026 | Heavy multitasking, development and memory-hungry services |
| 16GB | $205 | $145 on 1 December 2025, then increased by $60 on 2 February 2026 | Workloads that specifically benefit from very large memory capacity |
These are list prices, not a promise of a particular reseller’s current price. Raspberry Pi said memory components had more than doubled in cost during the quarter before its February 2026 adjustment, while the 1GB model remained protected at $45.
Why Raspberry Pi reduced the memory
The lower-priced boards are a deliberate cost decision, not a different processor generation. Raspberry Pi launched the 2GB Pi 5 on 19 August 2024, when the 4GB board cost $60. The company used a cost-optimised BCM2712 D0 processor stepping and halved the memory capacity, allowing it to remove $10 from the finished-product cost and set the 2GB model at $50.
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- All-in-One Complete Kit: This SANOOV RPi 5 bundle comes with Raspberry Pi 5 4GB RAM single board, active cooler, durable ABS case and screwdriver. No extra parts needed, ready to use right out of the box for beginners and hobbyists
- Powerful Single Board Computer: Equipped with 4GB RAM and high-performance processor, delivers fast running speed for 4K playback, AI projects, programming and daily computing tasks. SANOOV for raspberry pi 5 4GB is equipped with broadcom 64 quad-core Arm Cortex A76 processor with gigabit ethernet and upgraded with IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 dual-band 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz and Power Over Ethernet (POE). Upgrading delivers 2-3 x speed vs Pi 4, redefining the experience
- Efficient Active Cooler: Effectively lowers operating temperature and prevents performance throttling. Runs quietly even under long-time heavy load, ensures stable operation all day long. SANOOV RPi 5 4GB kit offer an active cooler, which combines an aluminium heatsink with a high-performance PWM fan. Active cooler is fully compatible with the Pi OS, which can effectively reduce the temperature of RPi5 and ensure its good performance during long-term high load operation
- Sturdy ABS Protective Case: Well-fitted for Raspberry Pi 5 board, can be secured with 4 screws to effectively protect the Pi 5 motherboard from damage, reserves full access to all ports and buttons. SANOOV uses ABS material to produce the case, which has a softer texture and feel. Meanwhile, SANOOV case adopts a layered design for easy disassembly and installation. (Tip: The Case cannot install M.2 HAT Add on Board and Solid State Drive!)
- Wide Application & Full Compatibility: Seamlessly compatible with official OS and mainstream peripheral accessories for Raspberry Pi 5. Whether you are a beginner, student, electronics hobbyist or professional developer, this all-in-one kit meets your diverse needs. It excels in IoT projects, robotics design, retro gaming devices, home media servers and other DIY creations. Backed by a large global community, you can easily find guides, technical support and shared projects online
On 1 December 2025, Raspberry Pi added the 1GB version at $45. Eben Upton described it as bringing the flagship platform—with its quad-core 2.4GHz Cortex-A76 processor, dual-band Wi-Fi and PCIe port—to a new low price point. Raspberry Pi attributed later price pressure on larger-memory products to competition for memory from AI infrastructure, calling that pressure painful but ultimately temporary.
What every Raspberry Pi 5 still includes
- 2.4GHz quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 CPU
- VideoCore VII graphics
- Dual 4Kp60 HDMI output
- PCIe 2.0 x1 interface
- Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Two USB 3 ports and two USB 2 ports
- LPDDR4X-4267 memory, with capacity selected at purchase
Raspberry Pi rates Pi 5 as up to three times faster than the previous generation. Memory capacity is the principal difference between the tiers; the core platform and connectivity remain Pi 5 features across the range.
Which Raspberry Pi 5 RAM size should you buy?
Choose 1GB for focused, low-overhead projects
Buy the 1GB board when the Pi will run one main job: a headless server, appliance controller, sensor gateway, kiosk, network utility or embedded installation. It is the right way to minimize the board’s purchase price when you do not need a graphical desktop or several services at once.
Rank #2
- CanaKit Raspberry Pi 5 Essentials Starter Kit
Expect less room for caches, background services and graphical applications. A 1GB board can be fast enough for its intended task, but it gives you little margin if the project grows.
Choose 2GB for the practical general-purpose starting point
The 2GB model costs $20 more than the 1GB list price in the February 2026 pricing notice, but that extra memory provides useful headroom for a light desktop, everyday utilities, modest development and several small services. For a first Pi 5 that will not remain a single-purpose appliance, 2GB is the safer choice.
Choose 4GB when multitasking is part of the plan
Move to 4GB for a desktop with multiple applications, development environments, several containers or services, and projects that compile substantial software. It is also a sensible buffer when you cannot predict how much software you will add later.
Rank #3
- Includes Raspberry Pi 4 4GB Model B with 1.5GHz 64-bit quad-core CPU (4GB RAM)
- CanaKit 3.5A USB-C Power Supply with Noise Filter (UL Listed) specially designed for the Raspberry Pi 4 (5-foot cable)
- CanaKit USB-C PiSwitch (On/Off Power Switch)
- Set of 3 Aluminum Heat Sinks for the Raspberry Pi 4
Choose 8GB or 16GB for explicitly memory-heavy work
Higher tiers make sense when your workload is known to consume memory: many simultaneous applications, large builds, memory-intensive services or unusually large browser sessions. More RAM does not automatically make every program faster; it mainly prevents slowdowns caused by memory pressure and swapping.
When 1GB or 2GB is not enough
Raspberry Pi’s launch guidance says users who want to drive dual 4Kp60 displays, keep roughly one hundred browser tabs open or compile complex software from source will probably remain with higher-capacity variants. Those examples describe memory headroom, not a guarantee that a particular application will run at a specified speed.
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- Dual-display workstation: start at 4GB or higher if the displays will run a full desktop with several applications.
- Large browser sessions: 4GB or more is the prudent choice; browser tabs can vary widely in memory use.
- Compiling large projects: 4GB reduces the chance that parallel builds exhaust available memory; 8GB may be justified for especially large trees or multiple concurrent jobs.
- Headless services: 1GB can work when services are few and controlled; choose 2GB or more if you expect containers, databases or additional services.
Budget for the power and cooling hardware
The board price is not the complete Pi 5 setup. Raspberry Pi recommends a high-quality 5V/5A USB-C power supply and says Pi 5 performs best with active cooling. Its named options include the 27W USB-C power supply, the Active Cooler and the fan-equipped Raspberry Pi Case for Raspberry Pi 5.
Rank #4
- Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB RAM: Model SC1112 featuring a quad-core ARM Cortex-A76 processor running at 2.4GHz. Enhanced Connectivity: Includes dual 4K micro HDMI ports, USB-C power input, and high-speed USB 3.0 ports. PCIe Expansion Support: FPC connector enables M.2 NVMe SSDs when using compatible adapters. Fast Storage Options: Works with microSD cards for booting, or optional NVMe storage for advanced projects. Built for Projects & Learning: Ideal for programming, home labs, DIY electronics, automation, and Linux-based development.
Include a suitable power supply, cooling, storage and (for desktop use) display and input devices in your budget. An inexpensive board can stop being inexpensive once those required accessories are added, and inadequate power or cooling can undermine sustained performance regardless of RAM size.
A simple buying decision
- Define the job. If it is one lightweight, mostly headless task, shortlist 1GB. If it includes a desktop or several services, start at 2GB.
- Check peak memory use. Account for browser tabs, containers, build jobs and displays—not just the operating system at idle.
- Add growth margin. Select 4GB or more if replacing the board later would be difficult or the project is likely to expand.
- Price the complete kit. Add the recommended 5V/5A supply, active cooling, storage and enclosure before comparing totals.
- Verify the seller’s current price. The dated US list prices above can differ from regional, taxed or out-of-stock reseller listings.
What changed—and what did not
The entry point moved from the earlier 4GB model at $60 to a 2GB model at $50 in August 2024, then to a 1GB model at $45 in December 2025. Subsequent February 2026 increases affected 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB products, while 1GB stayed at $45 in that notice.
The lower price does not mean a cut-down CPU platform: every tier retains the Pi 5’s 2.4GHz quad-core Cortex-A76 architecture, VideoCore VII graphics, dual 4K output, PCIe connectivity and wireless and wired networking. The trade-off is memory headroom, so buy for the workload rather than choosing the lowest number automatically.
Quick Recap
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.
