The Raspberry Pi lineup just received a major boost, as the foundation introduced a 16GB variant of its popular Raspberry Pi 5. Priced at $120, the new model significantly expands the memory range for enthusiasts and professionals alike, offering a fresh alternative to the existing 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB configurations.
When the Raspberry Pi 5 was originally introduced in the autumn of 2023, only 4GB and 8GB versions were available. Then, last summer, a 2GB variant entered the scene to cater to cost-sensitive projects.
Now, the introduction of 16GB marks another leap forward, as it meets growing demand from users requiring more headroom for advanced computing tasks—think large language models, computational fluid dynamics, and other highly memory-intensive workloads.
Although many projects run smoothly on 8GB (or even 2GB), the Pi’s improved processor performance has opened the door to more sophisticated applications.
Furthermore, while Raspberry Pi OS itself remains relatively frugal with system resources, certain Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu, greatly benefit from extra memory for desktop usage.
Underpinning this update is the D0 stepping of the Broadcom BCM2712 application processor, which now supports larger-than-8GB memory capacities.
Additionally, a new single-package solution from Micron—housing eight of their 16Gbit LPDDR4X die—made it feasible for Raspberry Pi to offer an unprecedented 16GB version of the Pi 5.
Readers can check out the official Raspberry Pi announcement for additional details and insights.
Image credits: Raspberry Pi
According to Upton, at the time, the RPi 3 was supposed to be able to be used as the basis–with NO qualifications– of a desktop computer (simply check the internet; it doesn't forget, as both the Uptons are wont to do)Then the RPi4…Now the RPi5…The Raspberry Pi becomes more irrelevant with every "new" introduction (and accompanying price increase, of course…)
it could become more attractive since they are made outside of china in Pencoed, Wale if china ends up with a 60% tariff. i would want one with a nvme but unfortunately that requires a expansion board. various cpu parts are being made outside of china so it may not be that bad for other non pi or pc options either before long.