Almost a year after Raspberry Pi 5 debuted, a cheaper 2 GB version has appeared for users that want to save a little cash or for whom 4 or 8 GB was just slightly excessive.

The hardware is nearly identical to the computer launched in 2023, just with less RAM.

At the unveiling of the $50 computer, Pi supremo Eben Upton told The Register: "We're bringing the power of our most modern platform, and all of the optimizations we've developed since the launch of the larger memory SKUs last autumn, to a new lower price point, and are excited to see what people do with it."

Bringing the price of the Pi back down to $50 carries with it some psychological benefits, and is a break from the relentless price rises that afflict much of the industry.

That said, dropping down to 2 GB could present some problems. We fired up the 2 GB Pi 5 and compared it to our 8 GB daily driver. The 2 GB version was snappy enough but began to exhibit signs of distress as we loaded up multiple applications.

As such, we'd advise thinking long and hard about use cases. For example, while the 2 GB version can struggle with multitasking - at least in our experience - the 8 GB version could be considered overspecified for other purposes. It also carries a $30 premium over its 2 GB sibling.

From a hardware standpoint, besides memory and an associated jumper over the 2G pins, there is little to separate this board from its beefier sibling.

Upton told The Register the memory was the only functional change. "The board is actually the first to use a cost-optimised variant of BCM2712 (designated BCM2712D0), which removes all the non-Raspberry Pi-specific logic from the chip.

"But from the user's perspective it's functionally identical."

Might there be a cheaper 1GB version on the horizon? Upton said it's unlikely and there are no plans for such a variant at the moment, "the cost gap would be too small to justify it, and it's getting harder to buy LPDDR4X at that density at all."

"But never say never."

Upton added: "A lot of focus [is] now on getting Compute Module 5 out of the door."

At the debut of the Pi 5, he had said the Compute Module 5 would follow in 2024. With more attention shifting to the device, it might yet appear in the current calendar year, which would please industrial customers eyeing the Pi 5, but wanting something in the Compute Module form factor.

Overall, the 2 GB Pi 5 is a welcome addition to the Raspberry Pi stable, particularly with its reduced price point. The RAM restriction means a reduction in capability but for some users this is unlikely to present much of an issue unless they want to run more demanding operating systems or applications. Ubuntu, for example, demands a minimum of 4 GB RAM.

The $50 price point means the 2 GB Pi 5 is only a few dollars more than the 2 GB Pi 4 Model B. It also pushes it closer to similar diminutive rivals like Libre Computer's Le Potato.

Just don't forget to add some cooling. ®

https://www.theregister.com//2024/08/19/raspberry_pi_5_2gb/