Raspberry Pi 5 gets cheaper 2GB family member

Hold on, you say, that’s less than the previously announced versions. But this model is the cheap and cheerful version, being priced at $50, compared with $60 for the 4GB and $80 for its 8GB siblings.

Eben Upton explains the latest 2GB model is based on a new version of the BCM2712 application processor. A cost-optimised D0 stepping is used (not C1).

Basically, the D0 stepping of the BCM2712 removes unused functionality from BCM2712C1 – there is no functional difference between the C1 and D0.

“The new D0 stepping strips away all that unneeded functionality, leaving only the bits we need. From the perspective of a Raspberry Pi user, it is functionally identical to its predecessor: the same fast quad-core processor; the same multimedia capabilities; and the same PCI Express bus that has proven to be one of the most exciting features of the Raspberry Pi 5 platform. However, it is cheaper to make, and so is available to us at somewhat lower cost. And this, combined with the savings from halving the memory capacity, has allowed us to take $10 out of the cost of the finished product.”

Rest assured, however, that the Pi’s operating system, the Linux-based Raspberry Pi OS, still runs perfectly OK on this model.

You can buy it online through Approved Resellers: Cool Components, CPC, Pimoroni, The Pi Hut.

You can also read our Technology Editor’s news story of the release.

Eben summarises the introduction of the Raspberry Pi 5 itself in this video below:

See also: Raspberry Pi’s M.2 HAT+ goes on sale