Raspberry Pi Team Tweaks Ingredients List, Doubles the RAM to 512MB in Model B Recipe

Posted 10/15/2012 at 8:51am | by Paul Lilly

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There's a lot you can do with the Raspberry Pi, the micro-sized PC that's about as big as a credit card. Part of the charm is that it's incredibly affordable ($25 for the Model A version and $35 for the Model B), yet that didn't stop the Raspberry Pi Foundation from upgrading the RAM on the higher-end Model B version to 512MB so that it can more comfortably be used as a general-purpose computer with multiple large applications running at the same time. We know what you're thinking -- how much does the added RAM add to the price?

"One of the most common suggestions we’ve heard since launch is that we should produce a more expensive 'Model C' version of Raspberry Pi with extra RAM," Raspberry Pi Foundation explained in a blog post. "The downside of this suggestion for us is that we’re very attached to $35 as our highest price point. With this in mind, we’re pleased to announce that from today all Model B Raspberry Pis will ship with 512MB of RAM as standard."

That's kind of a bummer for people who already purchased and received a Model B with 256MB or RAM, but then again, we all know the risks involved with being an early adopter. To minimize the sting, outstanding orders with either distributor -- Raspberry Pi systems are available to purchase from Premier Farnell/Element 14 and RS Components -- will receive the upgraded 512MB version instead of the one with 256MB.

"Units should start arriving in customers’ hands today, and we will be making a firmware upgrade available in the next couple of days to enable access to the additional memory," Raspberry Pi Foundation said.

If you're just not feeling the Raspberry Pi, there are a handful of low-cost alternatives out there, including a $50 Android-powered PC from VIA and APC.

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