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The Raspberry Pi 5 only launched a few days ago now yet it’s already sold out across all retailers. Not just in the US, but in the UK too, it’s virtually impossible to get hold of the SBC. Scalpers, ever the forward thinking folk, might have a solution for you: pay double the price on eBay.
The previous iteration of the Raspberry Pi saw a similar fate. Due to supply chain issues that throttled production, the Raspberry Pi 4 became increasingly difficult to get a hold of, while the Raspberry Pi 5 release date was pushed further and further back. Scalpers saw their opportunities and squeezed the price of the SBC, making it one of the only options to get hold of the device.
Contradicting everything about the cheap, pocket sized computer – it seems that they’ve had the same idea this time too. With retailers such as Central Computers and Sparkfun stating that they “do not currently have an estimate of when this product will be back in stock,” it doesn’t look good for people who are looking where to buy the Raspberry Pi 5.
Scalpers are offering up the 4GB model of the PI 5 for $148, and the 8GB version for $188. Normally, they retail for $60 / $80 respectively. The mark-up that resellers are listing prices for is absurd, and hopefully nobody buys into their tactics.
According to Pimoroni in the UK, they’re expecting “new orders for Raspberry Pi 5 will be part of our second batch due in late November / December.” In light of this, you can expect to be able to pick up a Pi 5 without paying extortionate prices towards the end of the year.
One of the biggest selling points of the latest Raspberry Pi 5 is that it’s potentially powerful enough to entirely replace your desktop PC. Alongside that, PS2 emulation is now possible on the RPI 5 combined with a growing games list. While scalpers might have ruined the party a little bit, feasible opportunities to pick up the device will become apparent in the future.
My message to the scalpers: save a slice for the rest of us.
Cover image credited to Raspberry Pi.
