back to article Raspberry Pi goes 2GB for the price of 1GB in honour of mini-computer's eighth birthday

It has been eight years since order books opened for the diminutive Raspberry Pi and the foundation has celebrated by knocking $10 off the price of the 2GB incarnation, reducing the thing to $35. The cut is permanent and attributed to a fall in the price of the RAM used by the machines. Memory prices have been tumbling of late …

  1. Anomalous Cowturd
    Thumb Up

    Many hapPi returns.

    Doesn't time fly? Seems like only last week the first ones appeared.

    I managed to snaffle a first batch Pi model B. It was a fine little thing, for its time, and served as a proxy server on my network until it was replaced by its newer cousin. That little beauty is currently running as a Pi Hole for the network.

    There is still nothing to touch it for versatility, combined with its low price, and current draw.

    Pi 4 is massively overpowered for anything I might want to do.

    1. tin 2

      Re: Many hapPi returns.

      While we're reminiscing...

      I got one of the first model Bs too. I wrapped it in one of the original PiBows. It ran a browser displaying a network status carousel (in fullscreen of course) on a big monitor strapped to the wall at my place of work. There had to be a cron job to reboot it every night as the browser slowly spanked all the memory during the day, but that was OK, it would reboot and come straight back to the web page in about 15 secs - in direct contrast to other nearby previous attempts that were most of the time big TVs proudly broadcasting Windows sat at a Novell login (yep!) prompt.

      I departed and so did my Pi, but that same one is currently the DHCP server in my home and lab networks today, although it desperately needs me to bite the bullet and upgrade the version of raspbian and ISC that's on it.

      1. teknopaul

        Re: Many hapPi returns.

        I have a similar story.

        "little more than a plaything" is rather unfair.

        Mine has been runnng every day since purchase and right now is using 88.1 of those 500mb.

        I shall not be upgrading unless it dies.

  2. rcxb Silver badge

    2GB minumum

    Linux isn't too happy on 2GB these days, thanks to web browsers... Firefox says 2GB is the MINIMUM for their 64-bit version, but if you stick with the 32-bit version, that drops to just 512MB. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/73.0.1/system-requirements/

    Chrome and Opera kindly fail to mention how much memory their monstrosities will consume.

    1. Annihilator

      Re: 2GB minumum

      "Chrome and Opera kindly fail to mention how much memory their monstrosities will consume."

      Yeah I assume because they've yet to determine an upper limit.

    2. phuzz Silver badge

      Re: 2GB minumum

      I feel that at least part of the blame should be placed at the feet of web designers.

      I doubt any browser would be such a memory hog if all the web pages we accessed were plain HTML with a few images.

      (eg, just this comment page is using about 7.5MB, that's basically all of the memory of my old Amiga 1200, after I'd upgraded it).

  3. rcxb Silver badge

    Better options

    Why get a $35 Pi, then spend on a case, power supply, disk, USB hub, etc., when you could just get an Atom mini-PC that includes all those, outperforms an Arm CPU, has dual-video outputs, and is compatible with any software you could possibly want?

    £110 for a 4GB (+64GB SSD) version:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fanless-X7-E3950/dp/B07Z94W8CJ/

    1. werdsmith Silver badge

      Re: Better options

      With no GPIO for all the hats, no CSI port, no Raspbian with the Pi community. No educational mission. Pi has dual 4K video out.

      I’ll stick with the Pi thanks, a third of the price and all the other bits I need already available. If I want a cut down PC I’ll just use my not cut down i7 laptop..

      1. rcxb Silver badge

        Re: Better options

        You can buy a USB card with GPIO ports for all of £2.

        Give as many GPIO pins as you want to any old PC.

        1. werdsmith Silver badge

          Re: Better options

          You can buy a USB card with GPIO ports for all of £2.

          Give as many GPIO pins as you want to any old PC.

          Great, which of the HATs can I use with them?

    2. Ozchemist

      Re: Better options

      Mostly for the "hackability" of the Raspberry Pi - open access to the GPIO and programmable support in the maker/hacker space. That's what's made the RPi such a success.

    3. rsole

      Re: Better options

      At first I thought you were being sarcastic but now I am not so sure.

      There is no need for a disc or an external USB hub with a Raspberry Pi 4.

      I admit that a case is desirable, but which one :) the joys of choice.

      As for an Atom outperforming a an Arm, possibly but what is the issue?

    4. doublelayer Silver badge

      Re: Better options

      Let's compare your thing with the pi, and see what else we have to buy to make them somewhat equivalent. We're assuming here that what you want to do with it is to use it as a desktop--if you want to have it integrated into another project, the pi's GPIOs, CSI and DSI interfaces, etc. will make it the better option. But desktop only:

      Your thing has an internal drive. The pi doesn't. Add a 64 GB SD card to our shopping list.

      Your thing has a power supply provided. The pi doesn't. You probably already have a supply, but they did just make the switch to USB-C so you might not. Add one of those to our shopping list.

      Your thing has two USB ports. The pi has four. Add a hub to your shopping list. Yes, since you accused the pi of needing one, I'm going to add this. You can do just fine with four ports, but two is harder.

      You want to use two video outputs? Fine. Both can do it. The pi needs a relatively uncommon micro-HDMI connector, so let's add two cables connecting that to regular HDMI. And to your list we'll add a VGA to something modern adapter and we'll assume you already have a normal HDMI cable.

      And ... that's it. They are now equivalent. There may be small differences in processing speed, but it's hard to know without having benchmark numbers for both, and I haven't found a place that benchmarked both of them.

      So let's add up the prices. The pi with 4 GB of memory is £44. An SD card is about £8. The HDMI cables can be found for £2 each. The foundation's supply costs £8, but you could find a cheaper one. Total price:: £64. If you want a nice plastic box, we can make that £70. If you want a nice metal box, £76.

      Your thing costs £110. A USB hub is £5 or so. The VGA-to-display port adapter I found costs £6. Total price: £121.

      So that's why.

      1. Lazlo Woodbine

        Re: Better options

        You can knock the fiver off, the Chuwi ATOM PC has 4 USB ports, two front USB 3 and two USB 2.1 on the back.

        Still wouldn't touch it though, the Chinese systems sold via Amazon with very poorly worded descriptions rarely match their claimed spec.

        I saw a couple of 2tb USB sticks a few weeks ago for about a fiver each, loads of people complaining they'd lost their precious data, what do they expect buying this crap?

      2. CAPS LOCK

        I'm with @doublelayer, my RPi 4Gb including all the gubbins worked out at...

        ...65 Earth Pounds.

    5. P. Lee

      Re: Better options

      I picked up five core2duo's for AUD 100 for the lot - I think that's around 50 quid at the moment.

      They won't do 4k but they are standard 64 bit x86 systems. BSD firewall, Postfix/Dovecot, backup server, media/file server and a spare.

      1. werdsmith Silver badge

        Re: Better options

        I’ve got a pi built into an antenna mast close to the antenna base for max gain. Try doing that with that “better option” brick thing.

      2. teknopaul

        Re: Better options

        Whats your power usage? ToC should include electricity for a few years. Pis shine in this area.

    6. Grikath

      Re: Better options

      "then spend on a case, power supply, disk, USB hub, etc., "

      Why? Most people who play around with Pi's tend to already have most, if not all of that stuff... Except maybe the case.. Then again.. Half the fun is making a case for it yourself. Mine's currently posing as an older PS2 while making my "smart" TV actually Do Stuff. I've made several others, in various flavours, for friends. Because it's Fun, and not everyone wants their tech visible.. Hell, one is literally a basket case...

      1. mrfill

        Re: Better options

        And, of course, the Pi is the size of a packet of fags.

  4. VerySlowData
    Thumb Up

    The Pi as a part

    I have some older pi's; one came as a freeby on MagPi magazine (the Pi Zero, ISTR) Amazed that a whole computer came on a PCB not much bigger that a 40pin dip and could get at the io ports easily. With Pi's and Arduini , we now have really blurred the line between discrete chips and complete systems to solve problems or scratch electronic itches!

    Happy Birthday, Raspberry Pi!

  5. Neil Barnes Silver badge

    Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

    <old fart mode = on>

    I remember the first memory I ever bought, about 1978. Cost me half a week's wages for two chips - half a k by four bits each.

    I recall the occasion well: while I was waiting to make the purchase, at a place on Edgware Road, the shop door slammed open, a chap pedalled in on a unicycle, did a couple of pirouettes in the middle of the shop, announced loudly 'F*** me, the place is full of...' and pedalled out again. The shop staff didn't turn a hair...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

      Were you wearing an onion in your belt?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

        It was the style at the time

    2. Missing Semicolon Silver badge
      Windows

      Re: Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

      Ah. Back when the Edgeware Road was the Edgeware Road.....

    3. Annihilator

      Re: Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

      Yeah think everyone's got a "I remember when memory/storage was..." story depending on age. Mine is from mid-90s, wanting an additional 8MB (across two sticks, as they were SIMMS) to take the family machine from 16 to 24 to enable Quake 2 to run in 3DFX mode - around £100 I think.

      Similarly wanting a new HDD around the same time - 4GB for near £150. Still got it for nostalgic purposes.

      1. KBeee

        Re: Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

        £300 for a 50MB scuzzy HD for an Atari ST. Though it did make a handy stand for the Philips 14" CRT monitor.

    4. Chris Evans

      Re: Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

      I remember when 32MB FPM SIMMS first came out, they were £995 inc VAT.

      We didn't sell many!

    5. adam 40 Silver badge

      Re: Ten dollars for a couple of gig of ram eh?

      You were loookkey!

      Ehh when I were a lad, we used ter solder us RAM together from discrete t'ransistors!

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "it cost a lot more than $10 to add the extra 2GB to get from 2GB to 4GB."

    $20 presumably. Or there is a large profit markup added to the 4GB version.

    1. Martin

      Or, possibly, a 4G memory chip costs significantly more than the 2G memory chip taking up the same space.

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