Raspberry Pi production capacity restored to 1 million pieces per month

Over the past few months, Raspberry Pi has grappled with a shortfall in production capacity, transforming this inexpensive single-board computer into an elusive “financial product” that has doubled in price and is increasingly challenging to procure. As supply chains rebound, Raspberry Pi’s production capacity continues to ascend—from 400,000 units per month since last October to more than a million units per month recently—yet it remains tough to find on the market.

Eben Upton, CEO of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, forecasted at the end of last year that 2023 would usher in a recovery period for Raspberry Pi’s production capacity. Indeed, since the start of this year, Raspberry Pi has begun to regain its footing. However, due to the backlog of orders, Raspberry Pi has mainly prioritized commercial customers with the bulk of its supplies. Upton had previously predicted that by July, Raspberry Pi’s monthly production could reach a million units, ultimately ensuring a free flow of supply.

Despite a substantial recovery in production, market prices for Raspberry Pi haven’t yet seen a significant downturn. According to market research by ArsTechnica, the 2GB version of Raspberry Pi 4 still maintains the price level of its out-of-stock period, and each customer can only purchase one unit. Thus, hopes may lie with introducing the next generation Raspberry Pi 5 for existing prices to relax. Early reports suggest that Raspberry Pi 5 is currently in development and is set to launch in 2024.

Given the high acquisition cost of Raspberry Pi, many enthusiast-level makers are now turning to other SBCs or even old mobile phones for their projects, primarily for handling simple controls. However, numerous projects based on Raspberry Pi cannot be easily supplanted by other devices.