Raspberry Pi locks boards to factory RAM capacities in firmware
- ID
- 27198
- Status
- summarized
- Published
- 22 Sep 2026, 7:07 PM
- Fetched
- 22 Sep 2026, 10:32 PM
- Provider
- Tom's Hardware
- Category
- technology
- Original URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/raspberry-pi/raspberry-pi-locks-boards-to-factory-ram-capacities-in-firmware-engineer-tells-diy-modders-dont-waste-your-time-trying-repairs-or-upgrades-company-cites-shady-reseller-scams
- Source URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/feeds/all
Summary
- Score
- 5.0
- Created
- 22 Sep 2026, 10:36 PM
- Tags
- Audience
- developersvibe_coders
What happened
Raspberry Pi has added firmware that locks boards to their factory RAM capacities, preventing DIY RAM repairs or upgrades. A Raspberry Pi engineer told modders 'don't waste your time' attempting such modifications, and the company cited shady reseller scams as the motivation for the lock.
Why it matters
If you build edge, IoT, or kiosk projects on Raspberry Pi, you can no longer repair or upgrade RAM on a board — buy the RAM tier you need upfront, since post-purchase RAM swaps are now firmware-blocked. This also means second-hand Pi boards with suspiciously upgraded RAM are likely non-functional or scams.
Discussion angle
Does firmware-locking RAM to fight reseller scams justify removing repairability, and how should builders spec Pi-based deployments now that the RAM ceiling is permanent?