Raspberry Pi locks RAM capacity while Micron unveils 512 GB DDR5 module

Raspberry Pi has confirmed that its Compute Module 5 features hardware-level restrictions that prevent RAM upgrades. Even if a user replaces a soldered memory chip with a higher-capacity component, the system will continue to report the original factory capacity. The company stated this design choice is intended to prevent gray-market resellers from swapping inexpensive modules for higher-capacity ones to sell at a profit, which could lead to stability issues and unsupported hardware configurations.

In separate industry news, Micron has introduced a 512 GB DDR5 server module designed to address memory bottlenecks in AI and database workloads. By utilizing Through-Silicon-Vias to stack DRAM layers, a single module can provide the capacity previously requiring four separate sticks. This design reportedly reduces power consumption by over 60 percent compared to equivalent configurations. Micron plans to begin volume production in the second half of 2027, with AMD and Intel currently validating the module for their server platforms.