[ar_lan]

A 4GB Raspberry Pi 4 costs... $169 USD actively on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Model-2019-Quad-Bluetooth/d...).

I can find more powerful laptops for cheaper. I can get a Dell R720 which has drastically more computing power (32x RAM, much more powerful CPU) for twice the price.

RPI used to be economical. If it still cost $50 USD, I'd grab them in a heartbeat to do these types of projects, but as it is, on price, they are almost Apple levels of overpriced (if not more).

[colejohnson66]

The RPi starts at $35. The prices you’re seeing on Amazon are scalpers takings advantage of the chip shortage. When Adafruit, for example, has them in stock, they’re at MSRP.

[dsr_]

If you can't order a dozen any day of the week for the list price, they aren't really available at the list price.

As far as I can tell, the only Pi that you can reliably buy in quantity 1 at list price is the Pico.

[ahepp]

I mean isn't the truth somewhere in between? You can probably get one a lot cheaper than $150 or whatever it's selling for on Amazon if you don't need it today. At the same time you're right that it means something that you can't just go out to the store and buy one at anything remotely close to MSRP

[paxys]

Pi Zero 2 costs $15. Pico series starts from $4. There are plenty of cheap options if you don't need the extra power.