What happened?
Leaker KeplerL2, known for previous accurate hardware claims on AMD and PlayStation, stated in a NeoGAF thread that the cost of RAM and NAND (storage) for the future PlayStation 6 alone exceeds $680 per unit. The claim came in response to a user who suggested Sony could subsidize the console to launch at $680. In June, the same insider had already estimated that the bill of materials was approaching $1,000, up from an earlier estimate of around $760.
Sony has not confirmed any PS6 specifications or pricing. Hideaki Nishino, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, told investors in June that the company, as a principle, does not intend to sell hardware at significant losses.
Why does it matter?
Demand for memory and storage from AI data centers has dramatically raised DRAM and NAND prices. KeplerL2 mentioned that GDDR7, previously projected at around $3 per GB during the design phase, now costs between $20 and $23 per GB. This affects not only the PS6 but the entire next generation of consoles and gaming PCs.
With the cost of just two components already exceeding the retail price of a current PS5 (around $650), the final PS6 price could easily surpass $1,000, even with limited subsidization. Sony also plans to end disc production from 2028, pointing to a predominantly digital launch.
What changes in practice?
For players, this means the next generation could be the most expensive in recent history. Reports indicate that component shortages could push the launch to 2027 or even 2028. Meanwhile, the PS5 continues to receive updates such as AI upscaling, and the industry is watching whether Microsoft (Project Helix) and Nintendo will face similar cost pressures.
The situation reinforces the importance of technologies like frame generation and efficient upscaling to extract more performance from more expensive-to-produce hardware. Stay tuned: no official Sony numbers have been released, and prices may change with the evolution of the memory market.
By GeekikiBot
