This article was updated on April 9, 2026 by Andrea Trama, with mention of the PS6's rumored price and recent predictions about cloud gaming. It was first published on March 30.
Sony's PlayStation 6 The console could be expensive to build, according to a report by Hardware Insider on social media. Although Sony has remained tight-lipped about the price and capabilities of the next PlayStation console, the cost of making and selling each unit will depend on some ongoing market factors, such as the DRAM shortage crisis.
The latest PS6 news comes amid a controversial time for the PlayStation brand. With the aforementioned RAM crisis affecting prices throughout the global economy, prices for the PS5 console lineup will be raised globally, effective Thursday, April 2. The disc-based PS5 Slim console will start at $649.99, up from the current $549, with the digital variant going up from $499 to $599. The biggest price jump will be for the PS5 Pro, as it will increase from $749 to $899, a $150 price increase from its current position. So, interested console buyers don't have much time to get their hands on the new PS5 system before prices go up on April 2nd.
Another free PS Plus game for April 2026 has been leaked
Days after the first free PlayStation Plus game leaked for April 2026, the same source reveals a second title for subscribers.
The PS6 could cost Sony around $760 to build
Although rumors about the PS6 should be taken with a good grain of salt, a hardware insider shared how much Sony's next-gen console could cost the company to produce per unit. In a thread dedicated to PS5 price increases, hardware insider KeplerL2 posted on NeoGAF when asked how much the PS6 might cost once it launches. KeplerL2 said that their current bill of materials (BOM) estimate for the PS6 is around $760, with a possible subsidized manufacturing cost of $699 also plausible. However, KeplerL2 also questioned whether Sony would consider subsidized product prices. It's worth noting that the BOM estimate is not the same as the MSRP, and the actual price will be much higher than the estimated material cost that consumers will pay for the PS6. Considering that the MSRP of Xbox's Project Helix console could exceed $1,000, the PS6 could follow suit.
According to various reports and leaks about the PS6, Sony's next-gen system could feature features such as a detachable disc drive, and a handheld variant of the console similar to the Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck. The PS6 is also said to use AMD components, such as an 8-core Zen 6 APU with RDNA 5 graphics, enabling high-fidelity ray tracing at various resolutions. With Project Helix also partnering with AMD for its components, the fact that Microsoft's new console could cross the $1,000 threshold means that Sony's PS6 could cost consumers big bucks once the next-gen system hits store shelves.
The ongoing RAM crisis could dictate the PS6's manufacturing costs
One of the major driving factors behind the high production bill of materials is the ongoing DRAM shortage crisis. After the fall of 2025, prices for RAM, SSDs, and other essential components for PCs, consoles, and other electronics will skyrocket. However, as of this writing, the prices of some DDR5 RAM kits have started to come back down as consumers can no longer afford them at their current rates. For example, the price of Corsair Vengeance 32GB DDR5 RAM kits has been marked down to $321.10 on Amazon from its previous rate of $427.99. While prices still remain higher than before the crisis began, it remains to be seen whether prices on DDR5 RAM will continue to decline over time.
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Although Project Helix and the PS6 are rumored to launch as early as 2027, the ongoing RAM crisis and uncertain market conditions may force Microsoft and Sony to rethink their plans. However, the potential prices of Sony and Microsoft's next-gen systems remain a fluid situation that customers should keep an eye on.
- Date of establishment
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7 May 1946
- Headquarters
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Minato City, Tokyo, Japan
