This article was updated by Andrea Trama on April 9, 2026, citing the PS6's rumored price and recent predictions about cloud gaming. First published March 30.
sony's playstation 6 A hardware insider on social media reports that the console could be expensive to manufacture. Sony has been tight-lipped about the pricing and features of its next-generation PlayStation consoles, but the cost to build and sell each device will depend on several ongoing market factors, such as the DRAM shortage crisis.
The latest PS6 news comes at a controversial time for the PlayStation brand. Prices for the PS5 console lineup will increase globally starting Thursday, April 2, as the aforementioned RAM crisis impacts prices across the global economy. The disc-based PS5 Slim console will increase from its current $549 to $649.99, while the digital version will increase from $499 to $599. The biggest price increase is for the PS5 Pro, which will see a price increase of $150 from its current price of $749 to $899. So interested console buyers don't have much time to purchase a new PS5 system before prices go up on April 2nd.
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The PS6 could cost Sony around $760 to manufacture.
Rumors about the PS6 should be taken with a grain of salt, but Hardware Insider has shared how much it could cost the company per unit to produce Sony's next-gen console. In a thread dedicated to the PS5 price increase, hardware insider KeplerL2 posted on NeoGAF after being asked how much the PS6 would cost after launch. KeplerL2 says the current bill of materials (BOM) estimate for the PS6 is around $760, with a potential subsidized manufacturing cost of $699. However, KeplerL2 also raised questions about whether Sony would consider manufacturing price subsidies. It's worth noting that BOM estimates are not the same as MSRP, and the actual price consumers may pay for the PS6 will be much higher than the estimated material costs. Considering 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 have features such as a detachable disk drive, a portable variant of the console similar to the Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck. The PS6 is also stated to be capable of high-performance ray tracing at multiple resolutions using AMD components such as an 8-core Zen 6 APU with RDNA 5 graphics. Since Project Helix is also partnering with AMD on those components, the fact that Microsoft's new console could cross the $1,000 threshold means Sony's PS6 could end up costing consumers a fortune once the next-gen system hits store shelves.
Ongoing RAM Crisis Could Determine PS6's Manufacturing Cost
One of the key factors driving high manufacturing bill of materials (BOM) is the ongoing DRAM shortage crisis. Starting in the fall of 2025, the prices of 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 fall again because consumers are not buying them at current prices. For example, the price of the Corsair Vengeance 32GB DDR5 RAM kit has been reduced to $321.10 on Amazon from its previous price of $427.99. Although prices are still higher than before the crisis began, it remains to be seen whether the price of DDR5 RAM will continue to fall over time.
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There are rumors that Project Helix and PS6 could launch as early as 2027, but the ongoing RAM crisis and uncertain market conditions may force Microsoft and Sony to reconsider their plans. However, potential pricing for Sony and Microsoft's next-generation systems remains a fluid situation that customers will need to keep an eye on.
- Establishment date
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May 7, 1946
- headquarters
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Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan
