The PS6 could cost over $1000 because, apparently, gaming wasn’t expensive enough

Forget saving up for GTA 6. Gamers might want to start building a separate fund for the PlayStation 6, because Sony’s next console could cost over $1,000. According to hardware insider KeplerL2, the PS6’s RAM and SSD alone now cost more than $680, before Sony has even paid for its processor, graphics hardware, cooling system, or the rest of the machine. The culprit? Surging memory prices as AI data centres gobble up computing hardware.

The PS6’s RAM and SSD could cost more than a PS5

The latest claim comes from KeplerL2, a hardware insider who shared the estimate on the NeoGAF forums. According to the leaker, RAM and NAND storage for the PlayStation 6 now cost more than $680 per console. That’s a particularly painful number when the standard PS5 currently costs $649.99 in the US.

In other words, the reported cost of two components for Sony’s next console could exceed the retail price of its current-generation machine. And the PS6 still needs an actual processor, graphics hardware, a motherboard, cooling, a power supply, and a case. The latest $680 figure covers memory and storage alone, not the entire console, and neither estimate has been verified by Sony. Still, the direction of travel isn’t encouraging.

AI data centres are driving demand for memory, pushing up costs for companies building everything from servers to consumer electronics. For context, KeplerL2 also stated that GDDR7 memory for the console is now estimated to cost around $20 to $23 per gigabyte, compared with roughly $3 per gigabyte when console chip designs were initially being planned. That’s one expensive memory upgrade.

Forget console wars, gamers could be fighting their wallets next

A $1,000-plus PS6 isn’t confirmed, and Sony hasn’t even revealed the console’s specs or launch date. But with component costs soaring, the days of consoles being the affordable gateway to gaming could be numbered.

Sony could absorb some costs or tweak the hardware, but considering its push towards digital gaming at the expense of physical discs, it’s hard to see them put players before profits. And with Microsoft’s Project Helix also rumoured to cross $1,000, perhaps the next console war won’t be about teraflops or frame rates, but which company can make gamers go broke a little less painfully.

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