Leaker says PS6 memory, storage costs now top $680

A hardware leaker says the RAM and SSD storage for Sony's PlayStation 6 now cost more than $680 on their own, before the processor, graphics chip, cooling or any other part is added. The claim, posted by the insider known as KeplerL2 on the NeoGAF forum, makes a $1,000 price for the console look more likely. Sony has not announced a price or a launch date.pushsquare.com

A rising bill of materials

The new figure comes after months of higher estimates from the same source. In March, KeplerL2 said the PS6 cost about $760 for Sony to build, which left room for a subsidized $699.99 price. By July, he said the total cost of parts had risen to about $960. ComicBook.com reported that the PS5's memory and storage are estimated to have cost Sony about $100, so the new figure would be nearly seven times higher. The leaker has also said Sony cannot sell a rumored PS6 handheld for less than $600 because of rising LPDDR memory prices.comicbook.com+2

The costs are rising because AI data centers keep buying up memory chips. Push Square editor Sammy Barker wrote that this pressure will keep pushing up prices for all consumer electronics while the demand lasts.pushsquare.com

Sony's stance on losses

Sony has said it will not cover the gap with large hardware subsidies. At an investor Q&A on June 5, the company said it was "not realistic" to absorb every rise in component costs and that "as a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses". Sony also expects memory prices to stay high and supply to stay tight through 2027.ibtimes.co.uk

Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki told The Wall Street Journal that the company has not set a release date. "We have not yet decided on at what timing we will launch the new console, or at what prices," he said, adding that Sony "must think carefully" because of memory costs.techpowerup.com

Launch timing in question

Many had expected the PS6 to launch in 2027. Bloomberg reported in February that Sony was considering pushing it back to 2028 or 2029 because of the memory shortage. Sony has not said the shortage has delayed the console.nme.com+1

Barker expects a long overlap with the PS5, with few PS6 exclusive games for years. He noted that most of the console's development work is already done, so Sony may have to release it anyway. Until Sony gives formal details, reports of a 2027 launch or a price above $1,000 remain unconfirmed.ibtimes.co.uk+1