A leaker says RAM and storage alone for Sony's next console now cost more than a PS5, and Sony says it won't sell hardware at big losses.
A hardware leaker known as KeplerL2 claims the memory and storage chips for Sony's PS6 now cost over $680 per console. That's more than a PS5 sells for, and it doesn't include the main processor or anything else.
The reason is AI. Data centers are buying up memory chips, pushing prices up across the board. Sony has said it doesn't plan to sell hardware at significant losses and can't absorb every cost increase, which points to a pricey next console.
Until Sony says more, treat every PS6 price figure as an estimate.
The PS6 price question just got more uncomfortable. A well-known hardware leaker claims the memory and storage chips alone for Sony’s next console now cost more than $680 per unit, before you count the processor, the case or the controller.
For anyone saving up for the next PlayStation, that’s the number to remember. It’s already higher than the retail price of a PS5, and Sony’s own comments suggest it won’t simply eat those costs. Sony hasn’t officially announced a PS6, a price or a release date, so here’s what’s known, what’s rumor, and what it could mean for your wallet.
The figure comes from leaker KeplerL2, posting on the NeoGAF forum. It covers RAM and NAND flash storage, the chips that hold game data while you play and store your library. Over the summer, the same leaker estimated the PS6’s whole bill of materials, the total cost of its parts, at about $960.
That’s a sharp climb. Estimates for the parts bill reportedly went from roughly $760 in March to nearly $1,000 within a few months. Earlier leaks say the console can support up to 40GB of GDDR7 graphics memory, though many expect it to ship with 30GB, which would be 87.5% more than the PS5 has.
Take all of this with a grain of salt. These are estimates from an outside source, not figures from Sony. And a parts bill isn’t a store price. Console makers have often sold hardware below cost and made the money back on games.
The main culprit is the AI boom. Data centers built to run AI systems are buying huge amounts of DRAM and NAND memory, which has squeezed supply and pushed prices up for everyone else. Retail DDR5 memory is said to cost around five times what it did a year ago.
Sony has flagged the problem itself. In its May earnings materials, the company said higher memory prices were raising its parts and manufacturing costs, and it expects memory to stay pricey and supply tight through 2027.
Sony’s clearest comment came in a June 5, 2026 investor Q&A, which is circulating again as the new cost claims spread. Asked about hardware profits on its next-generation platform, Sony said: “As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses.”
Sony also said it can’t realistically soak up every jump in part costs, and noted that PS5 sales stayed on plan even after price hikes outside Japan. Pay attention to the wording. “Significant losses” leaves room for small ones, so this isn’t a promise of a $1,000 console. It is a strong hint that a cheap launch price is unlikely.
On timing, Sony says nothing is decided. Sony Group CEO Hiroki Totoki said in May that neither the launch date nor the price had been set. A 2027 release is outside speculation only, though it would land about seven years after the PS5 arrived in November 2020.
If you were hoping for a PS6 at classic console prices, it may be time to reset expectations. Current hardware has already crept up. Sony raised prices on the PS5, PS5 Pro and PlayStation Portal in several markets from April 2026. In the UK, a standard PS5 now costs £569.99 and the PS5 Pro £789.99.
A few practical points:
There’s one small bright spot. Sony recently released a discounted Midnight Black PS5, but it’s sold only in Japan and region-locked, and nothing similar is expected in the US.
Sony hasn’t announced a price. Leaks put the cost of its parts near $1,000, but that isn’t what you’d pay in a store.
There’s no official date. Sony says it hasn’t decided, and a 2027 launch is only rumored.
Sony says it doesn’t intend to sell hardware at significant losses, which still leaves room for a small one.
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