PlayStation 6 may cost over $1,000 as leaker predicts huge component costs

PS5 (Image credit: Sony) A leaker has claimed the PlayStation 6’s storage and memory alone could cost $680That lines up with past predictions that the console will cost $1,000 or moreSony has remained silent on the potential cost of its next-generation deviceIt’s no secret that the ongoing AI-driven RAM crisis has pushed component prices to extraordinarily unpleasant highs, and that’s made everything from graphics cards to new smartphones more expensive. Now, it looks like the misery could be spreading to the upcoming PlayStation 6, with some predictions indicating that an eye-watering price tag of $1,000 or more could be on the horizon.That idea comes from renowned leaker KeplerL2 on the NeoGAF forums, who recently argued that the procurement cost to Sony of the PlayStation 6’s memory and storage alone comes to $680. That’s before we even consider other components like the GPU, CPU, and motherboard, and it makes for grim reading for anyone hoping for a reasonably priced console from Sony.The context here is that KeplerL2’s comment was made in response to another forum member. That person had expressed doubts over KeplerL2’s previous prediction that the total bill of materials for the PlayStation 6 would come to $960. That prediction was made in July 2026, and with prices only increasing since then, the final bill to Sony could easily push past the $1,000 mark — especially if the RAM and storage come to $680 before anything else is factored in.While some games consoles have historically been sold at a loss in order to drive software sales, Sony has said in recent months that “As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses.” That suggests that if the PlayStation 6’s bill of materials really does come to $960 — or more — then that’s likely to be close to the price that consumers will be asked to pay.More bad news for PlayStation fans (Image credit: Shutterstock / Mohsen Vaziri)KeplerL2 is a well-known leaker in the world of consoles and computing hardware, and in recent weeks they have made claims surrounding console release dates, the performance of the next Xbox, and AMD’s own version of DLSS 5. Their past track record gives them a degree of credibility, but as with every so-called leak and rumor, it’s sensible to treat it with a dose of skepticism until it is confirmed.Still, given the way hardware prices are going, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the PlayStation 6 debut at $1,000 or more. Costs of the priciest PlayStation components — including the memory, storage, and GPU — are way up compared to when the PlayStation 5 launched and are showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, they could get worse over the next year or two.Sony has not made any comments on which way prices for the PlayStation 6 might go, so we’ll have to wait and see for now. But combined with the news that Sony is planning to ditch physical discs altogether in the near future, the future could be tough for PlayStation gamers.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.