Due to current trade and economic tensions, the price of all computer hardware has been on the rise, including gaming systems such as the PlayStation 5, whose price has once again been increased this month worldwide. Due to these price increases, it has been heavily speculated that the PlayStation 6 will launch at a high price; however, according to an in-depth analysis of manufacturing data conducted by Moore's Law is Dead, the system's price will be pushed close to the $1000 range only if tariffs remain in place and if the current trade tensions do not ease up by the end of 2027.
The PlayStation 6 Bill of Materials
In a new video shared on YouTube a few hours ago, Moore's Law is Dead's Tom, who did these estimates professionally in the past as an engineering account manager, provided a detailed breakdown of the bill of materials for the current PlayStation 5 slim model with a disc drive, the PlayStation 6 home console, the handheld, and a potential PlayStation 6 "S" powered by the same APU as the handheld (which has no chance of happening, according to known leaker KeplerL2). The estimated bill of materials is $743.00, which aligns almost perfectly with the estimate provided by well-known leaker Kepler_L2 a few weeks back.
| Component | 26' PS5 Disc | "PS6S" Canis | PS6 Handheld | PS6 Orion |
| APU Die | $81.53 | $46.08 | $46.08 | $110.50 |
| Board | $36.00 | $16.00 | $24.00 | $48.00 |
| Cooling | $16.00 | $7.80 | $7.80 | $18.00 |
| Screen | - | - | $65.51 | - |
| Battery | - | - | $19.80 | - |
| SSD (Launch) | $112.50 | $142.50 | $142.50 | $142.50 |
| RAM Cost | $112.00 | $108.00 | $108.00 | $300.00 |
| Total BOM | $507.03 | $404.38 | $493.69 | $743.00 |
| MSRP Est. | $499.00 | $399.00 | $499.00 | $749.00 |
| MSRP + 30% Tariff | $649.00 | $529.00 | $649.00 | $949.00 |
Tariffs And Economic Turmoil Would Be To Blame For a $1000 PlayStation 6
While PlayStation 6 components as a whole are generally slightly more expensive than PlayStation 5 components, RAM is much more expensive, driving costs up more than any other component. Still, the next-generation console is estimated to cost $749.00, which would be only $100 more than the current PlayStation 5 Slim model. "The longer people think the PS6 is $1,000, the more they're going to claw their eyes out when they see it's not because it's not. It's not going to be $1,000. It's not," said Tom during the analysis.
The system's final price, however, could be inflated by 30% by the tariffs, resulting in a high $949.00 price that would make the system a very hard sell for most users. This price is also possible if DRAM prices do not decrease at all before 2028 and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for all of 2027.
If one of these conditions were to change, Moore's Law is Dead's Tom believes the price could be in the $600 to $800 range, a high range for a gaming system, but still better than a $1000 price that would price many out of the next generation, unless Sony indeed decided to release a lite version of the home system alongside the handheld.
If DRAM prices drop and tariffs are removed, Sony may also decide to increase RAM in both the home system and the handheld, from the estimated 30 GB and 24 GB to 40 GB and 36 GB. This decision will only be made in early 2027, before manufacturing begins.
Sony Won't Delay The PlayStation 6 To Wait For Better Conditions
While one may wonder whether Sony would ultimately delay the PlayStation 6 to wait for better economic conditions, the company is unlikely to do so, as delaying the system would cost far more. The decision seems to have already been made in this case, as AMD would not waste resources doing validation if it believed the PlayStation 6 could be delayed.
As the next-generation Sony system is not being delayed past a late 2027, early 2028 release window, it should not take much longer for a reveal. Hopefully, what we will likely see for the first time next year will be something that most will be able to afford when it launches.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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