Leaker compares PS6 and Xbox costs

Kepler_L2, a leaker known for revealing details about AMD chips, claimed on X on October 20 that the components of the PlayStation 6 (PS6) would cost about $200 less than those of Magnus, the codename for Microsoft's upcoming console chip.

Estimated PS6 component costs

According to Kepler_L2, the RAM and storage for the PS6 would cost more than $680 (about €605) per console, potentially leading to a final price of over €1,000 for the PS6.

Microsoft's estimated Xbox price range

On the same day, Fortune published an in-depth profile of Asha Sharma, CEO of Xbox since February. The article reported that Microsoft internally estimates the price of its next console, expected for the 2028 holiday season, to be between $1,200 and $1,800, assuming it does not sell the machine at a loss.

Price predictions and rising costs

A year ago, Kepler_L2 predicted the PS6 would cost $600 and the Xbox $1,200, citing factors like the Xbox chip's size, memory, and cooling. Since then, rising memory costs due to AI data centers have increased the price of both consoles, though the final retail price difference may be larger than the component cost gap.

Sony’s pricing strategy and competition

Sony could sell its console at a lower price and offset costs with commissions from the PlayStation Store. However, the next Xbox will support PC games, competing with platforms like Steam, potentially reducing Microsoft's commission income if it sells the console at a loss. Microsoft has not officially commented on Fortune's report.

Uncertain PS6 launch date

Hiroki Totoki, CEO of Sony, recently stated that the PS6's release date had not yet been finalized.