Sony Reportedly Struggling With PS5 Costs

According to a new report from Takashi Mochizuki of Bloomberg, Sony is having issues with its part costs for the PS5. The console reportedly costs $450 per unit due to NAND and DRAM flash memory concerns and an “unusually expensive” cooling system. Here’s a snippet from the Bloomberg article that touches on the NAND and DRAM flash memory concerns:

“The company’s biggest headache is ensuring a reliable supply of DRAM and NAND flash memory, with both in high demand as smartphone makers gear up for fifth-generation devices, according to people familiar with Sony’s operations. Samsung Electronics Co. just announced its Galaxy S20 product range, each variant of which will have 5G and a minimum of 12GB of RAM in the U.S.”

Mochizuki goes on to say that Sony is being patient on their pricing for the PS5 until Microsoft announces its price for the upcoming Xbox Series X. After all, the two gaming platforms will have new consoles releasing in Holiday 2020. So it seems that, even though the PS5 may cost more to make per unit, the console may sell at a slightly lower price point than expected to combat Microsoft’s next-gen console, possibly.

But When Will We Find Out the Official Price of the PS5?

That’s a tough question. With Sony putting the ball in Microsoft’s court, it could be as soon as Microsoft announces the price of the Xbox Series X. Unfortunately, the big rumor regarding Microsoft is that they will reveal this at E3 in June. But, as we know, Sony is skipping E3 this year, so if the gaming juggernaut wants to reveal all the details for the PS5, the company will have to do it on their own platform.

What do you think the PS5 will be priced at? Is it a smart move to hold off on announcing a retail price? Let us know in the comments below!

For more Sony news, check out an article that is actually based on this Bloomberg report that goes into the possibility of a new PSVR device. You can also listen to The Nerd Stash Show podcast, where we talk about Sony’s absence from E3 this year.