Forget getting a new console; you might not even be able to afford the RAM inside it. The whole tech sector is scrambling because chip makers are dumping consumer RAM production to feed AI data centers instead. This shortage is jacking up prices now, but next year looks worse with expected product delays and even more cost hikes. A new report from leaker Tom Henderson says this mess could push the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Next past their planned 2027-2028 launch window. Console makers are apparently hoping a delay lets RAM companies build more factories and lower costs.
Pricing these boxes right is a huge deal, since being cheaper than a gaming PC is their main draw. Sony was reportedly aiming for a reasonably priced 4K 120 FPS machine, but that looks shaky now. Even current-gen consoles saw price bumps this year. Microsoft faces its own problems, as its next Xbox is supposedly built to compete with gaming PCs using a pricier AMD Magnus APU. The RAM crisis would hit that premium design hard, too. Both companies are stuck debating whether to wait out the shortage or launch at potentially extortionate prices.
Pricing these boxes right is a huge deal, since being cheaper than a gaming PC is their main draw. Sony was reportedly aiming for a reasonably priced 4K 120 FPS machine, but that looks shaky now. Even current-gen consoles saw price bumps this year. Microsoft faces its own problems, as its next Xbox is supposedly built to compete with gaming PCs using a pricier AMD Magnus APU. The RAM crisis would hit that premium design hard, too. Both companies are stuck debating whether to wait out the shortage or launch at potentially extortionate prices.
