Sony Raises PS5 Pro Price to $900 as AI Memory Squeeze Hits Consoles

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) announced on March 27, 2026, that all PlayStation 5 models and the PlayStation Portal will receive price increases effective April 2, marking the second hike in under a year for the six-year-old console.

As confirmed on the PlayStation Blog, pricing rises to $649.99 for the standard PS5, $599.99 for the Digital Edition, $899.99 for the PS5 Pro, and $249.99 for the PlayStation Portal.

Reports note that Sony, like other console makers, is facing surging memory chip costs, specifically DRAM and NAND flash, driven by a structural supply chain shift tied to the global AI infrastructure build-out.

How the AI Memory Squeeze Hits PS5

Major memory semiconductor companies have increasingly shifted production toward high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers. 

This transition, accelerated by SK Hynix’s “Sold Out” announcement and next-generation platforms such as Nvidia Vera Rubin, is creating a significant supply shortage for consumer devices.

As a result, RAM and SSD prices have risen across PC and laptop manufacturers since late 2025, with the PlayStation 5 now feeling the effects of this structural supply shift.

Tom’s Guide reports that the global component crisis has reached an inflection point, with even consoles, long seen as a stable, affordable alternative to PCs, now affected. 

The PS5 relies on DRAM for system memory and a custom NVMe SSD for high-speed storage, both directly impacted by the AI-driven supply shift.

SK Hynix chairman Chey Tae-won reportedly said the company may not meet consumer RAM demand until “around 2030,” a timeline suggesting the memory squeeze affecting Sony’s bill of materials has no near-term resolution.

Why PS5 Pro’s $900 Price Tag Is Significant

Kotaku reported that the PS5 Pro is now approaching $900, making it the most expensive mainstream console in history, up $200 from its $700 launch price in 2024. While it still requires an additional $80 disc drive for physical media playback.

This $900 price point places the PS5 Pro in direct comparison with entry-level gaming PC builds, eroding the traditional value proposition that consoles have maintained over PCs for mainstream buyers.

Reports also noted that the PS5 generation has so far delivered more price hikes and PlayStation studio closures, including Bluepoint Games and Dark Outlaw Games, than new first-party game franchises, compounding the consumer sentiment problem the price increase creates.

In the key October to December holiday quarter, sales of Sony’s PlayStation 5 fell 16% year-over-year to 8 million units, Reuters reported. This makes a price increase a difficult decision, especially as hardware momentum is already slowing.

Sony and the Global Pricing Cascade

The Tech Portal reported that Sony has increased prices across multiple regions simultaneously. In Europe, the PS5 Pro now costs around €899.99, roughly $1,037 at current exchange rates.

In the UK, the standard PS5 is about £569.99, and the PS5 Pro is over £789.99. In Japan, the standard PS5 is ¥97,980, and the PS5 Pro is ¥137,980.

The price increases affect the entire PlayStation hardware lineup, affecting not just the PS5 family but also the PlayStation Portal, Sony’s remote play streaming device. 

Analysts cited by Bloomberg said the hikes are likely to slow growth in the video game market this year. The report pointed to weak console sales as a factor in the 1,000 job cuts that Epic Games announced this week.

Who Does Sony’s Price Hike Actually Affect

For consumers, the April 2 deadline creates an immediate decision point. It is effectively the last chance to buy a PS5 or PlayStation Portal at current pricing, with no indication that prices will roll back once the new structure takes effect.

Several media reports highlight that Sony is considering delaying the release of PlayStation 6, its next-generation console, due to the RAM shortage, potentially pushing the release to 2028 or later. 

If Sony cannot release a PS6 within two years, the $900 PS5 Pro remains the top PlayStation console longer than planned, with no successor to absorb the premium positioning.

What’s Next For PlayStation Hardware Pricing

Sony is the first major console maker to raise hardware prices in 2026, though analysts expect Microsoft’s Xbox division to face similar component cost pressures. Sony acknowledged the impact of price increases on consumers but gave no timeline for stabilization

PC hardware is also under pressure, with RAM prices expected to rise another 15% and no relief projected until 2028. This supply chain reality will continue to influence pricing across the entire consumer electronics market, not just gaming consoles.

Source: New Price Changes for PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal