Memory could be one of the PS6’s biggest costs, according to a new claim from KeplerL2. The hardware leaker says RAM and NAND alone would exceed US$680, a figure that revived discussion of next-generation console prices in ComicBook’s October 17 coverage and on Reddit.
The October 16 NeoGAF post was a response to speculation about a US$680 launch price. It supplied no cost breakdown or sourcing. The figure remains unverified; it is not a price announcement from Sony.
An older estimate resurfaces
The distinction between NAND and an SSD matters here. NAND is the flash memory used for storage, as Kingston’s technical overview explains. An SSD includes other elements, such as its controller. The claim therefore does not establish the cost of a complete storage drive, even though some discussion describes it as “RAM and SSD.”
A separate estimate of roughly US$960 for the console’s components also appears in the discussion. That figure was already reported by ComicBook on June 27, with the information attributed to KeplerL2. It should not be read as a newly updated total accompanying the October comment.
Nor can the memory figure simply be added to that older total: memory would already form part of the console’s component bill. A useful comparison would need to show what changed between the estimates, which configuration each covered and when the parts would be purchased. Those details are missing.
Sony has acknowledged the cost pressure
In its May 8 earnings Q&A, Sony said rising memory costs could affect console adoption if passed on to buyers. Next-generation timing and pricing were undecided at that point. The company was considering savings elsewhere in the hardware and different sales strategies.
At its June 5 games-business meeting, Sony said it could not absorb every component-cost increase and aimed to avoid significant hardware losses. Its approach remained under review. That leaves room for commercial decisions; it does not confirm a PS6 price or rule out every degree of hardware subsidy.
These statements give the rumor a relevant backdrop, without validating its specific numbers. Manufacturing costs and retail prices are related, but distribution expenses, commercial terms and the margin Sony chooses to accept also matter. The available figures cannot resolve that calculation.
For the next PlayStation, the larger question is how much of a hardware advance Sony can offer at a price that encourages players to move over. Memory costs could constrain that balance. The latest claim brings the issue into focus, but the console’s eventual price still depends on decisions and purchasing terms this post does not reveal.
