Hardware Pricing
Ongoing coverage on Hardware Pricing.
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Meta is raising the price of the Quest 3 and Quest 3S due to memory price rises made worse by Meta
Meta is increasing the prices of its Quest 3 and Quest 3S virtual reality headsets due to rising component costs, particularly for memory chips. This price adjustment will affect both new and refurbished units, with the Quest 3 seeing a $100 increase in the US and the Quest 3S models increasing by $50. Meta cites the global surge in memory chip prices, exacerbated by AI infrastructure demand, as the primary reason for the change.
Meta Quest headset prices are going up on April 19
Meta is increasing the prices of its Quest 3 and Quest 3S virtual reality headsets starting April 19 due to rising RAM costs. The Quest 3 will increase by $100 to $599, and the Quest 3S will be $50 more expensive at $350 for the 128GB model. Sony also recently raised prices for PlayStation 5 consoles and the PlayStation Portal for similar reasons.
The Lenovo Legion Go 2 handheld costs more than two Nvidia RTX 5080 GPUs — and that's genuinely absurd
Lenovo has significantly increased the price of its 2TB Legion Go 2 handheld to $2,850, making it more expensive than two Nvidia RTX 5080 GPUs. This price hike, which also affected the 1TB model, is attributed to the ongoing memory crisis impacting PC hardware. The company has not provided an official explanation for the substantial increase.
PlayStation 6 Handheld Could Cost $500-$700, Leak Suggests
A recent leak suggests Sony is planning a PlayStation 6 handheld device with a price point between $500 and $700. This premium pricing indicates a focus on high-end hardware capable of running next-generation games, targeting enthusiasts rather than casual users. The strategy aims to avoid past mistakes like those with the PS Vita and compete with premium handheld PCs.
Evening Tech Bits
AMD has announced that its new Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor will be priced at $899, making it $200 more expensive than the standard Ryzen 9 9950X. Separately, a survey indicates that 71% of gamers would refuse to use Nvidia's DLSS technology.
Rising Oil Prices Are Bad News For Fans Who Still Need A Switch 2
An ex-employee suggests that rising oil prices may eventually force Nintendo to increase the price of the Nintendo Switch hardware. This concern was shared during a podcast discussion with former Nintendo employees.
Rising Oil Prices Are Bad News For Fans Who Still Need A Switch 2
An anonymous ex-Nintendo employee suggests that rising oil prices may force Nintendo to increase the price of the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 hardware. The speculation was shared on a podcast with fellow Nintendo alumni.
Morning Tech Bits
Retailers in Canada and the UK have listed AMD's upcoming Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 processor with a price point around $1,000. Separately, a PlayStation 3 emulator has achieved a performance breakthrough related to its Cell CPU.
Former Nintendo sales lead believes Switch 2 price will inevitably go up
A former Nintendo employee believes the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 will inevitably increase due to global economic factors like inflation, tariffs, and rising costs for components such as memory and helium. He suggests that Nintendo might be using software pricing strategies to make a potential hardware price hike more acceptable to consumers.
Why A Switch 2 Price Increase May Be "Inevitable"
A former Nintendo retail lead believes a price increase for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is inevitable due to rising costs of components and global inflation. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has not ruled out the possibility, and recent price hikes for Sony's PlayStation hardware are cited as precedent. The article suggests that Nintendo may use lower software prices to offset consumer backlash to a potential hardware price increase.
Evening Tech Bits
Intel's upcoming Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs may face significant price increases, potentially making them less accessible for gamers. Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly preparing to launch four new products.
Former Nintendo Sales Lead Thinks Switch 2 Price Increase Is "Inevitable"
A former Nintendo sales lead named Sean believes a price increase for the Nintendo Switch 2 is inevitable due to factors like inflation, tariffs, and rising oil prices impacting semiconductor and cartridge manufacturing. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa has previously stated the company would carefully consider any price changes based on market conditions.
Morning Tech Bits
AMD is reportedly increasing CPU prices by up to 15%, following a similar move by Intel. This price hike affects PC components and may impact consumers looking to upgrade their systems.
Raspberry Pi prices rise again, along with a new 3GB Raspberry Pi 4 announced
Raspberry Pi has announced further price increases for its hardware, citing the ongoing AI surge. A new 3GB Raspberry Pi 4 model has also been introduced for $83.75. While some products like the Raspberry Pi 400 and lower-memory variants of the Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 will retain their prices, most other models will see significant price hikes.
Where to Buy A PS5, PS5 Pro, Or PS Portal Before The Prices Go Up This Week
Sony is increasing the prices of the PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and PS Portal hardware starting April 2, 2026. Retailers like GameStop are offering trade-in deals and selling existing stock at current prices until the increase takes effect. The price hikes will affect all PS5 models, including the Slim and Pro versions, as well as the PS Portal handheld device.
It's not just the PS5 getting price hiked; Intel's new gaming processors are already more expensive after less…
Intel's new Arrow Lake Refresh processors are already experiencing price increases shortly after launch, with models like the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and Core Ultra 7 270K Plus seeing significant markups on retail sites. This follows recent price hikes for the PlayStation 5 and reports of increasing costs for Xbox Series consoles, contributing to a broader trend of hardware inflation driven by AI infrastructure demands and component shortages.
The PS5 Pro Is Still Worth It--For Now
Sony is implementing significant price increases for its PlayStation 5 consoles, with the PS5 Pro facing a $150 hike to $900, effective April 2. The company cites global economic pressures and increased component costs, such as for SSDs and RAM, as reasons for the rise. The article discusses whether the PS5 Pro remains a worthwhile investment in 2026, considering its performance capabilities, the need for supporting high-end TVs, and the potential for cross-gen support to extend the console's relevance.
Get Ready To Pay More For A Switch 2, Experts Say
Experts and industry figures suggest that the Nintendo Switch 2 may experience a price increase, potentially by the end of the year, due to rising component costs and market trends. While Nintendo has not confirmed a price hike, companies like Sony and Microsoft have recently increased prices for their consoles. Nintendo's president, Shuntaro Furukawa, stated that while no decision has been made, the company will monitor market conditions and profitability if memory costs continue to rise.
Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2 Could Follow PS5 and Increase Prices, Says Analyst
Sony has increased the prices of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro due to rising component costs, a move that analyst Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis suggests Microsoft and Nintendo may follow for their respective consoles. These price hikes, coupled with inflation, could negatively impact new game sales, despite anticipated major releases like Grand Theft Auto 6.
PS5, PS5 Pro’s Price Hikes Might Lead to PS6 Costing 50 Percent More, Say Analysts
Industry analysts predict that recent price hikes for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro could lead to the PlayStation 6 costing up to 50 percent more. Factors such as US economic policies, rising component costs, and market volatility are cited as reasons for the anticipated increase, potentially normalizing $1,000 console prices.
