One thing can be clear from the new war between consoles: the price is going to be as fundamental as it is determining in sales and in the indirect benefits as a result of said sale, both for SONY and for Microsoft. Rumors continue to circulate, but statements by various people in the industry bring the final numbers closer to users. How much does it cost to manufacture the SONY console? What will be the price of ps5?
If there is something in the hardware and video game industry that is kept totally secret, it is the cost of manufacturing a product. But if we talk about consoles, then everything goes off and the hermeticism becomes almost absolute. Only some privileged people close to the factories can suppose (not know) towards what prices each brand directs its product.
SONY and Microsoft’s war will be tougher than ever
PS5 vs XSX, a fight that may not have a clear winner in terms of performance, but that can leave one of the two in the lurch when it comes to sales. SONY is going to replace his PS4 with six years behind him and plans to do so to coincide with Microsoft in the launch of XSX.
As usual in the company, in February of the launch year there is already a final version of the console and the prototypes are left aside to focus on the cost it will have. The PS5 pricing was established 4 months ago and SONY is currently focused on the mass production phase and then move on to its control and verification system.
Looking at its predecessor, sources reported a manufacturing price of $ 381 , while SONY was selling it to retailers for $ 399 , which caused a stir, is the company at the same crossroads? Can Microsoft offer XSX at a lower price? Well it’s not that easy.
PS5 price can be almost 25% more than PS4
IHS Markit has put the PS5 unit price at about $ 450 , so SONY could offer it above $ 470 already at the retail chain. This in our country is the equivalent of 416 euros without taxes, which with 21% VAT would go to 503 euros to be exact.
Apparently, the biggest headache for SONY is guaranteeing a constant supply of NAND Flash and at a stable price, since the market has suffered a turnaround and what in January were profits for factories due to the memory price escalation Now it is the opposite and the rest of the year is unknown because of the COVID-19 outbreaks.
This has caused the SONY board to join two sides: those who claim that the console would have to be sold even at a loss, while others claim that there must be a minimum profit margin. That is also given by the cooling system that the console will carry (and curiously not because of its structural design), since although it has been presented, it has not really been revealed how it will be cooled.
Microsoft will set the tone for SONY
What we do know is that a large part of SONY’s budget for each unit is destined for this purpose, hence also the larger size than XSX. As the Japanese headquarters do not agree, some analysts say that the price of the Microsoft console will be the trigger to take one path or another, and that is that the Xbox Series X not only seems more powerful on paper, but also It seems cheaper and simpler to build.
If Microsoft sold at almost cost, it would force SONY to make a tough decision that may not be profitable for the future of the company, as much as the price of PS5 is attractive to the user.
