Something happened in 2026 that had never happened before in the history of gaming hardware: every major platform holder raised prices simultaneously in the same twelve-month window.
Sony went first. Then Valve. Then Microsoft. Then Nintendo. The cause is the same for all of them — an AI-driven DRAM shortage that pushed memory component costs up 60% or more from 2025 levels, with no meaningful relief expected before 2027-2028. Microsoft confirmed it most explicitly: console storage and memory prices have “increased by more than 2.5x,” with another doubling potentially ahead.
US hardware spending fell to a 30-year November low as the hikes took effect. The gaming industry is pricing people out of its own platforms at a scale it hasn’t done since the early 1990s.
Here’s the complete picture — every increase, every platform, and what it means if you’re considering a PC build instead.
Every Price Increase, Listed
PlayStation 5
Sony moved twice in under twelve months. The first increase landed in late 2025, bringing the PS5 Standard from $499.99 to $549.99. The second came April 2, 2026 — another jump to $649.99 for the Standard disc version and $699.99 for the Digital Edition. Sony cited “increased economic pressures” — language that analysts connected to a combination of reinstated Section 301 tariffs and component costs.
The PS5 Pro launched at $699.99. It now sits at a de facto $899+ with the disc drive sold separately at $79.
Combined increase from launch: approximately 30% on the Standard model.
Xbox Series X and Series S
Microsoft held the longest then moved the hardest. The Xbox Series X launched at $499.99. It held that price through 2024 and most of 2025. On August 1, 2026 it jumped to $719.99 — a 60% increase in a single move.Console vs PC Gaming in 2026
The Xbox Series S went from $299.99 at launch to $509.99. That’s a 71% increase. Microsoft confirmed it directly: memory and storage costs are the driver, with the expectation of further increases ahead.
Game Pass Ultimate is Microsoft’s justification for the platform’s value. At $719.99 for the hardware, the maths only work if you’re playing a high volume of Game Pass titles consistently and would otherwise be paying $70+ per game. For many players that’s a reasonable case. At $719.99 for a box that launched at $499.99, it’s still a hard sell.Xbox Series X Is Now $799 vs PC Build
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo was the last to move and moved the least. The Switch 2 launched at $449.99 and goes to $499.99 on September 1, 2026 — an 11% increase that Nintendo’s president attributed to permanent changes in memory component costs. By percentage it’s the smallest hike of 2026.
The real cost of waiting past August 31 is more than $50. Nintendo’s “Choose Your Game” bundle — a Switch 2 at $499.99 with a free download code for Mario Kart World ($79.99), Donkey Kong Bananza ($69.99), or Pokémon Pokopia ($59.99) — disappears on September 1. After that, $499.99 buys the console alone. The combined value difference between buying before and after the deadline is $110 to $130.Nintendo Switch 2 Price Increase
Steam Deck OLED
Valve raised Steam Deck OLED prices on May 27, 2026 citing “the current state of component costs and other global logistical challenges.” The 512GB OLED jumped from $549 to $1,299. The 1TB OLED rose from $649 to $1,799. The entry LCD model was discontinued entirely — the cheapest new Steam Deck is now $1,299.Handheld Gaming PC 2026
Where Everything Stands Today
| Platform | Launch Price | Current Price | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 Standard (disc) | $499.99 | $649.99 | +30% |
| PS5 Digital | $399.99 | $699.99 | +50% |
| Xbox Series X | $499.99 | $719.99 | +60% |
| Xbox Series S | $299.99 | $469.99 | +100% |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | $449.99 | $499.99 (Sept 1) | +11% |
| Steam Deck OLED 512GB | $549 | $1,299 | +44% |
What This Means for PC Builders
The PC platform hasn’t escaped the memory shortage. DDR5 prices are 4-5x their 2024 lows. GPU prices are above MSRP across much of the $300-$400 range. Building a capable gaming PC in 2026 costs more than it did eighteen months ago.RTX 5060 Ti AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D
But the comparison has still shifted in PC gaming’s favour more than it appears.
At $719.99 for an Xbox Series X, a PC builder can argue that $800 buys a significantly more capable gaming machine — one that plays the same third-party games, plays more of them, plays them at higher settings and frame rates, enables free online multiplayer, and doesn’t lock them into a closed ecosystem. That argument was harder to make when the Xbox cost $719.99.
At $649.99 for a PS5, the exclusives argument remains the strongest counter. GTA 6 launches November 19, 2026 exclusively on PS5 and Xbox — no PC release date has been announced. Spider-Man 3, God of War, and the PlayStation exclusive pipeline are real reasons people buy PS5s that PC gaming can’t currently match.Should You Build a PC Now or Wait Until 2027
At $449.99 for a Switch 2, the portability and Nintendo exclusive library argument is the one that a PC genuinely can’t replicate. No PC builds to Mario Kart World or a Zelda remake. That’s a real limitation.
The honest answer for anyone weighing consoles against a PC build in 2026: the economics favour PC gaming at the Xbox and PS5 price points more than they ever have. The Nintendo Switch 2 at $449.99 occupies a different space entirely — it’s not competing with a gaming PC, it’s competing with a handheld and a family games library.
If you were going to build a PC anyway, nothing about 2026’s console price landscape changes that. If you were genuinely undecided between a console and a PC build, the Xbox is now the weakest value proposition in the market at $799.99. Start the PC build.Best Gaming PC Build Under $1500 2026