Research-based guide. Prices and specs are sourced and dated, not tested by us.
The short answer
Price check: US list prices, 27 October 2026
- Every major console maker raised US list prices during 2026, and each one points to memory and storage costs or market conditions.
- Current US list prices in USD: PS5 $649.99, PS5 Digital Edition $599.99, PS5 Pro $899.99, Xbox Series X $799.99, Xbox Series S (512GB) $499.99 and Nintendo Switch 2 $499.99.
- Valve’s hardware sits above all of them: Steam Deck OLED from $789 and Steam Machine from $1,049.
- These are manufacturer list prices. Retailer promotions can be lower, so check the live price before you buy.
Consoles used to get cheaper as a generation aged. In 2026 the opposite happened: Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and Valve each raised prices on hardware that was already on sale. The table below puts every change in one place, with its date and source.
Console prices at a glance
| Device | List price (US, USD) | Previous price | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 (disc) | $649.99 | $549.99 | 2 April 2026 |
| PS5 Digital Edition | $599.99 | $499.99 | 2 April 2026 |
| PS5 Pro | $899.99 | $749.99 | 2 April 2026 |
| PlayStation Portal | $249.99 | $199 | 2 April 2026 |
| Xbox Series S (512GB) | $499.99 | $399.99 | 1 August 2026 |
| Xbox Series S (1TB) | $599.99 | $449.99 | 1 August 2026 |
| Xbox Series X Digital | $749.99 | $599.99 | 1 August 2026 |
| Xbox Series X (disc) | $799.99 | $649.99 | 1 August 2026 |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | $499.99 | $449.99 | 1 September 2026 |
| Steam Deck OLED 512GB | $789 | $549 | 27 May 2026 |
| Steam Deck OLED 1TB | $949 | $649 | 27 May 2026 |
| Steam Machine 512GB | $1,049 | New product | Sale began 30 June 2026 |
| Steam Machine 2TB | $1,349 | New product | Sale began 30 June 2026 |
Sony’s figures come from the PlayStation Blog. The others come from news reports of each company’s announcement, listed under Sources. Microsoft also discontinued the 2TB Xbox Series X.
Why prices went up instead of down
Microsoft said console storage and memory costs are up more than 2.5 times and that it expects them to roughly double again by fall 2027. Sony cited “continued pressures in the global economic landscape”, Nintendo cited “changes in market conditions”, and Valve said the Steam Deck OLED increase reflects rising memory and storage costs.
The common thread is the memory shortage tied to AI data center demand, which we explain in Why PC Parts Cost So Much in 2026.
What this means for PS6 and the next Xbox
Next generation: what is confirmed and what is not
- Confirmed Sony has said it has not decided when its next console launches or what it will cost (Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki, May 2026 earnings Q&A, as reported by Push Square).
- Confirmed Microsoft is developing its next Xbox under the codename Project Helix, and its CEO has said memory costs will affect pricing and availability (as reported by Video Games Chronicle).
- Rumor Outside reports point to a 2027 target for both consoles. An analyst quoted by GamesIndustry.biz says the next generation may slip to 2028 and cost more than $1,000.
Our take None of that changes what is on shelves now. If you are deciding this year, the next generation is not a reason to wait.
Black Friday and GTA 6: what to expect
Black Friday is Friday 27 November, and GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 19 November, eight days earlier. We cover the PC side in GTA 6 on PC: What Is Confirmed and What Is Not.
- Sony ran an official Black Friday console offer in 2025, including a PS5 bundle at $449.99 and $100 off the PS5 Pro, according to ShopBack’s summary of PlayStation Blog posts. Sony had not announced 2026 offers when that guide was published on 8 October.
- Refurbished units are another route. Microsoft lists certified refurbished Xbox consoles at up to $100 below list price, and Valve sells certified refurbished Steam Deck units (OLED 512GB at $629 and 1TB at $759 when reported in May).
- Our take Expect bundles and accessory discounts more than clean list-price cuts. That is a judgment from past patterns, not an announcement.
How to check a deal before you buy it is covered in our Black Friday guide.
Which one makes sense for you
- Cheapest way into GTA 6: PS5 Digital Edition at $599.99 on PlayStation, or Xbox Series S at $499.99, which Microsoft positions as its entry point for GTA VI.
- Steam library on a TV or in your hands: compare the Steam Deck OLED ($789 and up) with the Steam Machine in Steam Machine vs a Gaming PC vs PS5 Pro.
- Already on PC: a console adds a second platform, not more performance. Our GPU value guide covers the upgrade route.
Sources
- PlayStation Blog: new price changes for PS5, PS5 Pro and PlayStation Portal (27 March 2026)
- Hitmarker: Xbox Series X|S price increase effective 1 August
- TechRepublic: Xbox console prices rise again
- Game Informer: the Switch 2 is getting a price increase
- Nintendo Life: Switch 2 price increase on 1 September
- Neowin: Steam Deck OLED price increase
- Hitmarker: Steam Machine pricing and reservations
- Push Square: Sony has not decided PS6 date or price
- Video Games Chronicle: next-generation console cost reports
- ShopBack: Black Friday 2026 console guide (8 October 2026)
Last checked 27 October 2026. We update this guide when a console maker changes prices, and after Black Friday (27 November). How we source our guides is explained on the About page.
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