Apple Microsoft Nintendo Raise Device and Console Prices as Memory Costs Rise

Apple raised prices on its tablets and laptops by nearly 20 percent. Microsoft said it will increase the price of its five-year-old Xbox Series S and X consoles by at least $100 effective August, the company's third increase in just over a year. After the latest change the cost of a new Xbox console stands 30 to 40 percent higher than on 27 June 2025.

Nintendo announced a global price increase for the Switch 2 effective September. Valve raised the price of its Steam Deck handheld by 40 percent in May 2026 and launched a new Steam Machine gaming PC at a higher price than expected, citing spiking component costs.

Sony announced further price increases for the PS5 console in the UK and other markets, citing continued pressures in the global economic landscape.

The moves follow sharp increases in memory chip prices. Ram prices more than doubled between October 2025 and the start of 2026. Counterpoint Research data showed 32 GB DDR5 components rose from $94 in the three months ending September 2025 to $127 in the following quarter.

In the first quarter of 2026 the same components reached $282, a 122 percent increase from the prior quarter. Companies attributed the component cost increases to demand from AI data centers. RSM UK said the four largest US tech firms are expected to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on data centers and AI equipment in 2026.

Apple reported revenue of $144 billion for the final three months of 2025, up 16 percent year over year. Micron reported on 24 June 2026 that its quarterly revenue had quadrupled. Apple's share price declined after its price-increase announcement on 25 June 2026.

Yang Wang of Counterpoint Research said premium phone makers such as Apple and Samsung are better positioned to weather the memory-supply disruption.