PlayStation 5 price and release date: Next-gen console retailing for $399?

Visitors play games on PlayStation 4 (PS4) at the Paris Games Week, a trade fair for video games in Paris, France, October 26, 2016. REUTERS
Reuters

Following the reveal of the PlayStation 5's key specs, people have wondered how much the next-generation gaming console will cost them. A certain analyst has given an estimate, and if this estimate is correct, it means more players will be able to purchase the PS5 when it releases.

PlayStation 5 developer Mark Cerny previously said that the new console will feature a 7nm Zen 2 eight-core CPU based on AMD's Ryzen chips and a custom GPU based on the Radeon's Navi chips. The PS5 also supports ray tracing, a rendering technique usually done by computers featuring Nvidia's RTX GPUs, Wired noted.

Cerny also said the PS5 will be able to support 8K resolution, and will also be compatible with PS VR. What's more, Cerny said the PS5 will make use of solid state drives for faster loading times, resulting in a more seamless gameplay.

Of course, a gaming console featuring these specs can be expected to fetch a high price. A research firm specializing in Japanese manufacturing, however, estimates that it won't be that high.

Pelham Smithers, MD of market research firm Pelham Smithers Associates, estimates that the upcoming behemoth will fetch a good but affordable price: $399.

Smithers explained that the PS5's CPU could be AMD's Ryzen 3600G. This CPU, which was unveiled at CES 2019, is likely to fetch a retail price between $180 to $220 per unit by the second half of the year. This price, Smithers said, is just the right amount for a console that retails at $399.

Appealing price

For sure, fans are elated at Smithers' predicted selling price. Smithers, however, seems like the only analyst to release such a low estimate. Other experts estimate that the PS5 will be sold for $499 at launch, GameRant reported. Until Sony makes an official announcement, all predictions and estimates should be sprinkled with grains of salt.

Mark Cerny said earlier that they are working to sell the PS5 at a price that would be "appealing" to consumers in light of the powerful specs it features under the hood. If his words prove true, then the whole gaming world will know it soon enough.

This article was first published in IBTimes US. Permission required for reproduction.

READ MORE