HiGame

E3 is right around the corner now, so countless leaks and rumors are starting to pop up in the world of gaming. It’s unlikely that we’ll see any major hardware announcements in LA this year, but a new iteration of the PS4 has just been confirmed by FCC certifications. This refresh looks like it only contains small changes, but it might actually be the first hint of a PS4 price drop.
Earlier this week, the FCC posted numerous documents relating to a new revision of the PS4. By far, the biggest news is the existence of a new 1TB model. In addition, the PSU is now rated for a lower wattage and amperage, and it weighs about half a pound less. This clearly points to a smaller, more efficient iteration on the existing internals.



Of course, lower power consumption isn’t going to move the needle in the marketing department, but being able to cut costs is a huge part of the console life cycle. The lower the manufacturing costs, the more profit potential your console has. And with lower overhead comes the inevitable price drop. If Sony is looking to goose the PS4’s adoption rate, a price drop is exactly what it needs.

After Microsoft dropped the Kinect requirement, and lowered the core Xbox One console down to $350, adoption jumped significantly. By all accounts, Sony is still well in the lead, but a strategic price drop in the near future could effectively cement the PS4 as this generation’s “winner.”

If Sony does plan on cutting the PS4’s price, here’s how I think it’ll go: The 1TB model will land at the existing $400 price point, and the 500GB model will be discounted to somewhere between $350 and $380. Both major consoles will eventually make it down to the $300 and $250 price points, but it’s still too early in the game for drops of that magnitude — especially since sales have been better than expected. After all, the minimalistic PS4 is a far cry from the overpriced behemoth that was the launch PS3 model.

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