An impending RAM shortage crisis may have just made the PlayStation 5 Pro a better alternative to PC gaming. According to experts, PS5 consoles are now a good investment due to the exploding prices of DDR5 memory.
DDR5 RAM Prices Are Now Higher Than a PS5 Console
If you are doing a double-take at that headline, I don’t blame you. But it’s unfortunately true. According to a new report, 64 GB of DDR5 memory now costs $599 due to RAM shortages worldwide. PS5s, in comparison, are only $499 and are currently on sale for $399 as part of the PlayStation Black Friday sales. Incredibly, the PS5 Pro is just $50 more than the PC component, as it’s also currently on sale for just $649.
As for what is causing the major PC components crisis, it’s artificial intelligence. Specifically, companies such as OpenAI have caused a worldwide RAM shortage after buying up memory in large quantities. The AI boom has led many companies to scoop up PC components in anticipation of investing in the emerging tech. Unfortunately, this has now resulted in gaming enthusiasts being left out in the cold as PC components are seeing an unprecedented explosion in pricing.
It’s not just PCs that are being impacted by this RAM shortage, though. As we reported yesterday, there is a rumor that Microsoft might raise the price of Xbox for a third time due to being caught off guard by the DDR5 memory shortage. However, because Sony reportedly prepared for it, the PS5 is largely not being impacted by the RAM crisis. As a result, PlayStation 5 consoles might, for the first time, actually be a viable alternative to PC gaming.
PS5 Pro Performance Surprisingly Close to a $1,500 Gaming PC
Look, it goes without saying that no gaming console will ever be able to beat out a gaming PC with the best specs. The beauty of building your own gaming rig is that you can swap out parts and make it as powerful as you want. But with hardware components now exploding in price, suddenly the PS5 Pro actually becomes a compelling investment. Not to mention, according to some retailers, RAM won’t even be back in stock until December 2026.
However, according to a video made by tech reviewer Austin Evans, the PS5 Pro actually holds up surprisingly well against PCs. In the video, Evans builds a gaming PC that costs $1.5k. According to the YouTuber, the PS5 Pro came pretty close to matching the performance of many of the games he tested. Granted, some of the titles were PlayStation PC ports, such as Horizon and The Last of Us, so of course, the PS5 Pro is going to have an advantage.
“There are, of course, advantages to PC. You’ve got so much more flexibility. You’ve got so many more games that you can play. But surprise, surprise, the PS5 Pro works out of the box and is simple.” The tech enthusiast also highlights how well the PlayStation console stacks up to a PC that is almost twice its cost.
PS5 Pro Might Be the Best Way to Ride Out the Hardware Crisis
Still, a player looking to get a new gaming setup could do a lot worse than the PS5 Pro. When you compare the pricing of it against the insane costs of PC components right now, it’s actually a pretty good deal.
Not to mention, the PS5 Pro is pretty much a safe way to ride out the current RAM shortage crisis. If nothing else, you could get a PlayStation 5 to hold you over until the AI bubble inevitably bursts and PC component pricing goes back to being normal. Or at least, we can only hope this happens sooner rather than later.
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