La Jornada: Cost of Xbox consoles rises from 100 to 150 dollars due to more expensive memories

Microsoft, owner of Xbox, announced that starting August 1, 2026, all of its consoles will have a global increase due to storage and memory prices, which have doubled.

In a statement, it indicated that 512 gigabyte (GB) models will increase by at least $100, while consoles with one terabyte (TB) will increase by $150, in addition to the fact that 2 TB models will no longer be manufactured.

“Last October, we increased the price of the Xbox console between $20 and $70 in the United States. We hoped that another increase would not be necessary and we have spent recent months discussing options with our suppliers. Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5 times and we expect them to double again by fall 2027,” Microsoft lamented.

The company assures that the entire consumer electronics industry is dealing with a component crisis, which has greater effects on consoles, because unlike cell phones, computers, speakers or other electronic devices, they are not sold with a profit margin, but for less than their manufacturing cost.

On the other hand, the company highlights that it has provided options for players to pay less in other items, such as the “buy now, pay later” modality, which consists of dividing the amount into short-term installments and without interest in products of the hardware Xbox that meet certain pre-established requirements.

“We are collaborating with our partners so that players can acquire hardware “Xbox supports 0 percent APR financing for up to 12 months, giving you greater flexibility with lower monthly payments and greater control over your budget,” Microsoft suggested.

Additionally, they recommend purchasing certified refurbished models from retail partners who work in conjunction with Xbox, which are $100 off the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.