PS3 to come out at $ 500?

Analysts and developers told CNN Money on Wednesday that Sony’s Playstation 3 will likely price at 9. The prediction is in line with a Nov. 2 Merrill Lynch report that estimates the PS3 hardware to cost $ 495 to manufacture. Sony has yet to make an official announcement on price or the release date of the Playstation 3 successor.

The system was a no-show at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the company has backed away from its spring 2006 release date on press releases. A $ 499 price point would be an all-time high for the Playstation brand, which has sold at launch for 9 since its debut in 1995.The culprit for the pricey hardware lies in the PS3’s complex CELL processor and its Blu-ray Disc drive that will play high-definition media.

The $ 499 is not the only price point that analysts and developers suggest. Several say that the cost could reach $ 600 – $ 700, while others believe that the electronics giant will match the Xbox 360’s premium price of $ 399.

Analysts and developers told CNN Money on Wednesday that Sony’s Playstation 3 will likely price at 9. The prediction is in line with a Nov. 2 Merrill Lynch report that estimates the PS3 hardware to cost $ 495 to manufacture. Sony has yet to make an official announcement on price or the release date of the Playstation 3 successor.

The system was a no-show at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and the company has backed away from its spring 2006 release date on press releases. A $ 499 price point would be an all-time high for the Playstation brand, which has sold at launch for 9 since its debut in 1995.The culprit for the pricey hardware lies in the PS3’s complex CELL processor and its Blu-ray Disc drive that will play high-definition media.

The $ 499 is not the only price point that analysts and developers suggest. Several say that the cost could reach $ 600 – $ 700, while others believe that the electronics giant will match the Xbox 360’s premium price of $ 399.