Why do folks think a less powerful console will be more expensive?
Ok first there is more that goes into cost than just the "power" of the main processing components. Other parts and material costs also factor in.
Second, there is still so much we don't know about the PS5. There are rumors of whole components that haven't been revealed (for whatever reason), we still haven't see the back of the console for the ports etc. There maybe more to the cost than what we are aware of now.
That said, from what we do know it is clear that Sony is taking a more wholistic approach to pushing virtually all aspects of the system to premium level (beyond just the GPU size). Let's recollect just
some of the aspects that go beyond the Series X and will factor into overall cost:
- PS5 using more expensive and "exotic" cooling solution (hopefully more revealed in the teardown)
- PS5 using higher quality materials for the case and controller (to be confirmed from hands on)
- Faster more advanced SSD
- Wifi 6 capable chips
- Usb-C port
- Unified 16GB RAM all at 448Gb/s (6GB with faster bandwidth than Series X)
- More Custom dedicated hardware throughout:
- multiple I/O co-processors
- Kraken Decompression engine
- Dedicated DMA controller
- custom flash controller
- dedicated Tempest audio hardware
- [rumor] remaster engine for backward compatibility
- [rumor] Dedicated Machine Learning/Deep Learning hardware
- [rumor] Dedicated streaming hardware for broadcasting (create functionality)
- Additional DualSense capabilities
- Advanced haptics
- Adaptive triggers
- Builtin Micrpophone
- Builtin Speakers
- Motion sensors
- Touchpad
- RGB lighting
- USB-C
- Create button
- rechargeable battery
- New UI features (unknown but there may be more hardware integrated here as well....a la dedicated 1GB DRAM and background downloading co-processsor on PS4)
I'm sure I missed some but you get the point. There is PLENTY about the PS5 that suggests it is a more premium and forward thinking product than the Series X and that (to me) would justify a higher price.
I wish people would open their eyes and stop acting like a .1 Ghz CPU advantage and 18% GPU advantage is everything. There is way more to the next gen experience than that