Samsung Warns That TV Will Get More Expensive, and That’ll Impact Console Gaming

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Samsung has cautioned that the cost of playing video games on consoles might go up. Although Samsung doesn’t make consoles, it’s a major supplier of the parts that do go inside them, so its warning about potential price increases carries weight.

Gamers are noticing that the hobby is getting increasingly expensive. New games often cost more than expected, and the price of consoles – PlayStation, Xbox, and even the new Switch 2 – has gone up. This makes it harder for many people to afford the latest gaming systems. Unfortunately, prices might continue to rise for console gamers in the near future.

Samsung Warns of Increasing Prices

via Samsung

At CES 2026, Samsung cautioned customers that TV prices are expected to rise. This is due to increasing costs and limited availability of DRAM, a key component in electronics. According to Samsung co-CEO TM Roh, many devices – including phones and appliances – will likely become more expensive as the cost of their parts increases. Wonjin Lee, Samsung’s head of global marketing, told Bloomberg that ongoing semiconductor supply problems will affect the entire industry and force Samsung to raise prices to cover these higher component costs.

Most gamers need a TV or monitor to play on home consoles, and upcoming price increases could make it harder to afford a new one if their current screen fails or they’re looking to upgrade. If you’re in the market for a new TV, it might be smart to take advantage of good deals now, before prices go up.

Why Electronic Parts are Getting More Expensive

Rising TV manufacturing costs are just one sign of a larger problem: the soaring demand for computer parts. The recent boom in AI technologies like ChatGPT and Gemini requires massive computing power, leading to shortages and price increases for essential components like semiconductors and memory. In fact, OpenAI once struggled with overheating GPUs due to the popularity of AI art tools. As AI expands into areas like video generation, mobile phones, and search engines, this demand is only expected to grow.

Okay, so as a gamer, I’m starting to feel the impact of all this AI stuff everywhere. It’s not just that TVs are getting pricier – it’s hitting our gaming rigs too. There’s a shortage of RAM because of AI, and that’s driving up the cost of consoles and PCs. Building a PC is getting seriously expensive, with both RAM and graphics cards costing a fortune. And to top it all off, if you live near one of those huge AI data centers, your electricity bill is probably going up too, making it even harder to afford gaming!

The gaming industry might face further difficulties because of artificial intelligence and the high demand for computer parts. New information suggests that the PlayStation 6 and the next Xbox could be released later than expected due to a shortage and rising cost of RAM. Also, Valve’s new Steam Machine may not be the budget-friendly option some hoped for, potentially costing between $800 and $900 depending on the storage capacity (512GB or 2TB).

No matter how people enjoy playing games, the hobby might get pricier for everyone in the near future.

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2026-01-10 07:04