Xbox Prices Rise From 1 July: What the Increase Means for Buyers

Microsoft is raising the price of its Xbox Series S and Series X consoles from 1 July, according to a report by Franceinfo cited by Capital. The new French prices have not yet been published, but if the increase follows the same scale as the one applied in the United States, buyers could pay roughly 87 to 130 euros extra — on a console whose top model currently sells for around 600 euros.

The manufacturer explains the move by the soaring cost of memory components. Prices for RAM and storage chips have already doubled after a first increase in May 2025, and could double again by autumn. The trigger is a global shortage fuelled by explosive demand related to artificial intelligence, which consumes memory in vast volumes. This is not an Xbox-only problem: Apple has announced new increases on its Mac computers and iPad tablets, and Sony and Nintendo are facing the same cost pressure.

For anyone planning to buy a console or an Apple device in the coming months, the window to act is narrow. Buying before the new tariffs take effect is the only way to lock in current prices, and the second-hand market is the other fallback. The exact French Xbox prices and the precise magnitude of each manufacturer's increase remain unknown for now.

The AI-Driven Memory Crunch Behind the Console and Mac Hikes

What is confirmed: Microsoft is raising Xbox Series S and X prices from 1 July and attributes the move to RAM and storage chip costs that have already doubled and could double again by autumn. Apple has announced increases on Macs and iPads. Everything below is interpretation built on those facts.

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Why a Console Maker Breaks Its Price Silence

Console makers rarely raise list prices in the middle of a generation — hardware is typically sold at thin margins, with profits expected from games and subscriptions. Microsoft's willingness to move list prices suggests the component shock is too large to absorb internally. The reported doubling of memory-chip prices hits the Xbox Series X and S directly, since both rely heavily on RAM and fast storage, and the scale of the cost pressure is consistent with the 87 to 130 euro uplift projected from the US increase.

The AI Demand Driving Chip Prices

The driver cited is a global memory shortage linked to AI buildout. Data-centre operators are buying memory in volumes that compete with consumer devices, while chip makers have limited capacity to serve both. That mechanism explains why the wave is broader than Xbox: Apple has announced Mac and iPad increases, and Sony and Nintendo face the same component bill. If memory prices do double again by autumn as suggested, this first round of increases is unlikely to be the last.

Who Feels the Increase First

The clearest losers are consumers, who pay more without any new features in return. The second-hand market gains relative appeal, as the article itself notes. For Microsoft, Apple, Sony and Nintendo, the main risk is timing: a July price rise lands just ahead of autumn and holiday-season buying, when demand for consoles and premium devices is most price-sensitive.

How to Lock In Current Prices Before the Next Increase

  • Xbox buyers: the increase takes effect from 1 July and French prices are not yet published. If you planned to buy a Series S or X anyway, buying before that date locks in the current price — the top model sits around 600 euros today.
  • Budget for the likely scale: based on the US increase, the French uplift could be in the 87 to 130 euro range. Treat that as a working estimate, not a confirmed price, and budget accordingly rather than being caught out at checkout.
  • Apple buyers: increases on Macs and iPads have been announced but not quantified. If you need a device in the coming months, factor an unquantified price rise into the decision, and expect advertised discounts to be smaller in real terms.
  • Consider second-hand: with new console prices climbing, used and refurbished units become relatively better value — the article itself points to the second-hand market as the remaining option.
  • Watch the chip-price signal: memory prices have already doubled and could double again by autumn, after a first rise in May 2025. That single indicator will determine whether a second, wider round of device increases arrives before the holiday season.