The Xbox Series X price increase landed on August 1, 2026, and it’s a significant one. Launched at $499 in 2020, the console now costs $799.99, a jump of $150 from its previous $649.99 price point. The Xbox Series S climbed too, rising $100 to $499.99.
This is not Microsoft’s first price hike in this console generation. It’s the third in roughly fifteen months. Here’s the full picture: what changed, why Microsoft says it happened, and where the pricing trend goes from here.
The New Xbox Series X Price Increase, in Full
As of August 1, 2026, Xbox console pricing looks like this. The Xbox Series X now costs $799.99, up from $649.99. The Xbox Series S now costs $499.99, up from $399.99. Microsoft also discontinued its 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition console entirely, rather than raising its price further.
According to Microsoft’s own announcement, the increase breaks down by storage tier. Consoles configured with 512GB of storage rose by $100, while consoles configured with 1TB rose by $150. That’s consistent with the figures above. The Series X ships standard with 1TB, while the Series S ships with 512GB.
Why Microsoft Says Prices Went Up Again
This Xbox Series X price increase has a specific stated reason. Notably, it’s different from the reasons given for the previous two increases: component costs, not trade policy. The company says the price of storage and memory chips inside Xbox consoles has climbed more than 2.5x since its last increase in October 2025. It also expects that cost to roughly double again by fall 2027.
The underlying driver is the broader AI boom. data-center build-outs for AI training and inference are consuming a historic share of global memory chip production. That demand is pulling supply away from consumer electronics. Prices are rising for everyone building hardware with DRAM inside it, consoles included.
Why This Is the Third Hike, Not the First
To understand why this Xbox Series X price increase is landing so hard, it helps to see the full run.
The First Two Increases
Microsoft first raised Xbox prices in May 2025, pushing the Series X to $599.99 and the Series S to $379. At the time, many observers linked the move to newly imposed tariffs under the Trump administration. Microsoft’s own messaging, though, was less specific.
A second increase followed in October 2025, when the Series X rose again to $649.99. Microsoft cited “changes in the macroeconomic environment” rather than naming tariffs or components directly.
The Pattern This Reveals
Three increases in fifteen months, each with a different stated justification, add up fast. The console now costs $300 more than it did at the start of 2025. Whatever the specific driver each time, the direction has been consistent. Prices have only gone up, without a single cut or rollback in between.
The Timing Question: Why Now, Right Before GTA 6
This Xbox Series X price increase arrives at a pointed moment. Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently scheduled to release on November 19, 2026, for both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It’s widely expected to be the single biggest game launch of the year. Anyone who was planning to buy an Xbox specifically to play it now faces a steeper bill. The console costs $150 more than it did a few months ago.
Microsoft hasn’t linked the timing to GTA 6 directly. The company’s stated rationale is about component costs, not demand tied to any particular game. Still, the optics are difficult to avoid. A price increase months before the platform’s biggest release adds real pressure on anyone still deciding which console to buy.
Is Xbox Alone Here?
Not entirely. Reporting on this increase has noted that Microsoft’s move follows Apple raising its own hardware prices. The same memory and storage cost pressures are affecting the broader consumer electronics industry, not Xbox specifically. Console and device makers generally source memory chips from the same small pool of global suppliers. A shortage driven by AI data-center demand doesn’t stay contained to one company’s product line.
Track how component shortages are reshaping consumer hardware pricing → TALK
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Xbox Series X now? As of August 1, 2026, this Xbox Series X price increase brought the console to $799.99, up $150 from its previous price of $649.99.
Why did Xbox prices go up in August 2026? Microsoft says the cost of storage and memory chips used in Xbox consoles has risen more than 2.5x since October 2025. That’s driven largely by AI data-centers consuming a growing share of global memory chip supply. Microsoft expects component costs to roughly double again by fall 2027.
How many times has Xbox raised console prices? This is the third increase since May 2025. May 2025’s hike was widely linked to tariffs. October 2025’s was attributed to general macroeconomic conditions. This latest one, in August 2026, is attributed specifically to memory and storage component costs.
Will Xbox prices go up again? Microsoft has indicated component costs could roughly double again by fall 2027. That suggests further increases are plausible, though the company hasn’t announced any specific future price change.
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