News
- From August 21, the price of all PlayStation 5 consoles is increasing by $50
- The standard PS5 will be $549.99, while the PS5 Pro jumps to $749.99
- PS5 accessories – and consoles in other regions – remain unchanged
Sony has announced that it will increase the recommended retail price of the PlayStation 5 in the US.
In a post on the official PlayStation Blog, the manufacturer stated that "a challenging economic environment" has led to the "difficult decision" of increasing the price of all PS5 consoles by $50.
That means, from August 21, the price of the standard PS5 console will increase from $499.99 to $549.99. The cheaper PS5 Digital Edition will also see a jump from $449.99 to $499.99. Lastly, the premium PS5 Pro will leap from $699.99 to $749.99 – yikes!
In one piece of positive news amidst all the gloom, Sony did at least confirm that the price of PlayStation 5 accessories will remain unchanged. So, everything from the DualSense Controller to the Vertical Stand will not be more expensive and will stay at the current price for now.
If it wasn't clear enough what the reasoning is behind these price increases, Sony has added a final note to the update, stating that it has no other price changes to announce for other markets. These price hikes are solely for the US and are almost certainly due to the ongoing chaos caused by US tariffs.
Sony isn't the only games console manufacturer to announce price hikes in the US this month. Back at the start of August, Nintendo also bumped up the price of various Switch consoles by up to $50. These increases applied to the original Nintendo Switch, the Switch Lite, and the Switch OLED. The latest Nintendo Switch 2 remained untouched, but some of the console's new accessories did receive smaller price increases.
Of course, retailers have some leeway on whether to go with the new prices for PS5 consoles from tomorrow, but given how many immediately responded to the Nintendo Switch price changes, I wouldn't be surprised if all of them are implemented sooner rather than later. That means, shop now if you want to secure a saving, as it's likely that it'll only be the same prices we see now returning on Black Friday.
We're approaching five years since the launch date of the original PS5, and while the price has fluctuated in many regions, a blanket increase like this is unheard of so late in a console's lifecycle.
Most of us expect older consoles to get cheaper, not more expensive – especially deals hunters like me who are always trying to find the best offers for the most wanted tech. These are unusual times.
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The lack of built-in, MagSafe-style magnetic accessory support has been a major bugbear for Android users in recent years, but Google has finally debuted a Pixel-exclusive alternative to Apple’s popular iPhone technology.
Pixelsnap is an ecosystem of magnetic Qi2.2 accessories for the entire Google Pixel 10 line. Much like MagSafe, it lets you attach wireless chargers, stands, grips, and other accessories to the back of any Pixel 10 phone, with their built-in magnetic rings facilitating charging up to 25W (the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, and 10 Pro Fold are capped at 15W, while the 10 Pro XL gets a higher 25W ceiling).
Google revealed a suite of first-party Pixelsnap accessories at its latest Made by Google showcase; the first batch includes a magnetic charger, a magnetic stand, and a magnetic ring tool. But, crucially, Pixelsnap is also compatible with existing MagSafe accessories from Apple and third-party brands like Belkin, which is a bigger deal than it sounds.
@techradar ♬ original sound - TechRadarApple hasn’t been gatekeeping its MagSafe technology; it actually helped develop the Qi2 wireless charging standard in 2023, which uses magnetic alignment to facilitate faster charging on mobile devices.
Until now, though, the HMD Skyline was the only Android phone to come with built-in magnets to fully support the Qi2 standard.
Recent top-end Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and OnePlus 13 are technically Qi2-ready, but they don’t have built-in magnets – you have to purchase a compatible case (or adhesive ring) with a magnetic mounting system to make use of their Qi2 capabilities.
Image 1 of 2Pixelsnap accessories for the Pixel 10 Pro (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 2 of 2Pixelsnap accessories for the Pixel 10 Pro (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)The Google Pixel 10 and its siblings, then, are the first mainstream Android phones to ship with a true MagSafe-style alignment system – and for now, that gives them a rare hardware edge over the best Android phones from the likes of Samsung, OnePlus, and Motorola.
Other upgrades for the Google Pixel 10 line include new AI-powered camera features, a dedicated telephoto camera for the base model, and an IP68 rating for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold; but, for the reasons outlined above, Pixelsnap could be the most important upgrade of all.
You might also like- Audio-Technica has revealed a new limited edition version of the ATH-M50xSTS
- It's in collaboration with virtual singer Hatsune Miku
- It will be available later this week
Esteemed audio brand Audio-Technica has unveiled a cute limited edition version of its best gaming headset in collaboration with virtual idol Hatsune Miku.
Officially called the ATH-M50xSTS-USB MIKU, it's a new variant of the excellent ATH-M50xSTS. The headset, which is based on the professional ATH-M50X monitoring headphones, scored close to full marks in our ATH-M50xSTS review.
It offers sublime audio quality that's particularly impressive for its upper mid-range price point, plus multiple comfortable ear-cup types in the box. Paired with a strong boom microphone, it's a fantastic option for gamers or streamers that want to get away from the usual gaming brands.
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The ATH-M50xSTS-USB MIKU comes in a special limited edition colorway inspired by the singer. This includes blue details on the headband meant to mimic her iconic hair and a colorful green ring on the outside of each earcup.
The headset is covered in little details, like the bright Hatsune Miku emblem on the inside of its ear cups and the futuristic-looking blue ring around the microphone module.
They come in special packaging featuring an illustration by the artist LAM created for the collab. It features a USB Type-A connection, so is definitely geared towards PC users, but does come bundled with a USB Type-C adaptor.
The headset will be available from August 22 for $279 / £239.
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