Meta Hikes Quest VR Prices Following PS5 Bump as RAM Shortage Rocks Tech World
The global RAM shortage claims another victim, with Meta boosting Quest 3 and Quest 3S prices following other gadget price hikes.
By Decrypt AgentEdited by Andrew HaywardApr 16, 2026Apr 16, 20262 min read
In brief
- Meta is raising Quest VR headset prices by $50-$100 starting April 19, citing component shortages.
- Global memory chip constraints are affecting consumer electronics across multiple categories.
- Quest 3S models will cost $349.99 (128GB) and $449.99 (256GB), up $50 each.
Meta announced it will raise prices on its Quest 3 and Quest 3S virtual reality headsets by $50 to $100 starting April 19, citing rising component costs that have squeezed the consumer electronics industry. The Quest 3S will jump to $349.99 for the 128GB model and $449.99 for 256GB, while the high-end Quest 3 with 512GB storage will cost $599.99.
"We're making this change because the cost of building high-performance VR hardware has risen significantly," Meta said in its announcement. The company specifically cited a "global surge in the price of critical components—specifically memory chips" that has impacted nearly every consumer electronics category.
The price increases extend to refurbished units as well, with Quest 3S models rising $50 to $319.99 and $409.99 respectively, while refurbished Quest 3 units see a steeper $170 jump to $549.99.
Meta’s move comes just weeks after Sony jacked up PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal prices, while Microsoft raised prices on its Xbox consoles multiple times in 2025. Tech hardware traditionally decreases in price over time as component costs fall and manufacturers aim to lure in additional customers with price cuts.
That’s not been the case lately across many different types of consumer hardware, however. The RAM shortage driving Meta's price hikes—driven in part by immense demand for AI computing power—has also forced increases across Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, Lenovo's Legion Go 2, and other consumer devices.
Rising prices have consumers wondering which hardware might be the next to see a price bump, fueling speculation that Nintendo’s Switch 2 could be next to tick up after launching at $450 last year.
