Sony

PlayStation 3

Date: Nov. 17, 2006
Retail price: $599 (60GB) $499 (20GB)
Cost of components: $840 (60GB) $805 (20GB)

Much like Microsoft did with the Xbox 360, Sony hoped to score big in the end by taking a hit in the short term. Having a year's head start was good for Microsoft, as falling prices on components turned its $71 per-unit loss of 2005 into a $76 per-unit profit by the end of 2006, by iSuppli's calculations.

Read the story: "Nothing Cheap About the PS3"