Demand for the Sony PS5 has been soaring ever since the console launched two years ago. But while the Japanese giant’s fifth major console has sold by the million, PS5 stock remains hard to find.
Amazon UK (opens in new tab)/US (opens in new tab) is a great starting point but – make sure you register (opens in new tab) for an email invitation to buy. With a bit of patience and a few tricks (which we reveal below), you can beat the odds and win the PS5 stock lottery in 2023.
Right, let's get started with all the retailers that offer regular PS5 restocks...
US PS5 restock quick links
- Amazon: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- GameStop: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Best Buy: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Walmart: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Target: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Sony Direct: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Newegg: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
UK PS5 restock quick links
- Amazon: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- AO: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Argos: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Box: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Currys: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Game: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- John Lewis: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- PlayStation Direct: PS5 (opens in new tab)
- Smyths Toys: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Very: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
Australia PS5 restock quick links
- Amazon: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Sony Australia: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- Gamesmen: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- JB Hi-Fi: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
- EB Games: PS5 (opens in new tab) | Digital Edition (opens in new tab)
Today's best PS5 deals
- Read our Sony PlayStation 5 review
PS5 restock buying guide
Fed up with missing out on PS5 restocks? Here's where to find a PS5...
Amazon (opens in new tab)
Now dropping email invites regularly. Head over to Amazon's PS5 or PS5 listings to register for an email invitation to the next PS5 stop drop.
Walmart
Walmart Plus members get early access to PS5 drops. Note: the company offers a free 15-day trial of Walmart Plus (opens in new tab), but it doesn't include PS5 restocks. They tend to be exclusive to paid members so you must click the button that says "Start paid membership".
Game (opens in new tab)
One of the best places to find a UK PS5 restock because it offers big PS5 bundles. The retailer's latest bundles have included games like FIFA 23 and accessories such as the DualSense wireless controller.
Best Buy (opens in new tab)
Best Buy offers members of its TotalTech (opens in new tab) service ($199.99 a year) special access to PS5 restocks.
Sony Direct
Usually has plenty of PS5 stock, so head over there if you're in the UK or US. You'll need to sign in with a PSN account to buy a PS5. At the time of writing, the UK version of Sony Direct was offering a PlayStation 5 Call of Duty Modern Warfare II Bundle for £539.99.
Amazon Australia (opens in new tab) has seen the most frequent restocks in Australia, so it's a great place to buy, as is Sony (opens in new tab)'s own website.
- Our pick of the best PS5 deals
Best PS5 stock tips 2023
With persistence and patience, you should be able to get your hands on the PS5 of your choice...
1. Register for email invites
Amazon and Sony now allow prospective buyers to sign up for an email invitation to buy a PS5 when stock arrives. If invited to purchase, you’ll get an email when the item is available and a set period of time to take up the offer. There's no guarantee that there will be enough invites to go around, so register as soon as you can.
2. Sign up and sign in
Open a free account with the major PS5 retailers and sign in before PS5 stock drops. This will make for a faster checkout process. Pro tip: pre-load your Amazon account with a gift card (opens in new tab) to cover the cost of your PS5. This will cut out any chance of your bank rejecting the payment and delaying your purchase.
3. Fill your basket now
Add the PS5 of your choice to your shopping basket in advance. That way, it's likely to be there when stock drops. Again, this will speed up the process. You may even get an notification when the item in your basket is available.
4. Join a loyalty program
Amazon Prime no longer get first crack at PS5 stock, but Best Buy is still offering Total Tech (opens in new tab) members early access to PS5 drops (it even publishes the date of the next drop on its PS5 page). Elsewhere, Walmart Plus members continue to get privileged access to PS5 restocks (make sure you sign up to the paid-for version, the free trial won't cut it).
5. Follow social media
Don't be tempted to purchase a PS5 directly through social media, it could be a scam. You're far better off using Twitter to track the latest PS5 restock news. Follow the major PS5 retailers and keep an eye on websites such as stock-checker.
6. Download the app
Most retailers have iOS/Android phone apps. And since apps tend to be more stable than websites, they're less prone to crashing when PS5 stock goes live. The Amazon app and the Argos app have proven to be happy hunting grounds throughout 2022.
7. Don't buy from scalpers
Although PS5 restocks are becoming more frequent, especially in the UK, there are still plenty of marketplaces that will offer to sell you a PS5 console for more than the recommended retailer price. Take your time, use the tips above and you should have no major issues getting your hands on a PS5 console at the usual price.
- The best gaming TVs for PS5
Where to buy PS5 accessories
Getting hold of PS5 accessories is a whole lot easier than getting hold of a PS5 console. But many of the most popular accessories still flash in and out of stock during busy shopping periods (Black Friday, Prime Day, etc). In other words, it's best to grab stock while it's available rather than wait until you secure your console.
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(opens in new tab)PlayStation 5 price: recent history
After much waiting, Sony announced the price and release date of the PS5 on 16th September 2020.
The company set the price of the PS5 Digital Edition at £360 / $400 / AU$599, and the PS5 disc edition at £450 / $490 / AU$749. That came as a pleasant surprise to those who'd expected the PS5 to be priced higher than the rival Xbox Series X.
In August 2022, Sony raised the price in certain territories, the UK and Australia among them. British buyers will now pay £479.99 for the standard PS5, and £389.99 for the PS5 Digital Edition without a Blu-ray disc drive. Australian gamers will now pay AU$799.95 and AU$649.95 respectively.
Prices are also going up in Europe, Japan, China, Mexico and Canada, but the US price remains unchanged.
With demand continuing to outstrip supply in 2022, finding a PS5 deal continues to be a challenge (to say the least). Could the rumoured launch of the PS5 Pro in 2023/24 trigger a major PS5 price drop? Fingers crossed.
And here's how the PS5's price compares to that of its predecessors.
The original PlayStation and PS2 launched at £299 ($299) in 1994 and 2000 respectively. The PS3 was quite the step up in 2006, with the entry-level 20GB model starting at £425 ($499) – although that was more or less in line with inflation with regard to the original PlayStation, and there were also the significant hardware upgrades to factor in, not least of all being the Blu-ray optical drive.
Nonetheless, the PS3 was initially criticised partly for its seemingly high price. The 60GB model's $599 price tag took particularly heavy flack. By the arrival of the PS3 Slim in 2009, though, all seemed to have been forgiven.
The bigger public surprise was saved for the 2013 PS4 launch, however, when the PlayStation price dropped down to £350 ($399) and heralded the arrival of one of the best-selling games consoles of all time.
PlayStation 5 price: cheaper Digital Edition
There are two versions of the PlayStation 5: one with a disc drive and one without. It's a strategy that could well prove crucial for the next console generation; it lets Sony keep at least one model more affordable while still offering a more fully-featured PS5.
Unlike the approach taken by Microsoft with the Xbox Series X and Series S, the full-fat, disc-playing PlayStation 5 and the more affordable, disc-less PlayStation 5 Digital Edition enjoy performance parity, with the optical drive the only difference between the two machines.
We predicted that the PS5 Digital Edition would dip below the magic £400 ($400) barrier, while the version with the disc drive might be more like £499 ($499), and Sony has actually trumped our expectations – in the UK at least. (That was until the price rise was announced in August 2022.)
Last year, the PS5 shed around 300g in weight. The updated version, which boasts a lighter heatsink, is available now in most parts of the world. If you want to check which version you have, the original PS5 serial model numbers are: CF1016A (disc) and CFI-1015B (digital). The new PS5 numbers are: CFI-1116A (disc) and CFI-1100B (digital).
In early 2022, rumours of a PS5 Pro began circulating online. A reliable video report by gaming analyst RedGamingTech suggests that Sony is readying a more powerful version of the PS5 for a late 2023 or early-to-mid 2024 release. Let's hope we can actually buy it.
- The best PS5 deals on consoles, games and accessories
PlayStation 5 release date and availability
The PS5 launched in the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, the PS5 on 12th November 2020. It arrived in the rest of the world (UK included) on 19th November 2020.
Since the day it his stores, demand has outstripped supply. Most retailers are still struggling to get hold of PS5 stock even now. And when it does appear online, eager customers – as well as bots – are snapping it up within minutes.
Hoping to secure a PS5? Check out the quick links and tricks at the top of the this page. And here's a detailed explanation of why it's hard to find a PS5 deal in 2022, as well as a few extra tips to boost your chances.
in December 2021, Sony announced a slew of new coloured accessories for 2022. Fans can now order "Galaxy-inspired" DualSense wireless controllers in Cosmic Red, Starlight Blue and Galactic Purple, as well as official coloured PS5 covers.
In March 2022, Sony rolled out the first major PS5 software update. That was followed by the news in April 2022 that PS5 VRR was finally available.
PlayStation 5 price vs Xbox Series X price
So, how does the PS5 compare to the Xbox Series X on price? Better than many expected, as it happens.
The Xbox Series X and the full-fat PS5 are identically priced, at £449 / $500 / AU$749.
Both consoles also have a disc drive-less, cheaper sibling: that's the Xbox Series S and the PS5 Digital Edition. This is where things get really interesting, because the Xbox Series S costs only £250 / $299,/ AU$499, whereas the PS5 Digital Edition is £360 / $400 / AU$599.
That's a big step up, but it's worth pointing out that the Xbox Series S is less powerful than the Series X but the PS5 Digital Edition is identical to the standard PS5 except for the lack of a disc drive. In other words, the PS5 Digital Edition is more of a proper next-gen games console than the Xbox Series S.
Pro tip: If you're willing to buy a secondhand console, Amazon tends to offer Certified Refurbished Xbox Series X (opens in new tab) at bargain prices.
- Next-gen consoles battle it out: PS5 vs Xbox Series X
- And the PS5 Digital Edition vs Xbox Series S
PlayStation 5 games price
When NBA games publisher 2K announced the $70 / £65 / AU$100 price for its sports sim NBA 2K21, it effectively confirmed a PS5 games price hike.
The sum helped raise the standard by $10 from $60. You can also stream your favourite games (without actually buying them) as Sony recently launched an upgraded PS Plus.
To be fair to both Sony and Microsoft, games pricing has remained the same since the launch of the original Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2005. Between game production values having gone through the roof and 15 years' worth of inflation, it could have been a lot worse for the consumer.
Plus, we're seeing retailers offering huge discounts on some of the best PS5 games. If you're on the hunt for cheap PS5 games, check out this week's best PS5 deals.
- Our pick of the best PS5 games
PlayStation 5 stock shortage
Sony had planned on the production of 5 million PlayStation 5 games consoles by the end of March 2021. But as the popularity of gaming exploded during the pandemic, Sony doubled PlayStation production to meet 10 million units by the same date.
Sadly, it wasn't enough. In May 2021, the company warned analysts that PlayStation 5 shortages would continue until 2022: "I don’t think demand is calming down this year and even if we secure a lot more devices and produce many more units of the PlayStation 5 next year, our supply wouldn’t be able to catch up with demand," said Hiroki Totoki, Sony's Chief Financial Officer.
On 12th November 2021 – the PS5's first birthday – Sony Interactive Entertainment boss Jim Ryan addressed “historic demand” for the PS5 in a PlayStation.Blog post. Ryan admitted that "inventory constraints remain a source of frustration for our customers" and said that Sony is "laser-focussed" on shipping as many console units as possible.
However, in December 2021, Intel chief Pat Gelsinger warned that the global chip shortage would continue into 2023: "Demand exploded to 20% year-over-year and disrupted supply chains created a very large gap… it just takes time to build this capacity to respond to the spike."
In early 2022, Sony decided to keep manufacturing PS4 consoles. The company intends to make an extra one million PS4 machines to compensate for the lack of PS5 stock. It's certainly one way to tackle the problem.
Sony's approach seems to have worked. Now, in mid-2022, we're seeing the the likes of Amazon and Walmart not only restocking more regularly, but keeping PS5 consoles in stock for days and even weeks at a time.
The Digital Edition still seems to be in short supply, although you can find them for sale at a premium on both Amazon and Walmart. Or, you could wait for the PS5 Pro to launch in 2023...
PlayStation 5 price: game bundles
The PS5 launched alongside a raft of games including:
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (opens in new tab)
Astro's Playroom (Sony will bundle a digital copy it free with the PS5)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (opens in new tab)
Demon's Souls (opens in new tab)
Destruction AllStars (opens in new tab)
Fortnite: The Last Laugh Bundle (opens in new tab)
Godfall (opens in new tab)
Just Dance 2021 (opens in new tab)
Maneater (opens in new tab)
Spider-Man: Miles Morales (opens in new tab)
Sackboy: A Big Adventure (opens in new tab)
We're already seeing retailers bundle the PS5 with the most popular titles, including FIFA 22, Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Call of Duty. Beyond games, we're also seeing the PS5 bundled with other treats and temptations, such as the excellent Pulse 3D headset. Sony has also unveiled its next-generation VR2 headset for PS5.
Games aside, the PS5 doubles as an entertainment hub. Sony revealed it would come with Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube from day one. In November 2021, BBC iPlayer arrived on PS5 in 4K HDR. The PS5 YouTube app has also been upgraded and can now play video in HDR10.
As we previously reported, the PS5 continues to lack both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos but here's how to get the best picture and sound from your PS5. The company has also hinted at personalised 3D audio in the future.
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