© Provided by What Hi-Fi?PS5 stock and where to buy: latest PS5 restock details
PS5 stock has been insanely hard to come by lately, but it seems there's a big wave of PS5 stock hitting retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Argos dropped PS5 stock via its app this week and although it's now sold out, there's talk of the retailer restocking before the end of the month. Make sure you have an Argos account - it'll enable you to checkout faster.
Game has confirmed a PS5 restock for Friday 5th February. The retailer recently updated its PS5 pre-order page to read: "Release date 05/02/2021". We've also spotted that Currys has the PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless PS5 headset back in stock (it could be worth grabbing one while you can).
BT and EE were both tipped to drop PS5 bundles this week but we're still waiting. On 26th January, BT tweeted that, PS5 stock isn't coming "just yet" but gamers should "keep an eye on BT.com".
Amazon UK recently listed the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition as 'available now' but sold out in minutes. On a brighter note, Amazon is tipped for another surge of stock in the next couple of weeks and John Lewis is expected to release PS5 stock by 2nd February.
Over in the States Amazon US dropped a bunch of PS5 stock at 10am ET on 21st January but there's been nothing since. Gamestop is predicted to drop more PS5 bundles this week. Best Buy and Target seem to be restocking fairly regularly, too.
Problem is, scalpers and bots are jumping the queues and - reportedly - snapping up stock before its officially listed online by retailers. Let's hope stores address that issue soon.
Still no luck? Some buyers have been able to order next-gen consoles from European Amazon stores that deliver to the UK. Amazon Italy and Amazon Germany both had inventory at the end of December. (That trick has worked a treat for those seeking the next-gen Xbox.)
And there's always eBay, although you'll need to pay over the odds and buy carefully.
Once you've managed to bag a console, why not head on over to our round-up of the best PS5 games and best gaming headsets.
Where to buy PS5
The PS5 has officially hit the shelves but stock is still in extremely short supply. Frustrating though that is, Sony has confirmed that more PS5 consoles are on the way. You'll need to be logged in to your retailer of choice and be prepared to hit that refresh button - competition is fierce to say the least.
Where to buy PS5 Digital Edition
The PS5 Digital Edition went on sale alongside the full-fat PS5 in all territories.
Like the full-fat PS5, the Digital Version is out of stock in most retailers and you'll have to be quick to secure a console during the restocks. Again, be ready with your retailer log-ins and debit or credit card details.
Where to buy PS5 accessories
Getting hold of most PS5 accessories is a whole lot easier than getting hold of a PS5 right now. However, some of the more popular accessories, such as the DualSense Wireless Controller, Pulse 3D Wireless Headset and Media Remote, have been in and out of stock.
PlayStation 5 DualSense Wireless Controller - £59.99 ($69.99 / AU$109) The PS5 only comes with one controller in the box, so this is a must-have for those who want to get stuck into multi-player gaming. It uses haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to make games more immersive.View Deal
PlayStation 5 Pulse 3D Wireless Headset - £89.95 ($99.99 / AU$159)
If you want to enjoy 3D audio, one of the one of the PS5's best features, you'll need one of these. It will also cut out background noise, so you can't hear anyone else in the same room, and make your gaming more immersive.View Deal
PlayStation 5 HD Camera - £49.99 ($69.99 / AU$99) This lets you add yourself to gameplay videos or video chat during multiplayer marathons. A must if you're chatting with teammates.View Deal
PlayStation 5 Media Remote - £24.99 ($29.99 / AU$49)
Want to use your PS5 as an entertainment hub? This handy remote will help you navigate everything from Netflix to 4K Blu-ray discs, and it'll make it as simple as changing channel on your TV.View Deal
PlayStation 5 DualSense Charging Station - £24.99 ($29.99 / AU$49)
This accessory charges up two wireless DualSense controllers at a time, so you'll never be powerless.View Deal
Where to buy PS5
Target The PS5 was back in stock at Target just before Christmas, but it soon sold out. Keep checking back and keep an eye on the retailer's social media accounts. More stock could be on the way this week...View Deal
Amazon The online shopping giant seems to drop stock every few weeks. Remember, the PS5 is not region-locked so you could buy one from Amazon's European stores (you might need the relevant plug adaptor). Amazon Italy and Germany dropped stock last month. View Deal
Walmart
Retail giant Walmart kept its promise to release more PS5 stock at 11am ET on 3rd December. Since then, it has released several more waves of PS5 stock in the US and Canada - and is expected to do so again soon. Keep checking back.View Deal
GAME
The specialist games retailer has dropped PS5 stock on a regular basis and has confirmed the next drop for Friday 5th February. That said, it has been known to drop stock before the official date so keep an eye on its website.View Deal
Argos
High street favourite Argos tends to release PS5 stock in the early hours - around 3am and 4am - via its website and app. Download the app and set up a free Argos account to speed up the process of adding a PS5 to your basket. More stock drops expected soon.View Deal
Sony Over in the US, Sony Direct released a wave of PS5 consoles on Black Friday and again in December. They're now sold out. Keep checking though - you never know your luck. It figures that Sony would supply its own store first.View Deal
MyBT
Existing BT and EE customers have had multiple chances to order a PS5 online via MyBT and EE's Add to Plan service. BT has been a good source of PS5 consoles, and more stock is expected any day now. View Deal
Box.co.uk You can set a stock alert over at Box.co.uk, so you'll be notified as soon as stock comes in. If you're after an Xbox Series X, Box did the sensible thing and instituted a ballot system here. Winners will be offered the chance to buy one of Microsoft's new consoles. View Deal
AO.com It might be best known for its appliances, but AO.com also sells PS5s. Or will when more stock arrives. Unfortunately, there's no word on when that will be - just that "we should have more stock arriving soon". They've not dropped stock in a while.View Deal
Best Buy
Best Buy had PS5 stock available at launch, through its website and app. It has dropped PS5s, complete with optional two year accident protection and financing options, on a regular basis but stock is scarce. Keep checking back.View Deal
GameStop The specialist games retailer reported overwhelming demand for the PS5 but only offered "limited" quantities of PS5 bundles. It usually drops PS5 bundles rather than standalone consoles and is due to drop again soon...View Deal
StockX You may not have heard of StockX - it's mostly used by fashion aficionados looking to buy and sell rare and limited edition clothing/sneakers. But it's also recently branched out into PS5s. You will pay more than the RRP/MSRP, but StockX inspects each item it sells before dispatching, so you can guarantee it will be in mint condition.View Deal
Tesco The British supermarket chain was rumoured to be taking delivery of a fresh batch of PS5s for Sunday 13th December, but sadly that didn't pan out. Still, worth keeping an eye on Tesco's PS5 page. View Deal
Where to buy PS5 in Australia
Sony Store Australia You would expect Sony to be the best place to guarantee PS5 stock. But sadly it's currently sold out. Our advice? Sign up to be notified as soon as it's available.View Deal
EB Games
Specialist retailer EB Games restocked on 3rd December and again later in the month, but supplies didn't last long. The Gamestop-owned chain is working on getting more stock - check its website to see if it's succeeded.View Deal
The Gamesmen
Independent retailer The Gamesmen previously announced it would have stock at 10am on 19th November, but has since sold out of that and all its December stock, too. Check back soon.View Deal
JB Hi-Fi
One of Australia's largest tech retailers sold out of its pre-order stock, plus some it was expecting for December. But never say never...View Deal
PlayStation 5 price: recent history
After much waiting, Sony finally announced the price and release date of the PS5 during its 16th September showcase. The Japanese giant's 40-minute digital event featured "a look at some of the great games coming to the PS5 at launch (and beyond!)".
The real draw, though, was the promise of the price finally being revealed, and Sony didn't disappoint on that front, with the PS5 Digital and PS5 prices, at £360 ($400) and £450 ($490, ?499, AU$749.95), coming as a pleasant surprise to those who'd expected the PS5 to be priced much higher than the rival Xbox Series X.
So how does the PS5's price compare to that of its predecessors?
Both 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
June's PlayStation live event revealed not one but two PS5s - the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition - and that strategy could well prove crucial for the next console generation: Sony can 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 will have performance parity, with the optical drive the only difference between the two.
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.
The most telling piece of news we'd had in the run-up to launch was the PlayStation 5 product page leak on Amazon France, spotted by Twitter user Ben Geskin, which stated that the PlayStation 5 would be 500 euros with the PS5 Digital Edition at 400. That turned out to be right on the money (ahem).
Meanwhile, a rumour published by DualShockers on 24th August 2020 suggested that Best Buy's website had the PS5 price pegged at $499 in the US, and that customers would be offered 18-month financing options. We've not seen any financing options appear yet, but that price prediction has turned out to be accurate.
PlayStation 5 release date and availability
In the US, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, the PS5 went on sale on 12th November. The rest of the world (UK included) saw the console launch on 19th November.
With demand outstripping supply, most retailers are still struggling to get hold of PS5 stock. And when they do release it, customers - and bots - are snapping it up within minutes.
Hoping to secure a PS5? In the UK, Currys PC World and Game recently dropped PS5 stock. BT, EE and Smyths Toys, Amazon and John Lewis are tipped to release fresh PS5 stock in the coming days and weeks.
In the US, Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy are your best options. You might also try Target but their supply has been rather patchy. If you're on the hunt for a PS5, check out the retailer links above.
Finally, it's worth checking specialist stock tracking websites such as Stock Informer from time to time. And remember, the PS5 is not geo-locked. That means you can buy one in the US and use it to play UK games. The same goes for Europe (Amazon Germany, for example, recently restocked). However, it's equally important to note that you may need a plug adaptor and that some Blu-ray discs and DVD may not play.
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 appears to be more of a proper next-gen games console than the Xbox Series S.
PlayStation 5 games price
Since NBA games publisher 2K announced the $70 (£65/AU$100) price for its sports sim NBA 2K21, the consensus has been that there's a PS5 games hike coming across the board.
That raises the standard by $10 from $60 which seems uncomfortable in the face of what many consider a fairly expensive games console full stop.
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.
And on a more positive note, we're already seeing retailers offering discounts on PS5 (and Xbox Series X) games. Best Buy recently slashed the price of a slew of unreleased PS5 games - including the latest Call of Duty and Cyberpunk 2077- by $10.
PlayStation 5 pre-orders
PS5 pre-orders went live on 22nd September. One PS5 leaker had predicted that pre-orders would go live on 9th September - 25 years to the day since the original PlayStation went on sale in the US. Alas, Sony missed that mark.
The first wave of pre-orders sold out within days, and there's been precious little stock since then. Those already with their hearts set on getting a PS5 console before the end of the year should keep a very close eye on online stores.
Some UK stores released more online stock on 19th November - the day the PS5 hit shelves in the UK. We say "shelves", but with the UK in lockdown at the time, the shelves were all digital.
Until recently, Sony had only planned on the production of 5 million PlayStation 5 games consoles by the end of March 2021. However, with a predicted increase in gaming, Sony has doubled PlayStation production to meet 10 million units by the same date, and that certainly should help in terms of pre-order panic.
PlayStation 5 price: game bundles
The PS5 is available with a raft of new games including the follow launch titles:
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Astro's Playroom (Sony will bundle a digital copy it free with the PS5)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Demon's Souls
Destruction AllStars
Fortnite: The Last Laugh Bundle
Godfall
Just Dance 2021
Maneater
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
We're already seeing retailers start to bundle the PS5 with the most popular titles, including FIFA 21, Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Call of Duty. Just don't expect the first bundles to be cheaper than buying a PS5 and a copy of the game separately - demand is so high that retailers are unlikely to offer discounts at this stage.
Beyond games, we're also seeing the PS5 bundled with other treats and temptations. On the hardware side, there are a a few options to purchase your PS5 with one of the official PS5 accessories such as the DualSense Controller. Sadly the Pulse 3D headset is currently sold out almost everywhere, so there's no little chance of seeing that in bundle. . On the software side, we may start to see subscriptions to PlayStation Plus. As ever, more details as we get them.
Games aside, the PS5 will act as an entertainment hub. Sony has revealed it will come with Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, Spotify, Twitch and YouTube from day one. But, as we recently reported, the PS5 appears to lack both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
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