Where to buy a PS5: What you need to know to score Sony’s new console
First off, let’s get the bad news out of the way: As of April 17, no major retailers have Sony’s PlayStation 5 gaming console in stock. If the past five months have taught us anything, this shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Retailers like Best Buy, Target, Amazon, GameStop, Walmart and even Sony itself can’t keep up with demand for the highly coveted console. Supply issues are being further exacerbated by the global chip shortage and the pandemic, so any restocks typically sell out within minutes. In fact, the PS5 was recently named the fastest-selling gaming console in US history.
But if you’re still on the hunt for a PS5, there’s some good news. PS5 restocks at retailers have been happening more frequently — for both the $400 digital-only PS5 with no optical drive and the more expensive $500 version with Blu-ray. If you’re not already on Twitter keeping an eye out for inventory drops, you should be — they’re happening more and more often. Earlier this week, GameStop had a limited number of PS5 and Xbox bundles available. Sony’s PlayStation Direct has been holding brief restock events, but those are only open to people who have received exclusive email invites — so you if you’re still trying to buy one, you might want to consider signing up for PS Direct marketing emails in case it helps you get a future invite.
If you’re willing to shell out way more than the sticker price, you can get a PlayStation 5 or PS5 bundle at a reseller like eBay or StockX. But our advice is to wait until the console is available at its regular sticker price at a retailer like Best Buy, Amazon, GameStop, Target and Walmart. Be sure to check back here often for the latest updates on when retailers might have new console restocks.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
You can monitor PlayStation 5 stock updates on your own; as mentioned above, Twitter is a good source for restock rumors. But we occasionally get word directly from retailers and tipsters about upcoming PS5 console inventory restocks, and we update this post immediately. Again, be aware: It likely could be months before anything approximating normal inventory levels appears in stores, so getting your own PS5 gaming console is likely to be a challenge until summer at the earliest. Below you’ll find a list of all the major retailers (and a few high-profile resellers) where you can monitor the video game console’s stock and availability.
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PS5 restock options at major retailers
You can check out Amazon’s page for the $400 Digital Edition via the button below, or, if you’d rather, get in line for the PS5 with Blu-ray for $500.
When in stock, Target offers the PS5 with Blu-ray for $500, in addition to the PS5 Digital Edition, which you can find by clicking the button below.
You can check on availability of the $400 Digital Edition at Walmart by clicking the button below, or you can try to snag the pricier PS5 with Blu-ray for $500.
When in stock, Best Buy offers the PS5 with Blu-ray for $500 along with the $400 Digital Edition (which you can find by clicking the button below). The retailer is also offering a slew of accessories on its PS5 landing page.
We don’t recommend spending more than retail to get a PS5, but if you must have a console right now, eBay is your shortcut to getting a console. That said, expect to pay hundreds over list; the average PS5 price on eBay is about $800.
If you’ve exhausted all of the usual retail options and you’re willing to pay hundreds over list price, you might want to check out StockX, an eBay alternative that made its name in the secondary market for sneakers and designer clothing. Last time we checked, prices for the PS5 were hovering just below $650. We don’t think it’s worth it, but let your conscience (and your wallet) be your guide.
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This article is regularly updated with the latest PS5 stock news.
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