Club Benefits
Another day, another announcement of video game console price hikes. I don’t even bat an eye anymore.
It seems like every couple of months, news of console price hikes hits my timeline. Just recently, more news came of Sony PlayStation products being hit with a price increase. This one’s taking effect on April 2 worldwide in the US, UK, Europe, and Japanese territories.
So here’s a breakdown of how much more money you’ll be spending on a Sony gaming console next month in the US: a standard PS5 will go from $549.99 to $649.99, the digital edition will increase from $499.99 to $599.99, the PS5 Pro’s price hike is going from $749.99 to $899.99, and the PS Portal handheld device will be increasing from $199 to $249.99.
Article continues belowChatGPT
I leaped into action during this mission by using this prompt with ChatGPT: Find me the best deals for a PS5 Pro in the US from major retailers.
The chatbot was quite aware of the upcoming console price jumps since it mentioned them before giving me three options to choose from.
The first option pointed me to standard pricing offers from Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. The second option made me aware of a discounted deal from reseller PayMore that’s priced at $619.99. The third option highlighted a Best Buy bundle that included an extra controller with the PS5 Pro for a total price of $835.95. I weighed my options after looking at each deal and decided it was best for me to go with a retailer I can trust instead of a reseller and avoid the console/controller bundle deal since I already have plenty of DualSense controllers.
I kept this all in the back of my mind while I went to Gemini to see what it could find for me next.
Gemini
I decided to use the same prompt I used with ChatGPT to get the process started with Gemini. Google’s chatbot instantly chose Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, and PlayStation Direct as the best online retailers to shop with that offer the PS5 Pro at its current price.
Gemini did things a bit differently by telling me about the stores and methods that will save me even more money in my quest to procure a brand new PS5 Pro:
- Sony "Trade-In & Trade-Up": If you trade in a PS4 or PS5 through Back Market, Sony is providing an extra $50 voucher to use specifically at PlayStation Direct. This can bring your out-of-pocket cost down to $699.
- GameStop Pro Members: GameStop is offering an extra $25 trade credit on any console trade-in this week. If you're trading a base PS5 toward a Pro, you can currently get up to $346.50 in credit (Pro members), making the upgrade significantly cheaper.
- Best Buy Refurbished: Keep an eye on "Geek Squad Certified Refurbished" units. While the Pro is newer, some open-box units have been spotted for around $680–$710, though they sell out almost instantly.
Gemini’s money-saving tips gave me the know-how to consider trading in an old PS4 to save as much money as possible on a PS5 Pro while also working with a trusted entity like PS Direct (the PS5 Pro comes directly from them after all, so it’s worth giving them a shot!).
Perplexity
And finally, I ran to Perplexity to see what PS5 Pro deals it could find. Of course, I asked the same question that I presented to ChatGPT and Gemini. Sadly, it wasn’t able to live‑check current prices or stock. But it was capable of pointing me in the right direction of where to look for a PS5 Pro at a fair deal:
- Sony’s own store (PlayStation Direct) lists the PS5 Pro around the mid‑$700s for the 2TB model at full price.
- Around big sale periods, large retailers (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy) have dropped the PS5 Pro down to roughly the $649 range (about $100 off).
- Reddit deal threads show that regular “good” promos have been around $50 off MSRP at big retailers (Best Buy, Target, Dell, etc.), plus stackable card/store discounts.
Perplexity also mentioned the same trusted retailers that ChatGPT and Gemini brought up as viable options to choose from when it was finally time to do some shopping. One of its most helpful tips focused on using stackable cards and membership savings like a Target RedCard or a My Best Buy membership to knock down the PS5 Pro even more.
Final thoughts
After combining all the worthy advice ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity presented to me about nabbing a PS5 Pro at the best price possible, I came to a final decision: sacrifice my still functioning 1TB PS4 Pro with two DualShock 4 controllers and all the wires included to knock down the asking price for a brand new PS5 Pro.
Out of Back Market’s network of 250 partner refurbishers, I was shown an offer of $131 for my old PS4 Pro. With that sale and the promise of a $50 voucher, I knew I could combine them to apply to the purchase of a PS5 Pro. With a final price of of $560+, I knew I’d prevent myself from breaking the bank too much ahead of the Sony console price hike.
ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity saved the day for a needy gamer like me.
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