PlayStation Direct to sell refurbished PS5 consoles — here’s how much you can save

Sony PS5 on a table next to a TV
(Image credit: Future)

If you’ve been holding off upgrading from PS4 to PS5 (or just haven’t jumped aboard the PlayStation train yet) then your patience may have paid off as Sony has confirmed it will begin selling refurbished PS5 consoles via PlayStation Direct.

This week listings for “Certified Refurbished PlayStation 5” have appeared on the official PlayStation retailer. As with a new PS5, the console comes in two flavors, a standard version which includes a disc drive, and a Digital Edition, which (naturally) excludes the Blu-ray drive. A refurbished PS5 costs $399, while a refurbed PS5 Digital is listed for $349

Certified Refurbished PS5: $399 @ PlayStation Direct

Certified Refurbished PS5: $399 @ PlayStation Direct
If you're looking to score a PS5 for as cheap as possible, this "Certified Refurbished" model is a great pick. While it may sport "minor cosmetic imperfections" it comes with a 12-month manufacturer's warranty and is the same great console capable of playing the best PS5 games. If you don't need a disc drive, the PS5 Digital Edition is listed at $349. 

The listing page explains these are “refurbished consoles from Sony” and that “Certified Refurbished products may have minor cosmetic imperfections.” However, Sony offers a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. Plus, you’re saving $100 on the retail price of a brand-new PS5 which costs $499 ($449 for the Digital Edition). 

Be sure to note that these listings are for refurbished models of the launch PS5, rather than the PS5 Slim. The PS5 Slim boasts the same internal components but with a couple of nifty upgrades namely a slimmer profile and a larger 1TB SSD hard drive, compared to 825GB on the standard model. 

Typically I’d advise against purchasing refurbished tech. However, in this case, as the refurb has been overseen directly by Sony, and the consoles come with a 12-month warranty, I’m willing to make an exception. A refurbished PS5 could be particularly useful if you’re in the market for a current generation at the lowest price possible.

Alongside consoles, PlayStation Direct is set to begin selling refurbished DualSense controllers. There are currently three listings on the retailer for refurbished controllers in Nova Pink, Galactic Purple and Gray Camouflage. Each costs $64, a $10 saving compared to buying new. These also come with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty. 

As for when these listings will go live, PlayStation Direct marks them as “Coming soon”, but we’ll update this article once they are available for purchase. 

Meanwhile, if you’re not so concerned about cost, Sony just announced the PS5 Pro with an eyewatering price of $699, and we’ve got all the PS5 Pro pre-order details if you want to get your hands on the most powerful PlayStation ever this winter. 

More from Tom's Guide

Rory Mellon
Entertainment Editor (UK)

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

TOPICS