PS5 and Xbox Series X restock — AMD reveals when shortages will subside
Don't expect lots of PS5 and Xbox Series X stock to arrive before mid-2021
Finding where to buy PS5 and where to buy Xbox Series X consoles is almost impossible right now, despite Sony's and Microsoft’s best efforts to make sure retailers have plenty of stock. But it’s not quite as simple as just making more.
You can’t make consoles without the right components, and AMD had warned that current chip shortages will be continuing until at least mid-2021. That means it’s not going to get easier to pick up a new console anytime soon.
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This news comes from AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su during the company’s Q4 and full 2020 financial results. While the company still brought in $1.28 billion last year, Su expects that there will still be “tightness” until more production capacity is available. That’s not expected to happen until at least the second half of this year.
PS5 and Xbox Series X restocks: AMD bottleneck
Since AMD is the supplier of the custom CPUs and GPUs used by both the Xbox Series X and the PS5, it means they too will have limited production capacity until AMD is able to expand its production.
Fewer chips means fewer consoles, and fewer consoles means those infuriating stock shortages are not going to end anytime soon. Microsoft has already confirmed the Xbox Series X and S stock situation isn’t going to improve until April at the earliest.
Unfortunately, limited stock is not the only thing making the PS5 and Xbox Series X so hard to find. Demand for both consoles is extraordinarily high, and has been for months, as gamers try to upgrade their existing systems. To make matters worse, that demand has also attracted the attention of scalpers who have been using bots to pick up consoles to sell for over-inflated prices.
Hopefully, as slow as the progress may be, the fact more consoles are arriving is a good thing. In the meantime we’re always on the lookout for more console stock, and will be updating our where to buy PS5 and where to buy Xbox Series X guides with the latest news.
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Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.