Is Buying a Used or Refurbished PS5 Worth It After the 2026 Price Hikes?

For the first time in video game history, a console generation has gotten significantly more expensive the older it gets.

Sony’s unprecedented global price hikes have officially hit the UK market. The standard PlayStation 5 Slim (with a disc drive) has shot up to £569.99, the Digital Edition rests at £519.99, and the high-end PS5 Pro will set you back a staggering £789.99.

With brand-new retail prices soaring and UK hardware sales subsequently taking a massive dip, casual gamers and hardcore enthusiasts alike are asking the exact same question: Is it time to give up on retail and buy a used or refurbished PS5 instead?

Let’s look closely at the math, the risks, and how to safely save hundreds of pounds on a PlayStation 5.

📉 The Reality of the 2026 Price Hikes

Typically, as a console reaches its mid-to-late life cycle, manufacturing processes get streamlined, components get cheaper, and costs drop. However, due to ongoing global economic supply constraints and the skyrocketing costs of memory chips (partially driven by the massive demand for AI data centers), Sony chose to reverse this trend.

Every single PS5 hardware variant has faced a massive £90 increase over its previous retail price point.

Because of this, the gap between buying brand new and buying second-hand has widened into a canyon. This shift makes the pre-owned market the most financially sensible route for anyone wanting to play exclusive titles like Ghost of Yōtei or Grand Theft Auto VI without destroying their budget.

⚖️ Refurbished vs Used: Knowing the Difference

If you decide to skip the retail markup, you have two distinct paths. Understanding the difference between them is vital to protecting your wallet:

1. Buying "Used" (Peer-to-Peer Marketplaces)

• Where you find them: Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Vinted, Gumtree.

• The Reality: This is the Wild West. You are buying a console directly from another person. While you might stumble upon a desperate seller offering a rock-bottom price, you get zero warranty, zero consumer protection, and no returns. If the console breaks or stops reading discs two weeks later, you have lost your money.

2. Buying "Refurbished" (Professional Tech Vendors)

• Where you find them: Certified refurbishers and trusted platforms like Mobinest.

• The Reality: Refurbished consoles are devices that have been traded in, rigorously tested by professional technicians, thoroughly cleaned of internal dust, and restored to factory specifications. Most importantly, they come backed by a hardware warranty and a clear returns policy, giving you the exact same peace of mind as buying a brand-new box from the high street.

📊 UK Price & Value Comparison (2026)

To see exactly how much cash you can save, here is a snapshot of current brand-new retail RRPs compared to typical certified refurbished market rates in the UK:

🔍 The Second-Hand Checklist: What to Look For

If you choose to navigate the pre-owned market, use this checklist to ensure you do not get stuck with a faulty machine or a very expensive paperweight.

• Check the PSN Console Ban Status: This is the single biggest risk. If a previous owner cheated, modified their hardware, or violated Sony's Terms of Service, Sony will issue a permanent hardware-level ban. The console will look completely normal, but it will be permanently blocked from accessing the PlayStation Network, downloading digital games, or playing online multiplayer. Always see the console connect to PSN and log into an account before paying.

• Inspect the HDMI Port: The original "launch" style PS5 models are notorious for fragile HDMI ports. If the cable feels loose or the video signal cuts out when you wiggle the wire, the internal port pins are damaged and will eventually require an expensive solder repair.

• Test the Disc Drive: Bring a physical PS4 or PS5 game disc with you to test. Ensure the drive pulls the disc in smoothly, reads the data without making a grinding noise, and ejects it cleanly.

• Listen to the Fan: Run a demanding game like Astro Bot or Spider-Man 2 for 10 minutes. If the console sounds like a jet engine taking off, the internal heatsinks are clogged with dust or the liquid metal thermal paste has degraded. A certified refurbished unit will have already been stripped down, cleared of dust, and refreshed.

🏆 The Mobinest Verdict

Buying a brand-new PS5 at retail right now simply doesn't make financial sense. Paying up to £570 for a standard console that launched years ago is a tough pill to swallow.

If you want to jump into current-gen gaming without overpaying, buying a Certified Refurbished PS5 Slim is the absolute best value move in the UK right now. You bypass Sony's steep 2026 price increases entirely, pocket roughly £150 in savings to spend on games or a PlayStation Plus subscription, and still get a solid hardware warranty to protect your purchase.