If you have been waiting for the right moment to jump into the current generation of console gaming, that moment has arguably arrived. Black Friday is still a week away, but Sony has already pulled the trigger on its holiday sales, slashing the price of three PlayStation 5 models to their lowest points of the year.

These discounts are particularly notable given the rocky economic context of 2025. In late August, Sony increased the MSRP of all PS5 consoles in the US by $50, citing the “challenging economic environment” surrounding new US-sanctioned tariffs. This makes the current drop not just a return to normal, but a genuine deal compared to what we have seen on shelves for the last three months.

The gaming console deals

The standout offer for budget-conscious buyers is the PS5 Digital Edition (Slim), which is now down to $399 (a $100 discount). This model is available at major retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.

• Note to shoppers: While the standard PS5 Slim Digital usually ships with 1TB of internal storage, some specific Black Friday promotional units (often labeled with model numbers like CFI-2116) may feature 825GB of storage to hit this aggressive price point. Be sure to check the side of the box or the product description before you buy to know exactly how much space you are getting.

The standard PS5 (Slim) with a disc drive is also seeing a $100 cut, bringing it to roughly $449. This deal is live at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.

For those seeking the bleeding edge of performance, the recently released PS5 Pro has seen its first major discount. It is now available for approximately $649 ($100 off) at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.

Which console should you choose?

• PS5 Digital Edition ($399)
  This is the least expensive entry point into the PlayStation ecosystem. It sports a slimmer design than the 2020 launch model and slightly rearranged ports. The catch? It lacks a disc drive entirely, meaning you are locked into buying games digitally from the PlayStation Store. However, unlike the original Digital Edition, the Slim is modular. If you later decide you want to play physical games or 4K Blu-rays, you can purchase a detachable disc drive for $79.99 and snap it on.
• Standard PS5 Slim ($449)
  Ideally, this is the “safe” pick for most families. It features the same design as the Digital Edition but includes the disc drive out of the box. Given that the separate disc drive costs nearly $80, buying this model upfront for only $50 more than the Digital version is mathematically the better deal if you own—or plan to buy—physical discs.
• PS5 Pro ($649)
  The “souped-up” PS5 Pro is aimed squarely at enthusiasts. It features a significantly larger GPU, faster memory, improved ray tracing, Wi-Fi 7 support, and Sony’s new AI-powered upscaling tech (PSSR). It also comes with a massive 2TB of internal storage—double what you get in the non-Pro models.

While these specs allow for higher resolutions and frame rates, the real-world difference varies. Reviewer noted that graphical improvements were often subtle, stating they “didn’t notice a noticeable graphical improvement… unless he sat closer than 10 feet away from his TV.” Furthermore, only games specifically labeled “PS5 Pro Enhanced” will fully utilize this extra horsepower. Like the Digital Edition, the Pro does not include a disc drive, though it is compatible with the same $79.99 external drive.

Storage expansion

Regardless of which model you choose, storage can be tight with modern games often exceeding 100GB. All PS5 models come with a dedicated expansion slot that allows you to easily pop in a standard NVMe M.2 SSD.

• Requirement: The drive must have a heatsink to work safely with the PS5.
• Recommendation: A popular, reliable option is the Samsung 980 Pro 2TB with Heatsink, which is frequently on sale during this period.

Accessories on sale

It’s not just the consoles; Sony has discounted nearly every major accessory in its lineup.

• PlayStation VR2: The Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle is down to $299 ($100 off), marking its lowest price ever.
• PlayStation Portal: The remote player is down to roughly $179 (approx. $20 off).
• Controllers: The standard DualSense controllers are seeing discounts of up to $20-$25, bringing them down to the $54 range. The premium DualSense Edge is also seeing a rare price cut, dropping to around $169.

These deals are available now and are scheduled to run until December 18th, or while supplies last.

Disclaimer: Prices and promotions mentioned in this article are accurate at the time of writing and are subject to change based on the retailers’ discretion. Please verify the current offer before making a purchase.