Is It Worth Buying a PS5 in 2026, or Should You Wait?
The PS5 launched in 2020 — ancient in console years — yet it’s still Sony’s current machine. So is it worth buying a PS5 in 2026, or should you wait? With the PS6 on the horizon and the PS5 Pro available, the answer is more nuanced than you’d expect.
PS5 prices in the UK (2026)
- PS5 Slim (disc): ~£400-£430 — the standard choice; plays physical and digital games.
- PS5 Slim (digital): ~£330-£360 — cheaper, but you’re locked into PlayStation Store pricing (no second-hand games).
- PS5 Pro: ~£700 — enhanced graphics and performance. Only worth it for enthusiasts with 4K 120Hz TVs.
- Bundles: console + game for £430-£480 are common — often the best value.
The case for buying now
- Enormous game library: six years of releases, many now £15-£30 second-hand or on sale. The back catalogue alone justifies the purchase.
- PS Plus Extra/Premium: hundreds of games included (£100-£135/year) — incredible value that keeps growing.
- Mature hardware: no launch issues, quiet revisions, full accessory ecosystem.
- Years of life left: consoles typically get 2-3 years of full support after the successor launches — and the PS6 is still a way off.
- Price stability: PS5 prices have barely dropped — waiting rarely saves much with PlayStation hardware.
The case for waiting
- PS6 is coming: likely 2027-2028. Buying now means 1-2 years before the new hotness — though launch consoles are expensive and game libraries are thin.
- You have a PS4: if you’re still happy, the jump is nice but not transformative for casual players. The PS4 still gets some releases.
- You’re a PC gamer: most PlayStation exclusives now come to PC (1-2 years later). If you’re patient, PC covers you.
- Budget is tight: the real cost is £500-£700 with games and PS Plus. Don’t stretch for it.
Disc vs digital: the important choice
Get the disc version unless you have a specific reason not to. The £70 saving on digital evaporates fast: physical games can be bought second-hand (£10-£20 cheaper), resold when finished, and lent to friends. Digital buyers pay full PlayStation Store prices forever. The disc drive pays for itself within 4-5 games.
The real cost of PS5 ownership
- Console (disc): ~£420
- Extra controller: ~£60
- PS Plus Extra: ~£100/year
- 5-6 games (mix of new and second-hand): £150-£250
- Year one total: £700-£850
Verdict
Buy now if: you want to play the current generation’s games, you don’t own one yet, and the budget works. The library is at its peak and prices are stable — there’s no big discount coming.
Wait if: you’re happy on PS4/PC, you’re holding out for the PS6, or the budget is a stretch. The PS5 will still be here (and possibly cheaper) in a year.
For most people asking the question in 2026, the answer is buy — the PS6 is far enough away that you’ll get years of value, and the games library has never been better. Just get the disc version.
If gaming isn’t the answer, there’s plenty of other entertainment: watching classic films in London cinemas is a wonderful night out, and binge-worthy British box sets will fill any evening.
Is it worth buying a PS5 in 2026 or waiting for a price drop?
Let’s address the price-drop hope directly: don’t hold your breath. Sony has barely discounted the PS5 in six years — the Slim launched at essentially the same price as the original, and Black Friday discounts are typically £20-£40 on bundles, not transformative cuts. PlayStation hardware holds its price because demand stays strong; unlike phones or TVs, there’s no annual model cycle forcing old stock down. Waiting for a big PS5 price cut is waiting for something that historically doesn’t happen.
What does get cheaper: bundles (console + 2 games + extra controller for the price of the console alone appear regularly), PS Plus subscriptions (CDKeys and similar sell 12-month codes 20-30% below Sony’s price — legitimate, just grey-market), and games (the real saving — new releases drop from £70 to £30-£40 within 6-12 months, and second-hand halves that again). The smart buy isn’t a cheaper console; it’s a fairly-priced console with cheap games.
The PS6 timeline (the other reason to wait): credible reporting points to 2027-2028. Console generations overlap generously — the PS4 got major releases until 2023, three years after the PS5 launched. A PS5 bought in 2026 will play new releases until ~2029-2030. That’s 3-4 years of current-generation gaming for £420. The cost-per-year (£105-£140) is excellent value by any entertainment standard — cheaper than a mid-tier streaming stack, for hundreds of hours of content.
Who should still wait: if you own a PS5 already (obviously), if you’re genuinely content with your PS4 and its enormous cheap back catalogue, or if you’re a PC gamer who’s happy waiting 1-2 years for PlayStation ports. Everyone else asking the question in 2026: the answer is buy. The library is at its absolute peak, the hardware is mature and reliable, PS Plus Extra is the best value in gaming, and the PS6 is far enough away that waiting means missing years of great games for a discount that won’t come.
For official pricing, bundles and PS Plus details, PlayStation UK is the source of truth — compare its bundle offers against retailer prices before buying.
The PS5 games that make it worth it
The library is the argument. Unmissable exclusives: God of War Ragnarök, Horizon Forbidden West, Spider-Man 2, The Last of Us Part I & II, Ghost of Tsushima (Director’s Cut), Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Demon’s Souls remake. Best on PS5: Elden Ring, Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077 (redeemed), Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Most are £15-£30 second-hand or on sale now — the back-catalogue discount is the hidden benefit of buying late in a generation. Ten superb games for £200 is the reality of PS5 ownership in 2026, and it’s glorious.
The takeaway
PS5 in 2026: buy the disc Slim (~£420) if you want in — the library is superb and the PS6 is still distant. Get the disc version, buy games second-hand, and consider PS Plus Extra. Waiting only makes sense if you’re content on PS4/PC or specifically holding out for next-gen.