Black Friday 2026: PS5 deals
worth waiting for (and what to skip)
Our best buy is the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. Sony and Nintendo both raised console prices this year, so a Black Friday 2026 deal starts from a higher number. Here is our buy, wait or skip call on the PS5, PS5 Pro, DualSense controllers and the Switch 2, before the sale starts.
How we picked: we shortlist by Amazon Best Seller rank and number of ratings, then compare published specs. We don't test these products hands-on.
By Jamilur Rahman, Founder & Editor · Updated October 18, 2026
- Owner reviews checked
- Features side by side
- Quick & easy compare
- Smarter purchase
The short answer
Black Friday 2026 is Friday, November 27 (Cyber Monday is November 30), but Amazon has not announced its 2026 sale dates yet. In past years its Black Friday deals started about a week before Black Friday and ran through Cyber Monday, so if it repeats the pattern, early PS5 deals would start around November 20. Today is October 18, so you have about six weeks to plan.
Console prices went up this year. Sony raised its US PS5 prices in April 2026, and Nintendo raised the Switch 2’s US price on September 1, so any Black Friday cut starts from a higher number. Our plan: wait on the PS5 Digital Edition, the PS5 Disc Edition and the standard DualSense, skip the PS5 Pro listing at today’s marked-up price and the DualSense Edge at full price, and buy the Nintendo Switch 2 now, because Nintendo rarely cuts its console prices.
Waiting is not for everyone. If a PS5 is the main holiday gift and you would be upset to miss it, the Digital Edition is the one to grab if the price drops. If you want to play Blu-ray discs, get the Disc Edition instead. One trick: Amazon does not show the PS5 console price on the listing until you add it to your cart. You can remove it afterwards. We checked these listings on October 18, 2026.
Compare them side by side
Everything that matters, in one table. Swipe to see all 6.
| Product | Best PS5 to Wait For PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Home console (825 GB) |  Best for Disc Games PlayStation 5 Disc Edition Home console (1 TB) |  Best Cheap Add-On Sony DualSense Wireless Controller PS5 controller |  Skip at Full Price Sony DualSense Edge Pro PS5 controller |  Skip This Listing PlayStation 5 Pro Home console (2 TB) |  Best Buy Now Nintendo Switch 2 Handheld and home console |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BeastScore | 92 / 100 | 90 / 100 | 88 / 100 | 82 / 100 | 80 / 100 | 89 / 100 |
| Our call | Wait | Wait | Wait | Skip | Skip | Buy |
| Best for | The cheapest way into a PS5 | Disc games and Blu-ray movies | A second controller for couch co-op | Competitive shooters and fighting games | 4K 120 Hz TVs and graphics fans | Families and games on the go |
| Typical price (checked October 18, 2026) | $570–$600 | $610–$650 | $70–$80 | $190–$200 | $880–$910 | $490–$510 |
| Model | PS5 Digital, slim design (current) | PS5 console, 1 TB (current) | DualSense (current) | DualSense Edge (2023 model) | PS5 Pro (current) | Switch 2 (current) |
| Newer model out? | No | No | No | Not stated | No | No |
| Why it’s here | The PS5 most likely to be discounted | Plays discs and has more storage | Controllers are a common sale item | A pro pad at more than twice the price | Marked-up offers on the listing | Nintendo rarely cuts console prices |
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BeastScore here is our overall rating out of 100, based on published specs and Amazon owner reviews. Prices change daily, so tap "View on Amazon" for today's price. We may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Why each one made the list
What each pick does best, where it falls short, and the typical Amazon price when we checked.
- 1. Best PS5 to Wait For
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition
BeastScore 92 / 100Typically $570–$600 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The Digital Edition is the PS5 most people should target. It is the cheapest PS5, with a slim design and an 825 GB SSD, but no disc drive, so every game comes from the PlayStation Store. PS5 consoles were discounted in last year’s Black Friday sales, but Sony raised its US prices in April 2026, so this year’s cut starts higher. Amazon hides the price until you add it to your cart. We say wait for the sale, and buy only if the cart price is clearly below where it sits today.
Pros- Sony’s cheapest PS5
- Slim design that fits on a shelf
- Amazon sold it directly when we checked
Cons- No disc drive, so no used games or Blu-ray movies
- Only 825 GB of storage, which fills up fast
- Amazon hides the price until you add it to your cart
- 2. Best for Disc Games
PlayStation 5 Disc Edition
BeastScore 90 / 100Typically $610–$650 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The Disc Edition costs more than the Digital Edition, and the extra money buys a built-in disc drive and a 1 TB SSD. That matters if you buy cheaper used games, rent discs or watch Blu-rays. The listing is sold by Amazon.com and showed low stock when we checked on October 18, so it is the one to watch if you want a disc drive. Like the Digital, Amazon hides the price until you add it to your cart. We say wait for Black Friday, and compare the two consoles’ cart prices before you pick.
Pros- Built-in disc drive for games and movies
- 1 TB of storage, more than the Digital Edition
- Sold by Amazon.com when we checked
Cons- Costs more than the Digital Edition
- The listing showed low stock when we checked
- Amazon hides the price until you add it to your cart
- 3. Best Cheap Add-On
Sony DualSense Wireless Controller
BeastScore 88 / 100Typically $70–$80 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The DualSense is the controller that ships with every PS5, and the one most people buy as a second pad. It has haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, a built-in microphone with a mute button and USB-C charging. The listing says it also works with PC, Mac, Android and iPhone over Bluetooth. Controllers are among the items stores often mark down in a console sale, and the price is low in dollars, so waiting costs you little. If you need one for a gift before the sale, just buy it. Otherwise wait.
Pros- The standard pad that every PS5 game is designed for
- Works with PC, Mac and phones, not only the PS5
- Cheap enough that waiting risks little
Cons- Built-in battery that you cannot swap, so you charge between sessions
- A small saving in dollars compared with a console deal
- 4. Skip at Full Price
Sony DualSense Edge
BeastScore 82 / 100Typically $190–$200 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The DualSense Edge is Sony’s pro controller. The listing says it has swappable stick modules, mappable back buttons, adjustable trigger lengths and quick-swap profiles, so you can tune it to a game. Those extras help in fast shooters and fighting games, and most players will never use them. It costs more than twice a standard DualSense, and even a Black Friday cut would leave it well above the standard pad. We say skip it at full price. Buy only if a real discount lands and you already know you want the back buttons.
Pros- Back buttons and trigger stops give competitive players an edge
- Swappable stick modules extend its life
- Save up to several control profiles and swap them fast
Cons- Costs more than twice a standard DualSense
- Most players will never use the extra controls
- 5. Skip This Listing
PlayStation 5 Pro
BeastScore 80 / 100Typically $880–$910 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The PS5 Pro is Sony’s most powerful console, with PSSR AI upscaling, advanced ray tracing and a 2 TB SSD. Those upgrades only apply to games enhanced for the Pro, and the disc drive is not included. Sony raised the Pro’s US price in April 2026. On October 18 the Amazon listing showed no new unit from Amazon, only a single used unit from a marketplace seller at far above Sony’s list price. That is a fake deal waiting to happen. Skip the marked-up offers, and revisit if Amazon restocks it at a normal price.
Pros- The most powerful PS5, with sharper graphics in enhanced games
- 2 TB of storage, far more than the Digital Edition
- Same games and online play as every other PS5
Cons- No new unit from Amazon when we checked, only a marked-up offer
- Pro upgrades only apply to games enhanced for it
- No disc drive in the box
- 6. Best Buy Now
Nintendo Switch 2
BeastScore 89 / 100Typically $490–$510 on Amazon (checked October 18, 2026)The Switch 2 is the one console here we would buy before the sale. Nintendo raised its US price on September 1, 2026, and Nintendo rarely cuts console prices: its Black Friday deals have usually been game bundles, not a lower price on the system. Nobody outside Nintendo knows its 2026 plans, so waiting is a gamble. The listing describes a 7.9-inch screen with HDR and up to 120 fps, a dock with 4K output, 256 GB of storage and GameChat. Amazon.com sold it when we checked.
Pros- Three play modes: TV, tabletop and handheld
- A large 7.9" HDR screen with up to 120 fps
- GameChat voice and video chat is built in
Cons- Only 256 GB of storage, and it needs microSD Express cards
- The system comes without a game
- Nintendo raised the price on September 1, 2026
All 6 compared, in one look
See every pick on one chart, or tap one to put it head to head with PlayStation 5 Digital Edition. Ratings out of 10 are our estimates from published specs and Amazon owner reviews, not hands-on tests. Bigger shape = better.
- Value todaySony DualSense Wireless Controller · 8.6/10
- Sale upsidePlayStation 5 Digital Edition · 8.2/10
- Gaming qualityPlayStation 5 Pro · 9.9/10
- Years of usePlayStation 5 Pro · 9.4/10
- Easy to buyTie
Which one should you buy?
Find your situation below. That's your pick.
WaitThe most likely PS5 to get a Black Friday cut or bundle. Sony raised prices in April, so set a price you would accept and buy only at that number.
- You buy games from the PlayStation Store
- You want the cheapest PS5
- You can wait for a sale or a bundle
WaitSame story as the Digital: a sale or bundle is likely, but Sony raised prices in April. If you want a disc drive, compare cart prices on Black Friday week.
- You buy used or cheaper disc games
- You watch Blu-ray movies
- You want 1 TB of storage
WaitA cheap, common sale item. Waiting risks little, but if you need a second pad for a gift before the sale, just buy it.
- You need a second controller for family play
- You want a PS5 pad that also works on PC
- You want a low-risk sale item
SkipA niche pad at more than twice the price. Even after a Black Friday cut it stays pricey, so buy only if you are a competitive player.
- You play competitive shooters or fighting games
- You want back buttons and trigger stops
- You will only buy at a real discount
SkipThe listing we checked showed only a used, marked-up offer. Do not pay a reseller premium: wait for Amazon or Sony to restock at a normal price.
- You have a 4K 120 Hz TV
- You can buy at a normal price, not a marked-up one
- You want 2 TB of storage
BuyNintendo rarely cuts console prices and just raised this one. If you want a Switch 2, buy it now, or watch for a game bundle.
- You want a console for the family
- You play on the go and on the TV
- You don’t want to bet on a price cut
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition
The cheapest PS5 and the console most likely to get a Black Friday cut or bundle. Wait for the sale, and set a price you would accept first.
- The cheapest PS5
- 825 GB SSD
- Amazon sold it directly
Quick tips before you buy
PS5 listings with marketplace sellers can sit far above Sony’s price. Look for “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com” before you buy a console.
Amazon hides PS5 console prices until you add the item to your cart. You can remove it again, so check there on Black Friday week.
Console deals often come as bundles with a game or a second controller. Compare the bundle price with the console and the games bought separately.
The PS5 Pro helps most on a 4K TV with 120 Hz. On a 1080p or 60 Hz TV, a standard PS5 looks nearly as good.
Quick answers
When does Black Friday 2026 start on Amazon?+
Black Friday is November 27, 2026, the day after Thanksgiving on November 26. Amazon has not announced its 2026 sale dates yet. In past years its Black Friday deals started about a week before Black Friday and ran through Cyber Monday, which is November 30.
Will the PS5 be cheaper on Black Friday 2026?+
Nobody knows until Amazon and Sony announce their plans. PS5 consoles were discounted in last year’s Black Friday sales, but Sony raised its US prices in April 2026, so this year’s deal starts from a higher number. Treat a PS5 deal as likely, not guaranteed.
Is it better to buy a PS5 now or wait for Black Friday?+
Wait, unless the PS5 is the main holiday gift and you cannot risk missing it. The Digital Edition is the PS5 most likely to see a cut or a bundle. Decide the price you would accept now, check the cart price on Black Friday week and buy if it hits that number.
Will the PS5 Pro go on sale for Black Friday?+
It might. Amazon discounted the PS5 Pro in last year’s Black Friday sale, but today’s listing shows only a marked-up, used offer instead of a new unit from Amazon. Skip that listing. If Amazon restocks the Pro at a normal price, a Black Friday cut would be worth waiting for.
Will the DualSense controller be cheaper on Black Friday?+
Possibly. Controllers are among the items stores often mark down in a console sale, but nobody can promise it. The standard DualSense is low in dollars, so waiting risks little. We would skip the DualSense Edge unless you play competitive games and the discount is real.
Will the Nintendo Switch 2 be discounted on Black Friday 2026?+
Probably not on the price itself. Nintendo rarely cuts console prices, its deals have usually been game bundles, and it raised the Switch 2’s US price on September 1, 2026. Nobody outside Nintendo knows its plans, so buy now if you want one rather than waiting for a cut.
Should I buy the PS5 Digital Edition or the Disc Edition?+
Buy the Digital Edition if you only buy games from the PlayStation Store: it is the cheaper console. Buy the Disc Edition if you want to buy used games, rent discs or watch Blu-rays. It also has 1 TB of storage instead of 825 GB.
Why don’t you list prices?+
Console prices change often in a sale, and Amazon hides the PS5 price until you add it to your cart. We show typical price bands checked on October 18, 2026. Tap “View on Amazon” to check today’s price.
Keep comparing
PS5 Slim vs PS5 Pro: Is the Pro worth it?Same games, very different prices. Who should pay for the Pro?Best PS5 Accessories: Top 5 for new ownersNew PS5? These are the five add-ons worth buying first.Best PS5 Controllers: Top 4 on AmazonA spare pad, a pro pad or a fight stick for your PS5.
Best Switch 2 Accessories: Top 6 on AmazonController, case, storage and screen protection for your Switch 2.