The Breaker Times

We’re inching ever closer to a mid-cycle refresh for the PlayStation 5, as the PS5 Pro’s staggered preorder schedule is beginning. The $699.99 console is about to be available to preorder in the US at 10AM ET / 7AM PT through Sony’s PlayStation Direct storefront, so if you want to secure one ASAP, you’ll want to jump in line at Sony’s site (be sure to have your PlayStation Network login info handy).

Also going up for preorder at the same time are Sony’s retro-styled 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro bundle ($999.99), PS5 Digital Edition slim ($499.99), PlayStation Portal ($219.99), DualSense ($79.99), and DualSense Edge ($219.99) — these prices have been reported on social media, but not by Sony itself. We’ll update this article if we hear any more information before sales start.

However, if you don’t have much luck in the queue, preorders for the standard PS5 Pro at retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and Amazon are set to open on October 10th.

The main prospect of the PS5 Pro is improved graphics and performance. The new console may lack a disc drive (you can get one for an additional $80), but its new GPU, AI upscaling, and better ray tracing promise a new level of fidelity for this console generation — with the ability to maintain 4K resolution at 60fps across select titles. It may not be the most logical upgrade over a regular PS5 for everyone, but if you’re hungry for the best performance on exclusives like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, it may be the only way to achieve it (at least until Rebirth and other exclusives find their way to PC).

As mentioned above, Sony is opening up preorders for its $699.99 console first through PlayStation Direct, which requires a PlayStation Network account. The site adds you to an online queue that refreshes automatically. If you’re one of the lucky ones to get through the queue without a hitch, you’ll be given a timed window to preorder the console and any accessories you might want. The PS5 Pro is set to land on November 7th, so preorders are expected to arrive then.

The official PlayStation storefront may get first dibs on preorders, but retailers will have their opportunity to shut up and take your money on October 10th. That includes big ones like Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and Amazon. If the nightmarish PS5 restocks we witnessed in the early days of the pandemic were any indication, some retailers will have an organized queue in place while others (cough, cough… Amazon) may feel a bit like a bot-infested wild west. Here’s our go-to advice when the time comes:

• Create / log in to your account with the retailer ahead of time.
• Have your billing / shipping info saved to make checkout as quick as possible.
• If possible, try accessing the retail site using both your computer and the accompanying mobile app for your phone or tablet.

Launching two weeks after the PS5 Pro is Sony’s special 30th anniversary collection, a capsule of limited edition hardware honoring the arrival of the original PlayStation console 30 years ago. As a whole, the collection offers fans their pick of the following retro-styled editions: an extra-special PS5 Pro bundle, a Digital Edition PS5 slim, a PlayStation Portal, a DualSense Wireless Controller, and a DualSense Edge controller — all of which are available for preorder via the PlayStation Direct storefront and launch on November 21st (aww thanks for the birthday gift, Sony).

The 30th anniversary PS5 Pro bundle is the ultra-exclusive one, as Sony is only making 12,300 individually numbered sets, and the $999.99 bundle includes a PS5 Pro console, two controllers (one of which is a DualSense Edge), and extra accessories / collectibles. If the last anniversary PlayStation console is any indication, preorders are likely to sell out incredibly fast.

The Digital Edition PlayStation 5 (slim) is also getting the 30th anniversary treatment, and Sony isn’t making it as exclusive as the Pro. Right now, you can hop in the waiting room preorder the more modest console from PlayStation Direct for $499.99 ahead of its launch on November 21st. Aside from the coloring of the console and controller, as well as the included cover plate for a disc drive, it’s the same PS5 slim that’s been with us for nearly a year now.

The PlayStation Portal remains a quirky little peripheral, as the 8-inch handheld has one sole purpose: to stream games off your PS5 via Remote Play, complete with full DualSense integration and features. The Portal looks almost odd to my eyes in Sony’s retro aesthetic, but if you were already planning to pick up Sony’s latest mobile experiment and want a little nostalgic flare, you can currently get in line preorder the LE edition from the PlayStation Direct storefront for $219.99 ahead of its November 21st release date.

Sony’s DualSense Wireless Controller is the cheapest way to dip your toe into the nostalgic waters of the 30th anniversary collection. The limited edition DualSense and DualSense Edge gamepads offer the same features as the standard models, only with multi-tone gray paint jobs and colorful PlayStation logo / button shapes. The DualSense and DualSense Edge are available to preorder via PlayStation Direct for $79.99 and $219.99, respectively, and are set to arrive on November 21st. Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon also have listings for preorders of the 30th Anniversary DualSense.

Update September 26th: Added links to other retailers for the 30th Anniversary DualSense controller.