It’s no secret that gaming in this modern era is expensive. The likes of a PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC hardware can set you back a pretty penny. So what if you rented your console instead? Well, if you’re a Sony fan living in the UK, you can do just that.
Over on the PlayStation website, you can now choose to rent a PS5 on a monthly basis rather than buying the system outright. There are several options to choose from, whether you want to lease a Pro console for 36 months or the Digital Edition for one year.
The cheapest I can see is a PlayStation 5 Digital Edition Slim, which starts at £10.99 a month (for comparison, Spotify Premium is £11.99, while Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is £14.99). This assumes a 36-month rental, and the price per month will be more if you choose a shorter lease, or if you just want it on a rolling basis (£21.95).
Is it cheaper than just buying a PS5?
It’s not just consoles, either. PlayStation will also let you rent accessories, such as a DuelSense Edge controller and the VR2 headset. You can even lease out a PlayStation Portal. But is it all worth it?
Let’s say you opt for the cheapest option in terms of a full console. At £10.99 a month over a 36-month period, you’d be paying a total of £395.64. To buy a PS5 Digital Edition Slim direct from Sony would set you back £389, so renting isn’t really that much more expensive than just purchasing one. It’s just a question of whether you can commit to the monthly payments for the next three years.
But even then, it’s possible to cancel your order/lease, though there are some provisos, naturally. According to the FAQ, it’s free to cancel your PS5 so long as you do it within the first 14 days. After that, you can still back out of the agreement, but “an early cancellation charge may apply if you cancel before 18 months,” so that’s something to take into account. Do read through the Raylo terms and conditions (as well as the rest of the FAQ) if you decide to rent a console or accessory.
Published: Mar 7, 2025 12:00 pm