Sony’s highly anticipated annual PlayStation sale, one of the company’s most significant promotional events of the year, has been running for nearly a full month, offering a sweeping array of discounts that span virtually every category of PlayStation hardware. The sale encompasses price reductions across flagship items such as the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console, the innovative handheld PlayStation Portal, and Sony’s signature DualSense wireless controller. However, time is quickly slipping away: the promotion is approaching its conclusion at a swift pace. According to Sony’s official website, several of the most attractive offers will expire imminently — as early as Friday, December 19th — while a handful will persist slightly longer, extending through December 28th. In practical terms, this means the remaining window of opportunity is rapidly narrowing for shoppers hoping to complete their holiday purchases or to secure a well-deserved upgrade for themselves before the discounted pricing disappears entirely.
Through December 25th, the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition is available for $399, a robust $100 discount from its standard retail price, marking the console’s lowest cost of the entire year at leading retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Sony’s own PlayStation Direct storefront. As the most affordable member of the PS5 family, this version offers the same next-generation performance but omits an optical disc drive, meaning that all games and media must be downloaded digitally. This design prioritizes convenience and compactness but assumes a reliable and reasonably fast internet connection, especially since modern AAA titles frequently exceed 50 gigabytes in size. For those who later find themselves longing for the tactile satisfaction and collection benefits of physical discs, Sony also sells an external disc drive engineered for compatibility with the system, priced at $79.99, offering an affordable way to reintroduce physical media support if desired.
For players who still value physical media right out of the box, the standard PlayStation 5 Slim is an equally appealing option. Available through December 25th at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for $449 — another $100 discount matching its best price to date — this model delivers the same fast-loading speeds, high-end performance, and game compatibility as the Digital Edition, but it also integrates a built-in Blu-ray disc drive. This small but significant difference allows gamers to insert and enjoy both legacy PlayStation titles and the newest releases without additional accessories. Furthermore, when considering future flexibility, the cost of the disc-equipped PS5 Slim proves more economical than purchasing the Digital Edition and adding Sony’s standalone drive later on, making it the smarter long-term investment for those who anticipate continuing to buy or collect physical copies of games and movies.
For gamers eager to experience the highest level of technical performance available in Sony’s lineup, the PlayStation 5 Pro is also on sale through December 25th. It’s listed at approximately $649, reflecting a $101 discount and tying its lowest historical price point across major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and PlayStation Direct. This premium version distinguishes itself with substantial hardware upgrades: an expanded GPU for enhanced graphical output, faster memory modules that improve overall responsiveness, sophisticated ray tracing capabilities that make lighting and reflections more lifelike, Wi-Fi 7 compatibility for future-proof connectivity, and a new AI-powered upscaling system that optimizes visual fidelity in real time. These advancements enable so-called “PS5 Pro Enhanced” titles to run at higher resolutions and frame rates compared to the base PS5, although there are no exclusive games restricted solely to the Pro. Players have reported noticing subtle yet meaningful improvements in visual sharpness and detail, most apparent when sitting within roughly ten feet of a high-resolution display — a testament to the Pro’s refined rendering capabilities even if the differences are not immediately dramatic from a distance.
In addition to consoles, the PlayStation Portal handheld continues to draw attention during this sale cycle. Currently reduced to an all-time low price of $178.99 — a $21 savings — and available through December 25th at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, the Portal represents Sony’s modern take on remote play technology. When the device first launched in 2023, its principal purpose was to allow seamless streaming of PS5 games over a local Wi-Fi network, effectively letting users continue gameplay away from their main television. Since then, Sony has expanded the unit’s capabilities with the addition of a cloud streaming feature accessible to PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers. This enhancement permits streaming of select PS5 games, such as Astro Bot and Resident Evil 4, directly from Sony’s cloud servers instead of routing through a home console. As a result, users can now access parts of their digital library without relying on their PS5 hardware being powered on or connected, transforming the 8-inch device into a more self-sufficient gaming companion that offers greater versatility and mobility than at launch.
Complementing the console lineup, Sony’s DualSense Wireless Controller — the official PS5 gamepad — is enjoying temporary price reductions as well. Available through December 19th in a variety of color schemes starting at $54 (approximately $21 off), the controller can be purchased at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. The DualSense sets itself apart with a sophisticated blend of tactile and sensory technologies: advanced haptic feedback that conveys intricate vibrations, adaptive rear triggers that dynamically adjust resistance based on gameplay, and integrated components such as a motion-sensing gyroscope, accelerometer, built-in speaker, and responsive touchpad. Beyond the PlayStation ecosystem, the controller is also compatible with macOS and Windows systems, making it equally valuable for PC players. Furthermore, supply chains appear steady enough that major retailers like Amazon are assuring customers that the controller should arrive by December 25th, making it one of the few items that can still be wrapped and waiting under the tree on Christmas morning.
Finally, PlayStation fans looking to upgrade their audio experience can take advantage of a remarkable deal on the Pulse Explore wireless earbuds. Priced once again at around $169 — a $31 discount that matches the accessory’s best-ever offer — the earbuds are available at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Purpose-built for the PlayStation ecosystem, the Pulse Explore buds employ Sony’s proprietary PlayStation Link protocol to deliver ultra-low-latency, lossless sound transmission that complements the immersive experience of PS5 gaming. Reviewers have praised their planar magnetic drivers for producing clear, spatially precise audio that allows listeners to easily distinguish delicate details such as distant footsteps or subtle environmental effects within games. When the session ends, the earbuds seamlessly connect to phones and other Bluetooth-enabled devices, transforming from specialized gaming peripherals into high-fidelity everyday headphones. In short, for players seeking both comfort and technical excellence, Sony’s sale represents the ideal moment to secure top-tier PlayStation equipment before these limited-time offers disappear in the final days of the holiday season.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/844698/sony-ps5-playstation-portal-dualsense-controller-deal-sale-2025
