GuidesUpdated By Federico Ragusa
Used PS5 and Switch price: what to check before you buy
A used PS5 or Switch is worth what other UK sellers ask today for the same version, with the same things in the box, in working order, postage included.
The version matters more than most listings let on: a PS5 with a disc drive and one without sell at different prices, and so do the three kinds of Switch. Work out which one you are looking at and test the parts that tend to fail before you compare prices.
Which PS5 is it?
Four kinds of PS5 turn up used. The original 2020 model, the larger one, comes as a standard edition with a disc drive and as a Digital Edition without. The slimmer 2023 model also comes in both versions, and its Digital Edition can take a disc drive bought separately. The PS5 Pro, from 2024, has no disc drive in the box and takes the same add-on drive.
Without a disc drive you can only buy games from the PlayStation Store, which rules out second-hand discs, often the cheapest way to play. Allow for that before you pick a Digital Edition for its lower price. When a listing just says 'PS5', ask for a photo of the front: you can see the disc slot at a glance.
Which Switch, and which Xbox?
The original Switch sits in a dock for the TV and lifts out to become a handheld. Units made from 2019 have a newer chip and a much longer battery life; the model number on the back, HAC-001(-01), tells you it is one of those. The Switch OLED has a larger OLED screen, a better stand and a dock with a network port. The Switch Lite is handheld only: it does not connect to a TV and its controllers are built in, so a worn stick means a repair rather than a new Joy-Con.
The Switch 2 came out in 2025 and turns up in the same searches, so make sure the listings you compare are for the same machine.
On Xbox, the Series S never has a disc drive, and since 2024 there has also been an all-digital Series X. The same rule applies: check for a disc slot before you compare.
What goes wrong on a used console
Ask the seller to show it working: a short video of a game starting, the character moving in every direction, and a disc loading if it has a drive. If you meet in person, plug it into a TV and play for ten minutes. 'Works perfectly' on its own tells you nothing you can check.
- Stick drift: the character walks on its own. Common on DualSense pads and Joy-Cons.
- The HDMI port: a bent or loose port means no picture and a repair to the board.
- Fan noise: loud under light load means dust, or a console kept in a closed cupboard.
- The disc drive: it should take a disc in, read it and eject it without grinding.
- On a Switch: scratches on the screen, and Joy-Cons that slide and click firmly into the rails.
Accounts, bans and what is in the box
A console should arrive signed out of the seller's PlayStation, Nintendo or Xbox account and reset to factory settings. If you meet, ask the seller to do it in front of you; it takes a few minutes.
Nintendo can ban a modded Switch from its online services for good. A banned Switch works offline but cannot go online, so no eShop and no online play, which for most buyers makes it a broken console. Before paying, connect it to a network and open the eShop.
Then count what comes with it: how many controllers, the stand, the cables, the dock for a Switch, the disc drive for a Digital Edition or a Pro. A second controller adds real value, and a missing dock or charger is something you will have to buy.
Where to buy a used console in the UK
Private sellers list on eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Vinted. CeX and GAME sell pre-owned consoles with a shop warranty and buy them in for cash or trade credit: their selling prices sit near the top of the used market, and what they pay sits near the bottom. Back Market and musicMagpie sell refurbished consoles, graded on their own scales.
Buy from a shop, or a business selling on eBay, and the Consumer Rights Act applies: the console must be as described and of satisfactory quality, you have 30 days to reject it if it is faulty, and 14 days to cancel if you bought online. Check how long the shop's own warranty runs on top of that. A private seller owes you a truthful description and little else, so testing before you pay is your warranty.
How to judge the price
Line up offers for the same version: a disc PS5 with disc PS5s, a slim Digital with slim Digitals, a Switch OLED with OLEDs. Add postage. Then adjust for what is in the box: an extra controller, the add-on disc drive, games you would buy anyway. A bundle full of games you will never play is a bare console at a higher price.
Look twice at listings far below the rest. A console sold for parts, one with no picture, a box with no console in it: they sit in the same search results and catch the eye. With those set aside, the table below shows what sellers ask today for each console, postage to the UK included.
Nintendo Switch
3 versions · 5107 offers
Nintendo Switch: typical price £135
Lowest today£65.00
See all 5107 offers
Used console prices, model by model
The typical price sits in the middle: for each model, half the sellers ask less and half ask more, delivery included. We only count offers that compare: same condition, delivery stated. We read the offers again several times a day, and the table is worked out again every hour. Prices read on 28 October 2026.
| Model | Typical price | Lowest | Compared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch | £135 | £40.22 | 2724 |
| Nintendo Switch OLED | £193 | £79 | 1074 |
| Nintendo Switch Lite | £108 | £50.88 | 746 |
| Sony PlayStation 5 Standard | £477 | £376.78 | 151 |
| Sony PlayStation 5 Digital | £456 | £368.60 | 98 |
| Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Digital | £450 | £396.20 | 68 |
| Sony PlayStation 5 Pro | £948 | £549.99 | 29 |
How much is a used PS5 worth?
It depends on the version, whether it has a disc drive, and the controllers and games in the box. The table on this page shows what sellers ask today for each console, postage to the UK included, read from offers on several marketplaces and shops.
Can you add a disc drive to a PS5 Digital Edition?
Only to the slimmer PS5 Digital Edition from 2023 and to the PS5 Pro, using the disc drive Sony sells separately. The original 2020 Digital Edition cannot take one.
Is a used PS5 Pro worth buying?
It makes sense if you play on a 4K TV and care about the sharper picture and steadier frame rate it gives in games that support it. It has no disc drive in the box, so if you play discs, add the drive to its price before you compare.
How do I check a used Switch is not banned?
Connect it to the internet and open the Nintendo eShop or start an online game. A banned Switch shows an error when it tries to reach Nintendo's online services. If you are buying at a distance, ask the seller for a video of exactly that.
What is the difference between Switch, Switch OLED and Switch Lite?
The Switch Lite is handheld only, with built-in controllers and no TV output. The OLED model has a larger OLED screen, a sturdier stand and a dock with a network port. The original Switch has neither, and its later units have a much longer battery life than the first ones.