A used PlayStation 5 Pro now costs more than a new one. A leaked internal GameStop memo shared on Reddit lists pre-owned consoles at $1,399.99 to $1,499.99, depending on specifications. A brand-new unit retails for $899, so the used price runs more than 50% above it.
The memo does not hide the oddity. “The pre-owned console will have a higher price than the new console,” it states. “This is intentional.”
Why the new price is already higher
The $899 sticker is itself up from $749.99 earlier this year, a rise attributed to chip shortages. It is unclear why GameStop pushed used prices up by more than 50%.
Tom’s Hardware pointed to the memory market. AI data centers want high-bandwidth memory and will pay top dollar, so DRAM makers have shifted most of their capacity toward it, leaving consumer-goods companies to fight over what remains. The blog put the rise in RAM prices at 500% over the past 12 months, with the squeeze now reaching smartphones and automotive manufacturing.
It added that the coming launch of Grand Theft Auto VI, due this November, probably compounds things. Pre-sales began in June 2026. Rockstar is not targeting 60 FPS for the game at launch, yet gamers appear willing to pay heavily to get the best performance available.
Customer reaction
The pricing drew sharp criticism online. One widely shared post from the account @RinoTheBouncer on October 6 asked what separates scalpers from stores that list refurbished consoles at $1,399 beside new ones at $899.99. Some customers also worried that buyers could return new stock and have it resold as “pre-owned” at the higher price. There is no proof that this happens.
