Is the PS4 still worth it?
Whether a PS4 makes sense today, what games it still gets, and which model to choose.
The PS4 is two console generations old, and it is still one of the best-value ways into gaming — provided you know what you are buying and what you are not.
Is the PS4 still worth buying?
Yes, in specific circumstances:
You want the largest cheap library available. The PS4 has an enormous catalogue, and used copies are now very inexpensive. You can build a serious collection for what a couple of new PS5 games would cost.
Your budget does not reach a PS5. A pre-owned PS4 with a warranty is a genuinely good console, not a compromise.
You play on a 1080p television. Much of the PS5''s advantage is invisible on a 1080p screen.
It is not the right buy if you want the newest releases, if you have a 4K television you want to use properly, or if your friends play current-generation online games together.
Does the PS4 still get new games?
Some, but the flow has slowed considerably. Major releases are now built for PS5 first, and an increasing number skip PS4 entirely. Cross-generation releases still appear, and large live games — sports titles, online shooters — generally continue supporting it.
The honest expectation: the back catalogue is the reason to buy a PS4, not future releases. That catalogue is deep enough to last years, but treat new games as a bonus rather than the plan.
Can PS4 games be played on PS5?
Yes, almost the entire library. This is the argument that makes buying PS4 games now a low-risk decision — build a collection today, and it still works when you upgrade.
Many PS4 games also run better on a PS5, with higher frame rates and faster loading. And some offer a free or paid upgrade to a PS5 version; see cross-gen and free upgrades.
If you are buying a PS4 now and expect a PS5 eventually, buy games on disc — they carry over, and you can sell them if you do not.
PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro — which should I buy?
PS4 Slim — smaller, quieter, cheaper, and plays every PS4 game. The sensible default.
PS4 Pro — more powerful, targets higher resolutions on a 4K television, and holds frame rates better in demanding games. Larger, louder, more expensive.
The deciding factor is your screen. On a 1080p television, the Pro''s advantage largely disappears and the Slim is the better purchase. On a 4K set, the Pro is worth the difference — though at that point it is worth asking whether the money is better put towards a PS5.
Buying one
Pre-owned PS4 consoles from us can carry up to one year of warranty, which is the difference between a considered purchase and a gamble. We also buy used consoles and games in cash, so a PS4 can later fund part of an upgrade.
See our PS4 page, or call 16280 to check what is in stock.