This story is part of Holiday Gift Guide 2020, CNET’s gift picks with expert advice, reviews and recommendations for the latest tech gifts for you and your family.
Update, 6:30 a.m. PT: Although yesterday’s stock sold out immediately (as usual), the Xbox Series S is available as of right now — with delivery after Christmas. In the meantime, check for restocks at Amazon, GameStop and Target here. (The headline originally said the Xbox One S — we regret the earlier error.)
In stock as of 7:30 a.m. ET on Friday, December 18.
Walmart/Screenshot by CNET
Walmart is at it again. The retailer has confirmed that it will have all four next-gen consoles — both versions of the PS5, the Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S — available for online-only sales today at noon PT (3 p.m. ET), Thursday, Dec. 17. If this sounds familiar, it’s because the retailer’s last online restock was just two days ago. One important note: Walmart is already specifying that this round of consoles will not arrive in time for Christmas.
This is only the second online availability at Walmart we’ve seen since the day before Thanksgiving. As usual, these will likely sell out instantly, but we’re providing the links below for you to try your luck. Looking for other retailers? Check for restocks at Amazon, GameStop and Target here.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
This plays all the same games as the $499 Xbox Series X, but it’s capped at 1440p resolution, has half as much storage (500GB versus 1TB) and lacks the Series X’s Blu-ray player. It costs less and would be a good choice depending on your setup. Read our Xbox Series S review.
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
This is Microsoft’s top-of-the-line console equipped with four times the processing power of the Xbox One. It has a Blu-ray drive and 1TB of solid-state storage and can output in 4K resolution. Read our Xbox Series X review.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The cream of the PlayStation crop, this console includes an 825GB SSD and a Blu-ray optical drive. Read our PS5 review.
Sony
This is the less pricey Digital Edition, which has the same specs as the more expensive one, including an 825GB solid-state drive, except that it lacks the optical drive. If you have a good broadband connection, your money is best spent right here. Read our PS5 review.
Watch this:
PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: the ultimate comparison
15:36
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