Ever since Sony raised its prices on PS5 consoles earlier in the year, I've been shouting about refurbished stock. With a console now costing you a minimum of $600 in the lead-up to GTA 6, it's the only way I recommend upgrading in 2026. PS Direct is usually the go-to here, with its sturdy supply of stock and 'Certified Refurbished' designation. Today, it's sweetening the deal a little further.
Here's the offer: buy a certified refurbished PS5 and DualSense together from PS Direct, and you'll save $40 on your total order. That essentially nets you a second gamepad (because one automatically comes in the box anyway) for an extra $20. It's certainly among the cheaper PS5 bundle deals we've seen since those prices increased, but whether it's worth it for you ahead of Black Friday PS5 deals will depend on your setup.
Here's how the same cart would look if you bought everything brand new. A digital edition PS5 costs $599 box-fresh (Amazon), with a DualSense controller sitting at $74 (Amazon). That drops us off at $673 - $155 more expensive than buying everything in PS Direct's current refurbished offer. Swap out that digital edition for a disc version, and you're looking at $723 all in.
As it has been for most of the year, it's pretty clear refurbished PS5 consoles are the way to go if you're upgrading for GTA 6.
Whether or not Sony's current offer will cut the mustard, enough to keep you from waiting until Black Friday later in the year, will depend on whether you actually need that second controller. It's only adding an extra $20 to the final price, but $20 is $20 (that's a full game on a really good day), and without it, the cheapest PS5 stays under that $500 bracket.
Do you need two PS5 controllers?
As the owner of far too many DualSense controllers, I'm going to sound a little hypocritical here. You don't need an extra DualSense controller in your setup. So long as you're conscientious about charging (and assuming you don't play couch co-op), the refurbished DualSense you'll find in the box with your console will do you just fine. The battery life on these things isn't great, lasting about seven hours on average. Unless you're marathoning, though, it's pretty easy to manage with the supplied cable.
Adding that extra controller to your setup does feel nice, though. Unless you're looking for the absolute cheapest way to buy a PS5 ahead of GTA 6, the extra $20 for a spare gamepad is solid value. It's not going to give you the extra features of the best PS5 controllers, but it does have its benefits in battery management and overall longevity.
Being able to keep one charged up while playing with another will make a larger difference for those playing over longer sessions. However, it also spreads your wear and tear across two devices.
The only fault I've noticed with my longstanding gamepads is a slightly stuck Options button. I've personally never experienced drift from DualSense controllers (and I've had one going since 2020), but many have - and picking up refurbished stock is going to put you further down that path than a new device. That's partly why I generally only recommend going straight to Sony for renewed gamepads, after all.
For $20, you're getting a whole second controller to spread that action across, as well as the obvious battery life benefits.
- See all PS5 deals at Amazon
We're also bringing you all the best PS5 accessories available in 2026 and rounding up the best PS5 gifts this holiday season. Check out the best PS5 headsets if you're kitting out a whole setup ahead of GTA 6.
