The Sony PlayStation 5 (2020), which launched in November 2020 at a price point of $499, currently trades in for between $280 and $340. This represents a depreciation of approximately 38% from its original retail value after six years on the market. Our guide covers the current trade-in values offered by major services like Gazelle, Back Market, Apple Trade In, and Best Buy. We also provide information on purchasing certified refurbished units and safely recycling a PlayStation 5 that has reached end-of-life status.
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All certified-refurbished sellers test the device, replace the battery if degraded below 80% capacity, and reset to factory defaults.
How to Recycle a Sony PlayStation 5
If trade-in value is below £20 / $25 - or the device has a swollen battery, cracked screen with internal damage, or won't power on - recycling is the responsible end-of-life route.
The fastest free option for a Sony device is the manufacturer programme: Sony Take-Back / WEEE. Mail-in recycling for Sony electronics.
Free options that work for any gaming:
Before recycling, factory-reset the device, remove SIM and SD cards, and sign out of any cloud account.
What's Inside (Recoverable Materials)
Game consoles contain 0.2-0.5g gold across the motherboard, 60-120g copper, 100-300g aluminium (heat sinks + chassis on Pro/X models). PS5 and Series X also contain rare earths in the cooling fan magnets.
The UN Global e-waste Monitor 2024 estimates that the raw materials in global e-waste were worth $91 billion in 2022, with only 22.3% formally recycled. Every device sent to certified recycling closes a small part of that loop.
Fair-condition trade-in is around $145. Repair almost always pays off - even a full screen replacement at $150-$200 lifts the trade-in to excellent tier, recovering the repair cost twice over.
Common failure modes for this generation: battery degradation below 80% capacity (cheap fix at any independent repair shop), screen damage from drops (out-of-warranty repair from the manufacturer is usually 2-3x what an independent shop charges), and water damage (rarely worth repairing - recycle and trade up).
Related Guides
Sources
- Trade-in prices: market estimates across Gazelle, Back Market and Apple Trade In, Best Buy Trade-In, retrieved 2026-05-17
- Manufacturer take-back URLs: official manufacturer recycling pages
- Recoverable materials: UN Global E-Waste Monitor 2024 (UNITAR/ITU) baseline data
- Repairability scores: iFixit teardown database where available
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Sony PlayStation 5 worth in 2026?
In excellent condition, the PlayStation 5 trades in for $280-$340. In fair condition (screen scratches, battery health 80-90%), expect $120-$170. Quotes vary by service; check Decluttr, Gazelle and Back Market for live pricing.
Where can I sell my Sony PlayStation 5 for the most cash?
For US sellers, Decluttr typically pays the highest cash for Sony devices and ships money within 1 business day of inspection. Back Market wins on Macs and premium laptops. Apple Trade In pays in store credit only but stacks with current promotions.
Is the Sony PlayStation 5 worth repairing?
It depends on what's broken. Battery replacement on the PlayStation 5 costs $40-$80 at an independent shop and is almost always worth it if the device is otherwise functional. Screen damage is more expensive ($150-$250) but still cost-effective if the device is less than 4 years old. Water damage is rarely worth repairing.
How do I recycle a Sony PlayStation 5 if it has no trade-in value?
Three free options: (1) the Sony manufacturer take-back programme (prepaid mail label), (2) Best Buy Electronics Recycling (drop-off, 3 items per day), or (3) Staples Electronics Recycling (no quantity limit). All three are R2 or e-Stewards certified.
Is it safe to sell or recycle a PlayStation 5 with personal data on it?
Only after a full factory reset. On the PlayStation 5, this clears the encryption key and makes the data unrecoverable to the next owner. Sign out of any cloud account first (iCloud, Google, Microsoft account), then perform a factory reset from the settings menu before shipping.
