The Sony PlayStation 5 may have been on sale for a very long time now, but finding the console in stock is still extremely difficult.

Stock drops are becoming more regular than in the first year or so following the console's release, with retailers in the US, UK and Europe all receiving sporadic shipments, but you'll still need to act fast if you're looking to pick one up.

In this guide, we'll do our best to point you in the direction of available stock, whether you want to buy a PS5 or PS5 Digital Edition.

You'll find quick links to the retailers most likely to restock the console, as well as widgets showing live price and availability information (if any).

We've also provided a bit of the context that surrounds the current PS5 stock situation, for those wondering how long the shortages may last.

Live PS5 stock checker

The standard PS5 with its disc drive costs $499 / £449 / €499.99, while the PS5 Digital Edition is $399 / £359 / €399.99.

The PS5 Digital Edition clocks in at $100 / £110 / €100 more than the Xbox Series S, but has a better spec list as it is essentially identical to the standard PS5, just without a 4K Blu-ray drive.

Various bundles are available, including the DualSense controller, while there's also a charging dock, headphones, HD camera and a media remote as available PS5 accessories.

ps5 dualsense controller key features details and all you need to know photo 11
PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller

Where to buy a PS5

Stock drops at individual retailers are the most common method of picking up a PS5, but it never hurts to do some routine checks and have all these retailers in your mind when searching for the console. We have seen random stock drops of the odd console, after all.

Check these US stores

GameStop |  Walmart |  Best Buy  |  Target  |  Amazon.com  |  B&H Photo |  Direct from Sony

Check these UK stores

Amazon UK Currys |  John Lewis Tesco Game Very eBuyer Argos AO.com | ShopTo

Why is the PS5 still out of stock?

A combination of COVID-19 complications, semiconductor shortages and overwhelming demand has resulted in the PlayStation 5 remaining extremely sought after since its release in November 2019.

So, are stock shortages becoming more infrequent - and will the PlayStation 5 be more readily available moving forward? 

One of the last bits of information we received regarding stock shortages actually came straight from Sony, who noted in a call to investors in August 2021 that it was aiming to produce 12 million PlayStation 5 units before the end of that fiscal year - 31 March 2022. 

This relates back to the semiconductor shortage that has plagued the industry since the pandemic began.

There's been no update on whether or not the company has been able to reach that goal, of course, but the worst of the shortages does now appear to be over. 

With that said, though, seeing the PS5 (or Xbox Series X, for that matter) in the wild will remain extremely unlikely for months to come. Xbox head Phil Spencer noted as much in late 2021, stating that shortages of the Xbox Series X and Series would continue into 2022.

That means you'll still have to be extremely vigilant for stock updates from the retailers outlined above. They may be more frequent nowadays, but stock is by no means flowing normally.

Interestingly, we haven't had an indicator of stock expectations for the second half of 2022 yet, but we'll update this section when we know more.