Sony is offering PS5 consoles for rental with zero upfront costs, allowing users to enjoy the brand’s hardware without putting in the full price right away. A great way to try products such as the PS VR headset or PS Portal handheld to see if you enjoy them.
Teaming up with UK tech leasing service Raylo to offer leasable hardware, you can choose between a monthly rolling subscription that you can cancel anytime, or a one, two, or three-year plan. As you can guess the longer the outright commitment is, the cheaper your monthly bill gets. With the maximum 36-month option you would pay slightly more for a PlayStation 5 Slim (£11.99) than the (£9.99) PS Plus Premium tier which includes cloud gaming.
| Device | Monthly rolling | 12 months | 24 months | 36 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 Portal | £13.99 | £10.49 | £6.95 | £6.49 |
| DualSense Edge | £20.59 | £14.99 | £8.99 | £7.49 |
| PS5 Digital | £21.95 | £16.49 | £11.99 | £10.99 |
| PS5 Disk | £23.59 | £17.99 | £12.95 | £11.99 |
| PS5 Pro | £35.59 | £26.99 | £20.99 | £18.95 |
| PS VR2 | £51.49 | £37.99 | £22.99 | £18.49 |
The PS5 Slim with a disk reader seems to be the best choice for those wanting a console, due to the possibility of buying second hand games. Opting for the longest 36-month plan would end up costing you £431.64 after three years, which is still lower than buying the console outright at £479.99. As for those who want the upgraded graphics of the PS5 Pro, they would end up paying £682.2 after 36 months which is also lower than the console’s full £699.99 price tag. Just keep in mind that you won’t own the device even after paying its full value. Whenever you cancel your subscription, be it in four years or ten, you will have to send back the device.
I feel this program is more suited for those wanting short rental periods from a couple of months to a year. £23.59 for one month is a good way to test the console and see if you like it. More so, since Raylo offers free next-day delivery and a 14-day free return policy. Though, you will need a soft credit check for a successful application, like many rental programs.
Consoles aside, renting a PS VR would allow you to try and see if you have any unexpected limitations, but most importantly if the gameplay suits you. Some users feel dizzy playing VR games while others find them less entertaining compared to the good old TV projection. I bought a Meta Quest 2 thinking I had enough space to use it, just to discover my room was barely serviceable.
Now you may wonder what happens if you damage the hardware you are leasing. In case of small scratches, dents, or paintwork changes you are good. However, if the damages are severe, you will be charged the cost of repairs. You can opt for insurance at checkout which covers you against accidental damage, loss, and theft, but at this point, you would be better off paying the full price and owning the console. The same kind of fee is applicable if, for some reason, you can’t return the device after ending your subscription.
While I prefer owning my hardware outright, I definitely see the appeal of such a solution. You wait until a game you want releases, then you rent a console for a month or two to play it. After which you cancel the subscription and sell the game disk on the second-hand market. It’s like cloud gaming but at home without lag or reduced image quality.
Sony just needs to be careful in its approach in order to get it right. NZXT received a lot of flak for its gaming PC rental plans, with accusations of misleading marketing materials and unclear naming schemes prompting investigations. Fortunately, PlayStation 5 only comes in a few SKUs with clearly defined performance parameters, so you know exactly what to expect from your order.
