Black Friday falls on Friday 27 November 2026, with Black Week starting around 20 November and deals running to Cyber Monday on 30 November. For gamers, this year is different from usual: consoles in Europe have become more expensive in 2026, not cheaper, so last year’s deal prices are not a realistic target.
This is a buying guide, not a live deals page yet. It covers what PS5, Switch 2, Xbox and PC handhelds cost now, what Black Friday 2025 looked like, and the traps to avoid. From 20 November we will update this page with the real deals.
Our picks at a glance
- Best home consoleSony PlayStation 5
- Best for 4K TVsSony PlayStation 5 Pro
- Best for familiesNintendo Switch 2
- Best handheldValve Steam Deck OLED
- Best Steam Deck alternativeLenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS)
- Best for PS5 & PCSony DualSense Wireless Controller
- Best overallSteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless
- Best value OLEDAsus ROG Strix XG27AQDMGR
Prices are approximate and change often. Ad
The Black Friday 2026 dates
- Black Week: from about 20 November 2026 – most European retailers start their sales here.
- Black Friday: Friday 27 November 2026.
- Cyber Monday: 30 November 2026.
Why consoles cost more in 2026
Memory chips have become much more expensive since late 2025, and console makers have passed this on. Sony raised PS5 prices from 2 April 2026: the Digital Edition is now €599.99, the disc version €649.99 and the PS5 Pro €899.99. Nintendo raised the Switch 2 to €499.99 from 1 September 2026 (WinFuture), and Microsoft raised Xbox prices in Europe by up to €200 in August, taking the Series X to €799.99 (PC Games Hardware). Notebookcheck reported that PS5 and Xbox sales fell to record lows after the increases.
What this means for Black Friday: discounts are likely to be measured against the new, higher prices. A “€100 off” PS5 in 2026 may still cost more than it did at full price two years ago.
Price benchmarks: what’s a good price?
| Console | Price now (Oct 2026) | Black Friday 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| PS5 Digital Edition | €599.99 RRP (since 2 Apr 2026) | €349.99 (official Sony promotion, 21 Nov–4 Dec 2025) |
| PS5 (disc) | €649.99 RRP | €449.99 |
| PS5 Pro | €899.99 RRP | €699.99 |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | €499.99 RRP (since 1 Sep 2026) | Bundles with Mario Kart World discounted (Notebookcheck, PC Games) – no big cut to the console alone |
| Steam Deck OLED (512 GB) | €779 (since May 2026) | Valve discounted the older LCD model (Which?: under £280 in the UK) |
| Xbox Series X | €799.99 RRP (since Aug 2026) | – |
RRPs from Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft announcements as reported by PC Games, WinFuture and PC Games Hardware. “–” means we found no reliable figure. Retail prices can be lower than the RRP, so treat these as yardsticks, not promises.
What to watch
PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro
Sony ran big official PS5 promotions in Europe on Black Friday 2025. Whether it repeats them after the 2026 price rise is unknown. If a PS5 Digital drops back towards €450–500 it would be a strong deal by 2026 standards. The PS5 Pro mainly makes sense for owners of a good 4K TV – see best gaming TVs.
Sony PlayStation 5
Still the default living-room console, available as a disc or cheaper digital-only edition.
- Editions
- Disc / Digital
- Output
- Up to 4K
- Best for
- Living-room gaming
Pros
- Huge library of games
- Choice of disc or digital edition
Cons
- €100 price rise in April 2026
- Digital edition locks you into online purchases
Sony PlayStation 5 Pro
The premium PS5 for owners of high-end 4K TVs who want the best possible console image quality.
- Output
- 4K
- Best for
- High-end 4K TVs
- Plays
- Full PS5 library
Pros
- Best PlayStation image quality
- Same library as standard PS5
Cons
- Very expensive at €899.99
- Gains only visible on good TVs
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo rarely cuts the price of a console it has only just launched. Last year the deals came as bundles – the console with Mario Kart World, sometimes with another game – rather than a cheaper console. Expect the same: compare the bundle price with buying the console and game separately. ComputerBase noted that some retailers did not raise their prices immediately after the September increase, so shop around.
Nintendo Switch 2
Strong performance both docked and handheld, with Nintendo's exclusives — the easiest console to recommend for households.
Pros
- Strong docked and handheld performance
- Plays anywhere
Cons
- Short battery life
- Flat, plain design
- Price rose to €499.99 in Sep 2026
PC handhelds: Steam Deck, Legion Go S, ROG Xbox Ally
Valve has run its own Black Friday sales on the Steam Deck in the past, and Tom’s Hardware reported discounts on SteamOS handhelds including the Legion Go S last year. The Steam Deck OLED is still the best all-rounder; the Legion Go S has a bigger, sharper screen but shorter battery life. Our best handheld gaming PCs guide explains the differences.
Valve Steam Deck OLED
Tom's Guide's best overall handheld: the best screen and software in its class, running your Steam library anywhere.
Pros
- Gorgeous HDR OLED screen
- Polished SteamOS software
Cons
- Ageing chip
- Price rose €210–240 in May 2026
Lenovo Legion Go S (SteamOS)
Tom's Guide's Steam Deck alternative: a larger, sharper 8-inch screen with SteamOS — at the cost of fan noise and battery life.
Pros
- Big, sharp 120 Hz screen
- SteamOS out of the box
Cons
- Loud fans
- Poor battery life
Controllers, headsets and monitors
Accessories are where Black Friday discounts are most reliable. The DualSense controller and gaming headsets like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 (from around €109) are regularly reduced. For PC gamers, OLED monitors have fallen a lot: the Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDMGR was €372.99 on Amazon.de in an August deal, which is a good yardstick. More in best game controllers, best gaming headsets and best gaming monitors.
Sony DualSense Wireless Controller
PCGamesN's PS5-and-PC pick: adaptive triggers and haptics, though PC support is more limited over Bluetooth.
- Connection
- Bluetooth, USB-C
- Battery
- 1,560 mAh (built-in)
- Extras
- Adaptive triggers, haptics
Pros
- Adaptive triggers
- High-quality build
- Comfortable
Cons
- Haptics don't work over Bluetooth on PC
- Limited PC support
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless
Tom's Guide's best gaming headset overall: light, very comfortable and with up to 60 hours of battery.
- Connection
- 2.4 GHz dongle + Bluetooth 5.3
- Battery
- Up to 60 h (15 min charge ≈ 5 h)
- Platforms
- PC, PS5, PS4, Switch (Xbox: Nova 5X)
- ANC
- No
Pros
- Very comfortable and light
- Huge battery life
- Strong companion software
Cons
- No active noise cancelling
- Xbox needs the separate 5X version
Asus ROG Strix XG27AQDMGR
The cheapest route into OLED gaming we found: 27-inch, 1440p and 240 Hz with a glossy anti-reflective finish.
Pros
- Very low price for an OLED
- 240 Hz is plenty for most GPUs
- Successor to the popular XG27AQDMG
Cons
- 1440p rather than 4K
- Deal prices fluctuate
Traps to avoid
Digital vs disc editions
The PS5 Digital Edition can’t play game discs unless you buy the separate disc drive. If you have a shelf of PS4 or PS5 discs, or like buying cheap second-hand games, factor that in.
Bundles with games you don’t want
A bundle is only a deal if you’d buy the game anyway. Check the price of the console on its own and the game separately.
Storage
Big games fill console storage quickly. The Switch 2 needs microSD Express cards, not normal microSD – see best microSD cards for Switch 2.
Imports and marketplace sellers
Very cheap consoles from third-party marketplace sellers may be imports with a different plug, region or warranty. Buy from the retailer itself where possible.
Fake “was” prices
Under the EU Price Indication Directive, a shop announcing a price reduction must show the lowest price it charged in the previous 30 days as the reference. If the “before” price looks too high, compare it on a price-comparison site.
Should you wait or buy now?
If you need a console as a gift, prices in early November are unlikely to beat Black Week. Retailers do occasionally run early deals, though, and a good price is a good price. Set a target (for example, the table above), and buy when a reputable retailer hits it. If you’re choosing between consoles, read PS5 vs Switch 2 and our best gifts for gamers.
How we research
We don’t test products hands-on. Prices come from manufacturer announcements and reporting by outlets including PC Games, WinFuture, PC Games Hardware, Notebookcheck, ComputerBase, Tom’s Hardware and Which?. Product recommendations are based on expert reviews. See how we research.
FAQ
Will the PS5 be cheaper on Black Friday 2026?
Probably discounted, but almost certainly not back to 2025 levels. Sony raised the RRP by €100 in April 2026, so even a big promotion starts from a higher price.
Will the Switch 2 be on sale on Black Friday?
Last year the deals were bundles rather than discounts on the console alone. Expect bundle offers again.
Is Black Friday a good time to buy a gaming monitor?
Yes. Monitors and accessories usually get bigger discounts than consoles.
When do Black Friday gaming deals start in Europe?
Most retailers start Black Week around 20 November 2026, and the deals run until Cyber Monday on 30 November.
