The PS4 is the fourth most successful gaming console of all time, so there are a lot of second hand PS4s on the market, but are used PS4 worth it or should you buy new? Let’s discuss.
A new PS4 is the same price as a PS5 at around $439, a used PS4 offers far better value assuming it’s in good condition. There are many used PS4 on sites like eBay that offer buyer protection via PayPal, you will save $200 buying used and it could come with games and accessories.
With the PS5 out, buying a used PS4 is the only sensible option, see if PS5 will make PS4 obsolete in my article.
I will explain why it’s good buying a used PS4, what to check when buying a used PS4, are used PS4 games worth it. Read on to find out.
Want the best PS4 accessories? Treat yourself or a friend to the best PS4 products on Amazon by clicking here or the button below
Is It Good To Buy A Used PS4?
Buying a used PS4 will save you around $200 compared to buying new.Assuming the PS4 is in good condition and you have buyer protection, is it a good idea to buy a used PS4 and it can come with games and accessories.
Look at the price of recently sold PS4s on eBay you should pay around $200, and the first picture had 4 games all original packaging and an upgraded hard drive of 2TB! It is impossible to find this sort of bargain buying new.
On Amazon a new PS4 is around $430, when a PS5 digital edition is $349.99! It make zero sense purchasing a new PS4 when the PS5 is out if they are the same price; but saving $200 buying a used PS4 with an upgraded hard drive and 4 games? Now we are talking.
Yes, there is a risk of getting scammed or getting a faulty console, but paying with PayPal offers you PayPal Buyer protection. Even if you buy a faulty PS4 on eBay you will be covered, it is unlikely you will be scammed if you view the sellers reputation before you purchase.
When buyers pay with PayPal on any website, PayPal Buyer Protection covers them in case there is a problem. If an item doesn’t arrive or is significantly not as described, we will help buyers get a full refund. To qualify for PayPal Buyer Protection: Use PayPal to complete your payment.
PayPal Buyer Portection
However, you still need to be careful with buying a used console.
Is the PS5 overpriced? Learn how its really a BARGAIN in my article
What To Check When Buying A Used PS4?
- Turn the system on and see if it works
- Connect to the internet and login to the PSN account to check if the system is not banned from online play
- Check all the USB ports and see if it works
- Check if controllers can connect to the system
- See if the system turns on from rest mode
- You should receive all cables and one controller
- Look for cosmetic defects
You Should Receive All Cables And One Controller
The PS4 only needs two cables to work, one HDMI cable that plugs into a TV or monitor and one power supply cable. You should receive both when buying one, also you need a PS4 controller to use the system so make sure that is included.
Turn The System On And See If It Works
Whenever your buying used electronics, verifying if the PS4 turns on is the first thing you can do, if buying on eBay there should be a picture with the PS4 turned on with all lights on.
If the PS4 doesn’t turn on, you have bought a faulty system or perhaps there is a problem with the power supply
Connect To The Internet And Login To The PSN Account
If you buy a PS4 second hand there is always a chance it is banned from online play due to bad conduct. You can see it happened to a reddit user in this thread and the official suspension rules from Sony in their website.
You can still get a refund if you buy from a trusted source from eBay as the PS4 is not working like it should, but asking the PS4 seller to record a video logging into their PS4 online account is a way to validate the PS4 is not banned from online play.
Check The PS4 USB ports And See If They Work
The PS4/PS4 slim have two USB ports whilst the PS4 Pro has 3 USB ports, they are used to plug in accessories and charge your PS4 controller. A used PS4 could have defective USB ports, you can see my article here on how to check if they are working.
You could ask a seller to upload a video where they connect a controller to each USB port, if a light turns showing the controller is charging the USB port is working.
Check If Controllers Can Connect To The System
There are ways to fix this issue, but you shouldn’t be troubleshooting a console you just bought, request a video where the seller connects with his/her controller to the PS4 just to give you peace of mind.
To fix the connection problem yourself, see my article.
See If The System Turns On From Rest Mode
Rest mode is when the PS4 instantly turns on from sleep mode, instead of booting up from off similar to your phone or laptop. Some PS4 will not turn on from rest mode, so request a video from the seller turning on their console from rest mode to prove it works.
To know more about rest mode see my article.
Check For Cosmetic Defects
The PS4 despite coming out in 2013 is still a beautiful console, so any marks or blemishes will hurt your experience with the console. Study the pictures if your buying online to see any potential defects, if you don’t mind cosmetic defects you could even negotiate with the seller and try to get a cheaper price for the PS4.
Remember, if the seller displays any cosmetic defect in the photos and the console still works, you cannot get a refund as you knew what you were buying.
Are Used PS4 Games Worth It?
Used PS4 games are a great way to get PS4 games for significantly cheaper than new. You have to watch out for DLC codes that have already been used, but buying used allows you to save money and still sell the game later on.
I have both bought and sold countless PS4 used games, and nor me or any of my buyers had any issues, to see how you can sell used games and consoles for the most money see my YouTube video.
Buying used games does carry a small risk of the games not working, but PS4 discs are Blue-Ray which have great protective coating are difficult to break, unlike the Xbox 360 discs which were notoriously easy to break. Even if you receive a faulty game, when you pay using PayPal you are protected by PayPal customer protection.
Only thing you need to watch out for are games that come with downloadable DLC, games like Red Dead Redemption 2 will have DLC content that has likely already been used, so ask the seller if they used the code.
Buying used physical games allows you to build a gaming collection and sell the games later down the line if you get bored of them, to see if you should buy digital or stick with physical see my article.
