How to Tell If Your PS5 Is Genuine

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A foolproof checklist to keep you from buying a fake PS5 console or game

Co-authored by Marcus Pruitt, BS Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: November 25, 2024 Fact Checked

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How to Tell If Your PS5 Is Real or Fake

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Buying From a Reputable Seller

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Avoiding Fake PS5 Games

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Spotting a fake PS5 can be tough. One for one replica PS5s are rare, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe from the possibility of buying a fake console. That’s why we’re here. In this article, we go over different ways to spot a fake PS5 and fake PS5 games so that you can game in peace.

How to Spot a Fake PS5

The price is significantly lower than market value ($400 to $700 USD).
The serial number is invalid according to Playstation Support.
The controller seems flimsy or has faulty features.
The user interface is lagging or has low resolution.
The cooling system is overheating easily.
There are no warranty papers included with the PS5.
There are preloaded games on the PS5 (besides Astro’s Playroom).

Section 1 of 3:

How to Tell If Your PS5 Is Real or Fake

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Before you decide to buy a PS5, make sure the price is within the range of $400 to $700. If you purchase the PS5 Slim, it should be closer to $400. If you purchase the PS5 Pro, it should be closer to $700. If the PS5 is significantly lower or higher than $400 and $700, respectively, then the console might be fake.
Look at your PS5’s packaging and examine both the material of the box, the information printed on it, and the included serial number. If the material is durable and consistent and there are no errors in the text on the box, chances are the PS5 is real. However, you should still contact Playstation Support to see if the serial number is valid. If Playstation Support doesn’t recognize the number, the material is inconsistent, and the console is unusually light with misspelled packaging, chances are it’s fake.

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Check to see if the console is durable or has hardware differences. If your console is significantly lighter than other consoles you’ve owned, that’s not a good sign. The PS5 weighs 9.9lbs (4.5kg), so if the console you receive is lighter or heavier, chances are the PS5 is fake.^{[1]
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Research source} If the console is heavy and its material is durable and consistent all-around, then you’ve got the real deal in your hands.
- Make sure you’re not getting your hands on the GameStation 5, which is a popular knockoff of the PS5 that's smaller and features hundreds of pre-downloaded games.^{[2]
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Each PS5 comes with a blue and yellow warranty card that includes the serial number, model name, and other product information. If they aren’t included or don’t match the official PS5 warranty policy, there’s a good chance your console is fake.^{[3]
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DualSense 5 controllers are the official PS5 controllers. They’re heavy with a built-in speaker, haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. If your controller feels flimsy, has unresponsive buttons or feedback, and has a faulty speaker, there’s a strong chance you bought a fake PS5.^{[4]
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If your cooling system doesn’t work properly or makes weird noises fresh out of the box, that’s a strong indicator that the console is fake. Real PS5s have smooth, quiet cooling systems. A faulty cooling system can cause overheating, which can lead to poorer performance and frequent shutdowns.^{[5]
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If it is fast with a high resolution, that means your PS5 is most likely real. But, if it looks significantly different from the standard PS5 user interface and is slow with a low resolution and a lot of lag, your console is fake.
Preloaded games and trouble getting online, accessing the Playstation Store, and loading disk games are more signs that your PS5 is fake.^{[6]
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Research source} The only game that comes pre-downloaded on a genuine PS5s is called Astro’s Playroom., so if you have any other pre-downloaded games, your console is fake.^{[7]
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Section 2 of 3:

Buying From a Reputable Seller

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Buy from a seller who has a history of selling products with good reviews. This is the biggest thing you should do before purchasing a PS5. Unless it’s from Sony or a retailer like GameStop or Walmart, make sure the seller has sold verified PS5s in the past with customer reviews to back it up. If the price is significantly higher or lower than what PS5s usually go for, you might be looking at a fake console.
- Depending on who you buy from, the PS5 Slim ranges from $400 to $500 and the PS5 Pro ranges from $500 to $700.^{[8]
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Section 3 of 3:

Avoiding Fake PS5 Games

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Inspect a PS5 game’s packaging and disk to make sure it’s genuine. Check for missing seals, misspellings, inconsistencies in the cover art, and make sure the rating is correct. Pull up a photo of the official game cover art and compare it with the game you suspect is counterfeit if you’re struggling to figure out whether or not the game is fake.^{[9]
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- If you’ve already bought and inserted a game you suspect to be fake into your PS5, listen for loud, clunky noises to determine its authenticity.
- If your PS5 displays the message “Can’t recognize disk,” take the disk out and clean it.^{[10]
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  Research source} If it still isn’t recognized and there's no visible damage, the game might be fake. If that’s the case, take it back to where you bought it and ask for a refund.