Technology

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• A leak has provided our first look at a phone believed to be the OnePlus 13R
• It looks a lot like the higher-end OnePlus 13
• The phone reportedly uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset

While we’re still waiting for the global launch of the OnePlus 13 (following its October launch in China) we’re already seeing leaks about a mid-range sibling to the phone, likely to be dubbed the OnePlus 13R, and now we’ve seen a leaked image supposedly showing this handset.

Shared by leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo (via NotebookCheck), the image is technically said to be of the OnePlus Ace 5, but based on past form that phone will probably launch as the OnePlus 13R outside China.

In any case, the image shows a sleek, stylish phone that looks quite a lot like the OnePlus 13, especially with its circular, off-center camera island. Like that phone it appears to have a triple-lens camera, and round the front it has a flat display, unlike the curved OnePlus 12R.

(Image credit: Digital Chat Station) High-end specs at a likely mid-range price

You can also see that there’s an alert slider on the left edge, and what looks to be a metal frame. The source adds that the OnePlus 13R will use a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. That’s not the latest Snapdragon chipset, so this phone likely won’t be as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite-packing OnePlus 13, but the 8 Gen 3 is still a speedy option, as it’s used in the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

There’s nothing else in this leak, but previously the same source has said the OnePlus 13R will have a huge 6,000mAh battery, a 50MP primary camera, and a 50MP telephoto one.

If that all pans out – coupled with a likely mid-range price tag – the OnePlus 13R could be a very tempting alternative to other mid-range models we’re expecting in 2025, like the iPhone SE 4, the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, and the Google Pixel 9a.

The OnePlus 13R could also launch before any of those phones, as based on past form we’d expect to see it in January or February.

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• GSMA report claims cybersecurity spend set to rise by the end of the decade
• Unsurprisingly, 5G is set to get 2.5x more investment than 4G by 2030
• Telcos need to help enterprises undergo digital transformations

Most enterprises are not reacting to tough economic conditions by cutting costs, but rather they’re looking to boost revenue, new research has claimed.

A new GSMA report has said three-fifths of firms are now prioritizing revenue growth, customer experience and competitive positioning to help grow their companies rather than make reactive decisions to reduce costs.

But the study also found cybersecurity is at the top of many companies’ lists, with investments set to continue growing long-term.

Companies are investing in future growth

The report noted enterprises are planning to allocate a considerable 9% of their revenue during 2024-2026 to cybersecurity, with that figure climbing two percentage points to 11% during 2027-2030.

Besides increasing security, enterprises have also expressed a commitment to investing in artificial intelligence and improving their connectivity.

Most (85%) now see 5G networks and connectivity as important, with an average of 21% of digital transformation budgets set to be earmarked for connectivity – 13% for mobile and 5G and 8% for fixed and Wi-Fi. Between 2024 and 2030, investment in 5G is expected to be 2.5x great than in 4G, with high mobility sectors like automotive, transportation, logistics and warehousing driving much of this investment.

Finally, AI spend is set to continue as companies seek productivity and efficiency boosts. It already makes up for 14% of enterprise technology expenditure, with 90% of companies having incorporated the tech in some form, however the scope for growth is tremendous given that only one-third are using it in “advanced” ways.

“Telcos need to go beyond just providing network services since enterprises are increasingly looking for partners who can help them throughout their full digital transformation journeys, combining technologies such as 5G, AI, IoT and cloud to improve efficiency, security and drive revenues," noted GSMA Intelligence Head of Research Pablo Iacopino.

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• Spotify Wrapped is expected to arrive imminently according to new teaser
• Spotify says it might not appear if you haven't updated the app
• Last year proved so popular it seemed to overwhelm the servers

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat and it's very nearly time for Spotify Wrapped 2024, the annual analysis of what you've been listening to – assuming of course that you've been listening to it on Spotify.

We're expecting the annual recap to be released any day now – as we noted in our Spotify Wrapped 2024 release date predictions, the smart money is now a December 4 roll-out, based on a combination of historical dates and recent rumors. Although Spotify could go rogue and choose December 11 or another date instead.

But how do you make sure Wrapped turns up safely? Historically, the roll-out has been slightly staggered across different regions, so the timing of its arrival is a little out of your hands – but Spotify has posted some details on how to make sure you get Wrapped on time for those all-important social media shares.

Head to the Spotify app on either Apple's App Store (if you're on iPhone) or the Google Play Store (for Android fans) and see if an 'update' button appears. If it does, update the app to the latest version. That's currently version 8.9.94 on iPhone or 8.9.96.476 on Android, though Spotify may well roll out another update before Wrapped 2024 lands.

We reckon the smart thing to do is make sure you're app's updated early next week – and also have a backup plan, in case Wrapped runs into some issues like it did last year...

Preparing for a Wrapped wrinkles

Last year's Spotify Wrapped 2023 roll-out had some early teething issues, which meant it wasn't appearing immediately for some users. (Image credit: Future)

Last year, some users encountered issues where Wrapped just didn't appear.

Some of those issues appeared to be the result of overloaded Spotify servers, but there are some troubleshooting tricks that may come in handy if there's a repeat this year. The tips to keep in your back pocket are:

• Update or reinstall the app
• Do it manually: try typing spotify:datastories:wrapped or 2024 wrapped in the search bar
• Try the Spotify mobile website

Still, there's always a chance that Wrapped might go a little more smoothly this year, so making sure the app is updated remains the best best advice.

So whether you want to impress people with your top-notch taste in music – or in my case, your worrying Charli XCX obsession – or just see how Spotify follows up 'Sound Town' or its artists video messages this year, you shouldn't have long to wait.

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The best streaming services tend to take it easy in the run-up to the holidays, with lots of festive-themed entertainment already added. But there's usually at least one big blockbuster for the season, and looking at everything new on Netflix in December this year Netflix's one is the high-octane and equally highly rated Mad Max: Fury Road, which comes with screaming tires and people towards the end of the month.

It's not the only best Netflix movie you'll find on the service this December. Kathryn Bigelow movies are always worth streaming; the surprisingly nuanced Zero Dark Thirty is coming to Netflix this month. And if you want to feel deeply disturbed, the critically acclaimed Compliance makes its Netflix debut this month too.

Mad Max: Fury Road

RT Score: 97%
Age rating: R
Length: 2h 0m
Director: George Miller
Arriving: December 30

This is the perfect blockbuster for the holidays: it's big in every sense of the word and has a near-perfect 97% rating. Although officially a Tom Hardy movie the real star of the show is Charlize Theron as Furiosa, a character so good she got her own movie afterwards.

According to Alternative Lens: "It's like an insane 80's B-movie, but one made with thought, effort, and enough of a budget to match its deranged aspirations." Flickering Myth says that "Mad Max: Fury Road is a rare successful franchise resurrection; it is an 80s action film with the budget of a modern era film with mind-blowing cinematography". And The Monitor suggested that "Mad Max: Fury Road is the perfect chick flick for the discerning viewer who prefers her protagonist to be more Ellen Ripley than a musical Charlie's Angel."

Zero Dark Thirty

RT Score: 91%
Age rating: R
Length: 2h 37m
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Arriving: December 1

Although it's a work of fiction, Zero Dark Thirty is based on very real events: the hunt for terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden. Jessica Chastain delivers a superb performance as the woman who tracked him down, and provided you don't treat it as a history lesson it's a very powerful and thrilling movie.

Empire magazine gave it the full five stars, saying that it's a complex film that isn't quite the good-guy bad-guy story you might expect: "Like Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, it’s a relatively new kind of American patriotic war movie, counterprogramming jaded paranoid fantasies like the Bourne movies or the liberal horror stories (Redacted, Rendition, In The Valley Of Elah, Green Zone etc.) thrown up by the War On Terror. It’s measured, seething with suppressed emotion, unafraid of slow stretches and false trails, snapping shut like a mantrap when blood is shed."

Compliance

RT Score: 89%
Age rating: R
Length: 1h 30m
Director: Craig Zobel
Arriving: December 5

This is an unusual one. It starts with a phone call to a burger bar and becomes a meditation on how humans can be persuaded to do inhuman things, and while it's not 100% successful – it attracted very mixed reviews – it's a deeply disturbing tale of a young woman subjected to increasingly hostile interrogation.

According to MovieFreak.com: "It took me places I did not want to go, got me in a mindset so infuriating I was angry at myself for thinking the thoughts I was." And Metro UK points out that sometimes reality is just as worrying as fiction. "Plausibly acted, if implausibly directed by Craig Zobel (Great World Of Sound), the credulity of this provocative scenario would snap had it not actually happened more than 70 times across 30 US states."

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• Shuhei Yoshida announces he will leave PlayStation in January 2025
• The current Head of Indie's has worked at PlayStation for 31 years
• Yoshida said that after he hit 30 years, he thought it was "time for me to move on"

The head of PlayStation's indies, Shuhei Yoshida, has announced he will retire from the company in January 2025 after 31 years.

The news of his upcoming departure comes from a new PlayStation Blog post, where Yoshida reflected on his time at PlayStation and why he ultimately decided to leave the company behind.

"I’m leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15, 2025… it’s like announcing the launch date of a new game, [something] I haven’t done for a long time," Yoshida said.

Yoshida joined PlayStation in 1993 when Sony was still developing the PS1 and was later promoted to president of Sony Computer Entertainment, which is now known as Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SIE).

In his current role, Yoshida overlooks independent studios as the head of Sony's Independent Developer Initiative.

"I’ve been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation. And when I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be about time for me to move on," Yoshida said.

"You know, the company’s been doing great. I love PS5, I love the games that are coming out on this platform. And we have new generations of management who I respect and admire. And I’m so excited for the future of PlayStation.

"So you know, PlayStation is in really good hands. I thought, okay, this is my time."

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It's an NFC East showdown between New York and Dallas in the second of the NFL's three Thanksgiving Day games.

The NFL's Turkey Day triple-header kicks off with an NFC North showdown between Chicago and Detroit.

Miami and Green Bay play in prime time tonight, and you don't need cable to watch on NBC or stream on Peacock.

• Apple’s running shoe emoji is based on a famous New Balance design
• An artist has turned this emoji into a real pair of sneakers
• You can buy them from the artist’s website for $219

All the best phones come with a bewildering array of different emoji – with new ones being added all the time – but they mostly stay confined to the digital realm. Now, though, one designer has turned Apple’s running shoe emoji into a real pair of kicks that you can purchase for yourself.

Artist Jose Wong took inspiration from Apple’s particular take on the running shoe emoji, using it to create a pair of sneakers available in sizes five to 12. The upper consists of full grain nubuck leather and mesh, with EVA foam and a polyurethane rim on the midsole and heel.

There’s five percent recycled rubber in the outsole, while the insoles are printed with a chipboard design inspired by iPhone circuitry and Apple silicon chips. The packaging the shoes will arrive in also takes its cues from Apple, with a plain white paper insert reading “Designed by Josewong in China.”

You can buy a pair of the sneakers from Wong’s ABCD brand shop, where they will set you back $219.90 (around £175 / AU$340). Even the product’s URL incorporates the sneaker emoji.

Why New Balance?

(Image credit: Jose Wong / Future)

When new emoji get created and approved by the Unicode Consortium, operating system creators can interpret them in their own way. That’s why emoji can look slightly different across iOS and Android, and even on different apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and more.

Apple’s version of the running shoe emoji – the one that inspired Jose Wong – is itself a reference to the New Balance sneakers worn by Apple’s late founder Steve Jobs.

The former Apple CEO was famous for his “uniform” consisting of a black turtleneck sweater, blue jeans, and New Balance 991 or 992 shoes. Interestingly, Apple’s sneaker emoji is actually based on the New Balance 574, albeit with some subtle changes (including to the logo), but the similarities to Jobs’ chosen footwear are striking.

If you love the iOS running shoe emoji and want a pair for yourself in the real world, Jose Wong’s creation might be appealing. It’s far from the only emoji to debut IRL – giant emoji plushies are common around the world – but it might be one of the more practical ones.

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The picture of human evolution has changed repeatedly and dramatically over the past half century, shaped by waves of new fossil discovery, technology, and scientific techniques.

Google is planning to give Gemini a major boost in absorbing and explaining software code, as discovered in as-yet unreleased code by Android Authority. The upgrade could simplify developers' lives using the AI assistant on Android devices.

Specifically, the unreleased programming points to Gemini, adding the ability to analyze entire code folders instead of one file at a time like now. That's less of a breakthrough than a way for Google to keep up with its rivals like ChatGPT, which can already take on multiple files of code.

Based on the report, Gemini users would be able to upload a codebase of up to 1,000 files and 100MB in a single folder. You could then ask Gemini about the code, what it does, and ways to improve it. That might not seem like a big change, but the single file limit makes Gemini's insight into code much less helpful for developers.

Even if they like how Gemini explains the code, uploading a thousand files in a folder that could all go up at once takes a long time. By putting it all together in a single upload, Gemini could provide a more holistic view of a project and its strengths and weaknesses. At the very least, debugging would go a lot faster.

The raw code doesn't indicate when the new feature will be available or if it will be restricted to premium subscribers, but expect a lot of excitement from coders who would prefer to use Google's AI over OpenAI or GitHub Copilot, the coding assistant run by the Microsoft subsidiary.

Code Gemini

Even with folder uploading as an option, Gemini won't be taking over for programmers everywhere. A maximum of 1,000 files and 100MB per folder might be sufficient for smaller projects or individual developers, but it could fall short for larger, enterprise-level codebases.

Even on a smaller scale, AI tools can really only supplement human expertise. Debugging and optimizing code is one thing, but you'll still want a human checking the result of anything the AI writes. And the creative aspect of programming is not an area where AI can really shine, at least without mimicking existing ideas.

Still, many independent developers and small teams will undoubtedly welcome Gemini's upgrade as it makes coding more accessible to those with less experience and fewer resources. Imagine a junior developer using Gemini to understand a complex open-source project or a solo creator resolving all of the bugs in their app. The ability to ask plain-language questions about an entire codebase could streamline that process enormously.

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• Only one in three firms are fully utilizing cloud-based solutions
• More companies are using complex multicloud systems than last year
• Two-thirds want to upgrade their systems because of lack of confidence

Many UK businesses are falling behind when it comes to adopting critical technologies like cloud-based solutions, which is limiting their potential for growth, new research has claimed.

A report from OneAdvanced says only one-third (35%) of UK businesses fully utilize cloud-based solutions, with just 14% having successfully integrated artificial intelligence at the strategic level where it can help improve the efficiency of data-driven decision-making.

OneAdvanced’s findings are somewhat contradictory, given nearly half (44%) of Britain’s leaders identified efficiency and productivity as their top objectives for 2024.

Britain is slow to adopt new tech, it’s confirmed

It’s not always a pretty picture when companies do invest, though, because many fail to get it right. Around half (48%) of AI projects fail due to poor implementation, and despite the majority (85%) of execs recognizing AI’s potential benefits, many businesses lack the right infrastructure and expertise.

“It’s not at all surprising that so many leaders say that efficiency and productivity are their top priorities, but to find that so few are actively embracing the technology and services that will allow them to grow is quite astonishing," OneAdvanced CTO Andrew Henderson commented.

The report added says this reluctance to go all-in on cloud could also be costing businesses by increasing complexity – 42% now use a mix of cloud and on-prem systems, up from 36% last year.

“Without the proper adoption of cloud solutions and a lack of availability of reliable data, businesses will continue to find it hard to realise the full potential of AI tech," Henderson noted.

Looking ahead, two in three leaders plan to upgrade digital systems, with 15% currently lacking confidence that their existing infrastructure could support the growth they need.

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• The Samsung Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra have all been certified by US regulators
• They will seemingly all charge at the same speed as their predecessors
• The Samsung Galaxy S25 doesn't appear to have ultra-wideband

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and its siblings are among the best Android phones you can buy, but one thing they’re far from the best at is fast charging, with even the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s charging speeds being dwarfed by some rival handsets. Sadly, it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S25 series will charge just as slowly.

Following a recent FCC (Federal Communications Commission) certification for the Samsung Galaxy S25 in the US, the Galaxy S25 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra have also now been certified, as spotted by 91Mobiles, and those certifications reveal the likely charging speeds.

In the case of the Samsung Galaxy S25 that speed is 25W, just like its predecessor, while the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and Ultra look like they’ll charge at 45W, which again is the same as the current models.

Technically these certifications don’t reveal the phones' charging speeds, but they do reveal the speeds of the power adapters associated with each phone, which in most cases would match what the phone is capable of.

Well behind rivals

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

So that’s unfortunate when you consider that the Xiaomi 14T Pro, for example, offers 120W wired charging and 50W wireless, while the OnePlus 13 supports 100W wired charging and 50W wireless – and those are just a couple of examples of much faster-charging Android phones.

And speaking of wireless charging, 91Mobiles interprets the FCC information as saying that the base Samsung Galaxy S25 will offer just 9W wireless charging, down from an already-slow 15W on the Samsung Galaxy S24.

However, that seems an unlikely downgrade, and indeed leaker @Jukanlosreve spotted that, based on the FCC documentation, it’s actually reverse wireless charging (the ability to wirelessly charge other devices with the phone) that’s 9W, while wireless charging is probably still 15W. That would actually be an upgrade for reverse wireless charging, as that tops out at 4.5W on the Galaxy S24.

Charging speeds aside, there’s not much of interest in these FCC certifications, though they do state that the Samsung Galaxy S25 will lack UWB (ultra-wideband). This is a wireless communication protocol that can be used for things like unlocking car doors and more precise tracking of devices like Samsung’s SmartTag 2.

UWB is present on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Ultra, but not on the base model, and it sounds like the same will be true of the Samsung Galaxy S25 line. So in short, almost none of the things that these certifications mention seem to be changing from the Galaxy S24 series.

We’d still take all of this with a pinch of salt, but the FCC should be working off official information, so these details are likely correct. We’ll probably find out for sure in January, as that’s when the Samsung Galaxy S25 series is expected to launch.

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(Image credit: Future/Sony)

The Black Friday PS5 deals are well and truly underway, and they are even bringing with them bona fide PS5 Pro discounts, as well as a host of discounts on complementing games and accessories.

I've been tracking gaming hardware deals, writing about gaming tech for years, and covering sales periods for years now. That includes covering the PS5 stock shortage of a few years ago, as well as covering record-low prices on a host of the best and our favorite gaming tech across the years.

• See all of today's best deals at Amazon

The Black Friday PS5 deals are always a staple of the November sales period and often represent the best time to invest in hardware and accessory upgrades as well as pick up the latest and greatest games going too. This year, we've got the introduction of the PS5 Pro to contend with too, and I'm hoping for some value-busting bundles on that machine that will include the disc drive and vertical stand at a reduced retail price. This would increase the value proposition and help offer a way into the new console in a more fulsome way - and with it being so hard to buy a PS5 disc drive right now, this would be incredibly welcome.

Away from that new console, be it PS5 Slim bundles, or discounts on the best PS5 headsets, controllers, storage solutions, or PS5 and PS5 Pro-enhanced games, I'm here to guide you through the swathes of deals and discounts we'll across the whole Black Friday period. And we'll start with a few of my top picks.

US Black Friday PS5 deals - quick links

• PS5 Pro: Walmart's got the best Pro price
• PS5 Slim consoles: Save $75 on both Slim models
• PS5 Slim bundles: Get the Fortnite Cobalt bundle for $75 off
• Controllers: Save up to $31 on all DualSense pads
• Games: Save $20 on Silent Hill 2, Metaphor: Refantazio
• Headsets: Get $20 off the official Pulse Elite headset
• SSDs: Get our favorite SSD for $100 off
• TVs: Pick up our favorite OLED TV for PS5 for its lowest-ever price
• Monitors: Get the five-star Samsung OLED G8 for a record-low price

UK Black Friday PS5 deals - quick links

• PS5 Pro: Get the Pro for just £659 at EE
• PS5 Slim consoles: Pick up the disc Slim console for under £400
• PS5 Slim bundles: Save up to £90 on Slim bundles at Currys
• Controllers: Save over £20 on all DualSense pads
• Games: Save on Astro Bot, Stellar Blade, and more
• Headsets: Get my favorite PS5 headset for a record-low price
• SSDs: Get 2TB PS5 SSDs with heatsink from just £115
• TVs: Pick up our top-budget gaming TV for a lowest-ever
• Monitors: 4K PS5 monitors from £199

My top US Black Friday PS5 deals

The PS5 Pro itself remains in steady stock in the US with a whole host of retailers offering ways to buy the upgraded console.

Also in stock at: $699.99 at Amazon | $699.99 at Target | $699.99 at Best Buy | $699.99 at PlayStation DirectView Deal

If you're after the best-value PS5 Slim console as well as the best-value bundle, then this Fortnite Cobalt Star listing at Walmart is the way to go.View Deal

If you're happy to go digital then the same price cut is available on the Fortnite PS5 Slim Digital Edition bundle and represents excellent value for money if you haven't jumped into all things PS5 yet.View Deal

Adding an extra controller to your setup is never a bad thing and Black Friday is almost always the best time of year to buy a DualSense. Luckily all the colorwayts under the sun(almost) are discounted, but starting with the original white one is always worth a shout.View Deal

The Sony Bravia 8 4K TV is our pick for the best PS5 OLED TV and will be a brilliant companion for any PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro this holiday. Our Sony Bravia 8 review will shine a more detailed light on why.View Deal

Horizon Forbidden West is probably the best-looking game on a console I've ever seen since testing it for my PS5 Pro review this month. It's one of the best games to get first for Pro owners and a superb one for a Christmas list for any PS5 player. Ten bucks off is nothing to sniff at either, which is also its lowest-ever price.View Deal

The Nova 5 is my favorite gaming headset of this year and is exceptional value at this price. Offering supreme comfort, brilliant audio quality, and battery life, as well as excellent flexibility when used in tandem with the Arctis Companion App, this is all the PS5 headset you'll ever need.View Deal

The PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds at their lowest-ever price in the US makes for a much more compelling proposition. They've never offered better value and this brings their price down right into the face of the competition. Go planar for less with this deal.View Deal

This new lowest-ever price for Astro Bot is the easiest PS5 game deal recommendation I can make in 2024 - I've just completed it myself and am so close to the platinum. It's easily one of the top games to play on PS5 and a bargain at this price just a few months after release.View Deal

If you're looking for a quality 4K gaming monitor to team with your PS5 Pro or PS5, then this Acer model is worth considering with over $120 off its list price. It's got a 28-inch panel, so isn't too massive, and channels all that make Acer screens great with loads of ports, a 1ms response time, 144Hz refresh rate and it's also G-Sync compatible for PC gaming too. It's only $20 or so off its lowest-ever price right now.View Deal

This is a brilliant game deal with the Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition now at a new lowest-ever price. This version of the critically acclaimed horror mystery game includes all the DLC and even a free copy of Alan Wake Remastered for the complete experience. Plus, it's PS5 Pro enhanced for good measure.View Deal

My top UK Black Friday PS5 deals

Amazon is our top pick for making a PS5 Pro order today, but the new, mid-generation upgraded console is in stock at a host of others right now too.

Also in stock at: £699 at Amazon | £689.99 at Argos | £699 at Very | £689 at Currys | £699.99 at PlayStation DirectView Deal

For those in the UK looking for the best-value PS5 bundle (or console deal generally, to be honest) then the Fortnite bundle is for you offering a few free Fortnite discounted console. Nice.View Deal

Digital gaming fans in the UK looking for a new PS5 can get the Digital Edition PlayStation 5 console for a massively discounted rate this Black Friday too. Yup, it's got the Fortnite bits in it too which makes it slightly better value.View Deal

The DualSense controllers are discounted in the UK too, with prices dropping across the whole color range which is excellent news for those who need another or are building a collection (like me).View Deal

This new lowest-ever price makes the premium Alienware AW3225QF QD-OLED monitor the best value it's ever been. If you're looking for a premium beauty of a screen to go with your PS5 Pro or PS5 then look no further than this. Add code AFF5MON to get another 5% off and get it down to the above price.View Deal

This white variant of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless is the same price as the black version but, being white, is more in-keeping with the slick PS5 aesthetic. It's a brilliant headset, and this new lowest-ever price makes it a great hit for those looking to go big this month.View Deal

The Pulse Explore earbuds are excellent value for money at this price and probably should have launched at this rate to begin with. They offer exceptional audio and are perfect for anyone on PS5 or PlayStation Portal.View Deal

This chunky discount takes the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro wireless gaming headset down a few notches and to a much more tempting (though still premium) proposition at £199. If you've been after a top-end gaming headset for less then this is a fine one to consider.View Deal

While EE doesn't list this as an official discount, it certainly is one with the Portal not receiving a price cut from Sony, and still retailing at its MSRP of £199.99 almost everywhere else. Regardless, this is a solid price on the PS5 remote play device and could make an excellent augmentation to any new PS5 Pro setup.View Deal

This edition of one of 2023's finest bags you all the expansions as well as the base game and only came out recently too! A neat saving of a fiver is very welcome and it's also one of the best Pro-enhanced games you can get right now.View Deal

The DualSense Edge is a superb premium PS5 controller that's usually just a touch too expensive to recommend. This current sale price is more in line with similar controllers on the market, and thus it's much easier to recommend currently.View Deal

This is a terrific price to bag Assassin's Creed Mirage, with John Lewis offering it for less than 15 quid. It's a new lowest-ever price and is absolutely worth it at this low price.View Deal

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is one of the sleeper hits of the year and is an absolute banger if you're into third-person action shooters. Even better if you're a Warhammer 40K fan. Even better at this new lowest-ever price.View Deal

Welcome to my live coverage of the Black Friday PS5 deals!

The big day itself arrives tomorrow but we're already swimming in a veritable sea of PS5 deals and discounts from everything from the latest console - the PS5 Pro - to this year's biggest games, and from the best headsets and controllers, to the very best TVs for PS5.

Join me as I sort all the great deals from the good ones, and highlight a bunch of the best discounts going - along with some bits of advice I've picked up and discovered over the years.

(Image credit: Future)

There's no better place to start our roundup - especially in the UK morning hours - with the excellent PS5 Pro discount that appeared and has remained so soon after the new console came out.

The discount over at EE is great for two reasons. First, it's a solid discount of 41 quid off the retail price of the console, but the shop is also offering an attractive trade-in offer that could see you bag up to £260 for your old console (a trade-in value that's then boosted by a code emailed to you).

This would take your cash outlay on a new PS5 Pro down to £399 which is pretty attractive if you were thinking of upgrading and definitely cements this as the best route to maximizing the value on a PS5 Pro in the UK.

PS5 Pro: was £699.99 now £659.99 at EE

However, another bundle might be attractive at Very...

(Image credit: Future/PlayStation/Sony)

But if you're looking to ensure you can get the Pro and a disc drive right now in the UK, then Very is the best place to head to with the retailer offering a bundle that bags you the two together.

It was once a pre-order but now the retailer says this package is in stock and ready to go right now which is excellent news - and does hint at a restock of the disc drive too. It only saves you a couple of quid compared to the combined price of both things, but if getting a Pro and the disc drive together is the most important thing then this is the way to go.

PS5 Pro + disc drive: £798 at Very

A tip for today

One thing I often get asked in the week of Black Friday, particular on the couple of days before the big day itself it 'should I wait for Friday or buy [This Thing] now?'

While we might see a flurry of new deals appear on Black Friday itself, nowadays - with retailers trying to get you to spend with them earlier and earlier - the deals we see right now are going to be Black Friday prices.

As a result, if you see something today that we highlight or through one of the links above then I say absolutely go for it right now. The current price being the sales price works in your favor, but so do retailer price guarantees - promises from retailers that,. should the price drop further after you've bought a product, they'll refund the difference.

All in, now is a great time to strike on a Black Friday PS5 deal!

(Image credit: Future/Sony)

Back to the deals!

If you've been waiting for the excellent Pulse Explore earbuds to go on sale to team with your PS5 or PlayStation Portal then now is the best time to commit as we're seeing record-low prices on both sides of the Atlantic for the planar-magnetic driver-driven buds.

US - PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds: was $199.99 now $169.99 at Amazon US

UK - PlayStation Pulse Explore earbuds: was £182.87 now £149 at Amazon UK

(Image credit: Future/Sony)

A PS5 controller very dear to me has been discounted for Black Friday and I love that it has - it could help loads more gamers get into and enjoy PS5 gaming as a result.

The PlayStation Acces Controller has received a chunky discount for Black Friday which means that Sony's hardware aimed at increasing inclusivity and removing barriers to play is more accessible than ever. As somewhat the target audience for this controller - I have different hands and digits to normal folk - this is a personal, but I think very important little deal among the many this Black Friday.

The discount is only in the UK by the looks of it - I think the US one has either passed or stopped (for now) - but this is still absolutely worth highlighting for folks like me.

PlayStation Access controller: was £75.09 now £64.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

At Amazon, you can now grab the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P wireless gaming headset for under $135 dollars from its original $180 price tag. This headset features a lengthy battery life and excellent microphone quality, which is ideal for all your online gaming needs on the PS5. The UK price is a belter too.

US - SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P: was $179.34 now $134.99 at Amazon

UK - SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P: was £169.99 now £109.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

If you're after a top game of this year for less - and that's enhanced for PS5 Pro, no less - then Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, is one of the best to consider right now.

The price cut it has received for Black Friday means doing so is now as cheap as ever, too, on both sides of the Atlantic. If you're a long-time fan or new to the series this is a banger of a game and this lowest-ever price makes it very, very attractive.

US - Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: was $49.99 now $39.99 at Amazon

UK - Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: was £58.99 now £34.99 at Argos

(Image credit: Future)

If you're on the lookout for an affordable 4K gaming monitor for PS5 or PS5 Pro, then we've found an absolutely excellent deal.

Right now, Amazon is offering a massive 33% discount on the 27-inch Acer Predator XB273K, saving you a whopping $150 and a new lowest-ever price! It also features a refresh rate of 165Hz, which is perfect for playing the latest PS5 Pro-enhanced games or, well, anything on PS5, frankly.

Acer Predator XB273K: was $449.99 now $299.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking for a premium controller this sales season then the official Sony DualSense Edge is potentially what you're after.

And if you're in the UK, then you'll have a bit more luck saving some money on it right now. At Amazon UK, the premium pad has dropped by a chunky 30 pounds or so which is a new lowest-ever price.

In the US, there's no real official or massive discount, but it can be acquired for $10 less than usual at the likes of Walmart, which we've linked below.

UK - PS5 DualSense Edge controller: was £209.99 now £179.97 at Amazon

US - PS5 DualSense Edge controller: was $199.99 now $189.99 at Walmart

(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking for a deal on Dragon Age: The Veilguard on PS5 then we are seeing some price cuts on the game, despite only having launched earlier this month. It's also PS5 Pro-enhanced and looks fantastic on the new console too which is a bonus.

Considering the new-ness of the game, its size, and pedigree, I think both these options are relative steals if you're looking to sink some hours into one of the best RPGs of 2024.

US - Dragon Age: The Veilguard: was $69.99 now $61.43 at Amazon

UK - Dragon Age: The Veilguard: was £69.99 now £57.93 at Very

(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking for a cheap gaming headset to go with your PS5 or PS5 Pro and don't mind keeping things wired then we've got a solid deal for you right here.

With excellent audio quality and a crystal-clear microphone for online gaming, the Inzone H3 is a great mid-range piece of hardware - and now it's at a record-low price on both sides of the Atlantic!

US - Sony Inzone H3: was $99.99 now $58 at Amazon

UK - Sony Inzone H3: was £89 now £44.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, another recent release, has received a price cut in the UK (sorry, US readers) which is excellent news for such a big game so soon after its release.

It's a great time to jump into the latest installment as Season One has recently launched, offering free updates in the form of new maps, Operators, weapons, modes, and more. If you're looking for the lowest Black Ops 6 PS5 price then we've spotted this price at Argos (the Amazon listing ran out of stock) which saves you £16.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6: was £69.99 now £53.99 at Argos

(Image credit: Future / Sony)

If you're considering going big this year on the TV front then you can usually find smashing deals on the ever-so-slightly-older TVs that are still absolutely belting - and that's what I've got for you right now.

Sony's excellent A95L TV is brilliant and perfect for gaming and PS5, and has had its price slashed on both sides of the Atlantic for Black Friday in its 65-inch form and well worth a look if you want to upgrade your TV this month with PS5 gaming at the forefront of the choice.

US - Sony A95L 65-inch QD-OLED 4K TV: was $3,499.99 now $2,998 at Amazon

UK - Sony A95L 65-inch QD-OLED 4K TV: was £3,599.99 now £2,699 at Amazon (lowest ever price)

(Image credit: EA)

If you are yet to pick up the behemoth sports game of 2024 that is EA Sports College Football 25 then there's a deal that's perfect for you. And it'll make you feel vindicated for waiting to pick it up.

You can currently get the game for PS5 at Amazon for less than half price which is wild value for money.

EA Sports College Football 25 for PS5: was $69.99 now $29.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

If you've got a PS5 Pro recently, or are just looking at investing in more storage for your launch or Slim PS5, then a PS5 SSD deal could be just the ticket for you - and we have exactly that for you right now.

Currently, the WD Black SN850X SSD is on offer at Amazon thanks to a 31% discount. High-end SSDs tend to be on the expensive side, but this offer will save you some cash while offering a solid and handy 1TB of storage - perfect for a PS4 game library on PS5 Pro, for example.

The 4TB model is also reduced and is now at its lowest price ever at Amazon. This deal will save you over $100, so if you don't mind splashing an extra bit of cash for more storage, I'd go for it; it'll be all the storage you'll ever need!

WD Black 1TB SN850X SSD: was $129.99 now $89.99 at Amazon

WD Black 4TB SN850X SSD: was $379.99 now $269.99 at Amazon

(Image credit: HyperX / Future)

Hardware Writer Dash jumping in here to quickly recommend a deal of my own!

If you're searching for an affordable pair of gaming earbuds this Black Friday sales season, then don't miss this stellar discount on the HyperX Cloud Earbuds II. They are currently 51% off at Amazon, taking them down to a new lowest-ever price and under 20 bucks.

And yes, they are fully compatible with the PS5, PS5 Pro, and even PS4. Just pop the 3.5mm connector into your controller's headphone jack and you're good to go.

They come with a nifty carrying case, which should make it a little harder to lose them, and a few alternate ear tips to help find the perfect fit.

HyperX Cloud Earbuds II: was $39.99 now $19.49 at Amazon

(Image credit: Ubisoft / Future)

Rob again, back to say that Star Wars Outlaws, Ubisoft's open-world action-adventure game, is now 43% off at Amazon thanks to this excellent Black Friday offer.

This deal will save you $30 and even better, is for Amazon's exclusive Limited Edition version, which includes additional in-game content to enjoy.

This a new lowest-ever price at the retailer too - so a proper bargain.

Star Wars Outlaws - PS5: was $69.99 now $39.99 at Amazon

The big day is here! Black Friday has finally arrived and there's going to be so many deals and discounts to sift through and peruse!

It's the biggest shopping day of the year and there's so much PS5 hardware and games to save on and I'm back to help you find what you need.

(Image credit: Sony/PlayStation)

UK shoppers: If you've been hoping to see more 30th Anniversary DualSense stock then have we got the Black Friday miracle for you.

Although not selling the 30th Anniversary DualSense pad individually, EE is throwing it in with PS5 bundles - that include savings! There's a bunch of disc console bundles on offer that include the special DualSense, and you can also get it with the digital console.

You'll have to scroll down a little to find the bundles that include the 30th Anniversary DualSense but they are there and the extra clicks are worth it for the limited edition gear!

PS5 Fortnite bundles (disc edition): from £459 at EE

PS5 Fortnite bundles (digital edition): from £375 at EE

(Image credit: Future)

If you're after a PS5 audio upgrade this Black Friday, then this deal at Amazon could well have you covered. The retailer is now offering the Sony Inzone H9 wireless gaming headset at a lowest-ever price in the US and a near-lowest-ever price in the UK.

Sony knows how to do audio supremely well, and this is a quality premium wireless gaming headset changing price categories completely.

US - Sony Inzone H9: was $299.99 now $198 at Amazon

UK - Sony Inzone H9: was £228 now £179 at Amazon

(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking for a top PS5 game or perhaps a PS5 Pro-enhanced game of the Creed variety, then this deal is for you.

Right now, Assassin's Creed Mirage has had its price slashed and it's the perfect time to pick up a copy.

US - Assassin's Creed: Mirage: was $39.99 now $19.99 at Best Buy

UK - Assassin's Creed Mirage: was £28.99 now £15.99 at Argos

(Image credit: Future)

If you're looking for a quality 4K PS5 monitor for less this Black Friday then looking at Samsung's ever-so-slightly older models is a very sensible and value-busting way to go.

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 is one such monitor, and it'll get you a glorious 32-inch 4K UHD panel complete with 165Hz refresh rate and Samsuing's brilliant display pedigree. This is a huge discount too so not one to be missed!

US - Samsung Odyssey Neo G7: was $1,099.99 now $599.99 at Samsung

UK - Samsung Odyssey Neo G7: was £1,066.48 now £688.98 at ebuyer

(Image credit: Future)

DualSense discounts are some of the very best Black Friday PS5 deals, and there are some deep discounts on a lot of colorways on both sides of the Atlantic right now.

We've got the discounted price of the standard white controller below to get you going but you can use Walmart and Amazon UK's pages respectively to browse the other variants when you click through.

US - Sony PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller: was $74.99 now $54 at Walmart

UK - Sony PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller: was £62.48 now £39.99 at Amazon

Potential disc drive restock alert!

We're seeing Amazon UK's listing page for the PS5 disc drive come up as having stock intermittently in recent minutes so it might be worth sticking around on that page and camping on it to see if you can make the most of any imminent restocks of the accessory.

PS5 disc drive: £99.99 at Amazon UK - Going in and out of stock recently, Black Friday late morning

(Image credit: Future)

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Limited Edition is enjoying huge discounts right now at Amazon.

This is a gorgeous game to get stuck into this holiday season - and represents great value right now too with these lowest-ever prices.

US - Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora: was $69.99 now $19.99 at Amazon

UK - Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora: was £38.99 now £24.99 at Amazon