The PS5 and Xbox Series X stock drought looks set to continue until mid-2021, as AMD has warned exceptional demand driven by the pandemic will continue to affect its ability to produce Xbox Series X and PS5 chips.
AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su admitted that shortages will continue until the middle of 2021 during the company’s fourth quarter and full year 2020 results. Income from the custom console chips brought in $1.28 billion (thanks, Tom’s Hardware), but Su expects to see “tightness” throughout the first half of 2021 until more production capacity becomes available.
Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X rely on custom chips. The next-gen consoles use Zen 2-based CPUs and RDNA 2-based GPUs, both of which AMD produce.
- Where to buy PS5: all the retailers checked
- Where to buy Xbox Series X: who has stock?
- Where to buy Xbox Series S: don't miss any updates
Stock of both consoles continues to be extremely hard to find, with limited units flashing in and out at various retailers, only to be snapped up almost immediately. Scalpers, bots and gangs haven’t helped matters, either, leading to further frustration from consumers.
Microsoft has recently warned that supply of Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles will be ‘constrained’ until at least March 31, after recording the 'most successful launch' in its history.
Sony has also boasted similar record-breaking sales for PS5, and with consumers restricted to buying online only, it's prevented many picking up consoles from brick and mortar stores, which could have placated some of the online demand.
We're keeping our eye on all the biggest retailers to help you secure either console when stock does appear, so keep it locked to TechRadar so you can stay update when the latest drop arrives.
- PS5 vs Xbox Series X: the two consoles compared
- PS5 game deals: all the biggest discounts
- Cheap Xbox game deals: don't miss a great deal
