How to guarantee you’ll be first in line for Xbox Series X or PS5 this Christmas

RETAILERS are ramping up their next-gen console stock drops as we head towards the holiday and you can boost your chances of getting one.

Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop have all proven to be ones to watch when it comes to PS5 and Xbox Series X restocks.

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• Walmart+ – 
• GameStop PowerUp Rewards Pro – 
• Best Buy Totaltech – 

And all three retailers have introduced a new way for customers to be in with a better chance of bagging a console.

Walmart, Best Buy, and GameStop all offer programs with varying fees that give members exclusive first access to sought-after hardware.

By paying a membership fee, you can ensure that you beat the queues of eager gamers ready to duke it out online for a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S.

So if you don't mind paying for the privilege of being first in line for a restock, you're guaranteed a much better chance at securing one.

Best Buy Totaltech

BestBuy's Totaltech is the most expensive of the bunch, asking for the annual cost of $199.99 upfront.

It does offer a ton of other perks as well that you may or may not be interested in, which are used to justify the cost.

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While it's possible to cancel your membership, the fine print means you may not get a refund depending on what you've purchased while the membership was active.

So be sure to check all of the terms and conditions before signing up.

GameStop PowerUp Rewards Pro

GameStop's membership is available for a monthly cost of $14.99 for a whole year.

As well as early exclusive access to new console drops and other hot tech items, there's a points program and monthly $5 reward to spend on whatever you like.

If you don't need all the bells and whistles of the Best Buy Totaltech, and are just after early access to PS5 and Xbox Series X stock drops, this is a great option.

Walmart+

Walmart offers both a monthly and annual membership subscription for $12.95 and $98 respectively.

As well as members-only console releases, which we've seen a few of already, there are other perks to boot.

There's a 15-day free trial but — and this is important — it doesn't give you access to the PS5 and Xbox Series X stock drops.

So if that's the reason you're signing up, don't be seduced by the offer of a free trial.

You can't use it to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X when the member stock drops roll around, so sign up to either a month or year, depending on what's appropriate for you.

It may be frustrating to have console drops behind a paywall but no doubt it helps with the rampant scalper issues plaguing the consoles since launch.

The monthly options are affordable and hopefully, with the early access, you can get yourself a new PS5 or Xbox Series X and cancel any unwanted memberships straight after.

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