Finding where to buy Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S is a perpetually tricky question, as nearly every U.K. retailer has sold out of both of Microsoft’s next-gen consoles.
But with the Christmas holidays quickly approaching, we’re cautiously optimistic that some more Xbox Series X and Series S stock might arrive at U.K. retailers.
Currently, your best best to secure an Xbox Series X before 2021 is with Game. It has a fresh batch of Xbox Series X bundles available for pre-order and due to be released December 24. But Very has also said it has more stock “coming soon” and it had some stock replenishment over the past week, though that soon sold out.
With that in mind, take a look at the links below to see if you can secure yourself one of Microsoft’s new games consoles.
Where to buy Xbox Series X UK: Latest updates
While both Xbox consoles appear to be very difficult to buy, U.K. retailer Box will run a ballot to decide which customers will be able to purchase new stock of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in December.
“Box.co.uk have taken the decision to utilise a ballot format so that customers can receive a fair chance to purchase an Xbox Series X, while keeping our website online throughout the process,” Box said. “This ensures a smoother transaction and stops customers from having to battle each other on a website put under an enormous amount of strain with huge volumes of traffic all trying to purchase the same product at one time.”
We don’t know how many consoles will be available, but this could be a your chance to secure an Xbox Series X or Series S in the U.K. You’ll need to register your interest on Box’s Xbox landing page.
If you’re fed up with looking for an Xbox Series X you could try your hand at getting a PS5, as it’s been released in the U.K. However, stocks are also very low; check out our handy where to buy PS5 in the U.K. guide for a helping hand.
Do bear in mind that you can get an Xbox Seres X for a monthly subscription fee of £28.99 as part of the Xbox All Access programme. That gets you the console and access to Xbox Game pass for a regular fee over the span of 24 months. The Xbox Series X can be has for £20.99 for the same 24 month subscription plan. But these deals are still hampered by a lack of console stock.
To help you be in with a chance of securing one of Microsoft’s new consoles, we’ve rounded up the main U.K. retailers currently offering the consoles; just remember to check back to see which have stock in.
Xbox Series X and Series S stock (checked every 15 minutes)
Xbox Series X and Series S at Microsoft
Xbox Series X at Amazon UK
Xbox Series X and Series S at Game
Xbox Series X bundles: pre-order at Game
Game is offering new pre-orders for the Xbox Series X in bundles with games and T-shirts, as well as extra controllers. These will be released on December 24. It also has a landing page for both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S by themselves. View Deal
Xbox Series X and Series S at Currys
Xbox Series X and Series S: from £249 at Currys
Unsurprisingly, Curry’s has pages for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. However, it appears to be all sold out for the time being. View Deal
Xbox Series X and Series S at Argos
Xbox Series X and Series S at Smyths
Xbox Series X at ShopTo
Xbox Series X and Series S at Very
Xbox Series X at Box
Xbox Series X at Simply Games
Xbox Series X at Tesco
Where to buy Xbox Series X: UK buying tips
Apart from refreshing the above retailer sites, there are other places check to see if the Xbox Series X and S pops back in stock.info first.
On Twitter, we suggest following @xboxuk. The account often posts about U.K. retailers with new Xbox Series X and Series S stock. And @jelly_deals is also worth a follow.
Shopping forums
Slickdeals, the online deal repository, has a page dedicated to ordering an Xbox Series X.
Where to buy Xbox Series X UK: Avoid the scalpers
One of the reasons for Xbox Series X and Series S stock shortages is down to scalpers snapping up large amounts of next-gen consoles in one big swoop and then selling them on for extortionate prices.
VGC reported that a now infamous PS5 scalper group going by the name of CrepChiefNotify managed to snap up 1,000 Xbox Series X consoles as soon as they became available at U.K. retailer Very. And the group boasted about it online; there are select words to describe such people but they aren’t suitable for publication. But Very has the last laugh by Very cancelling 1,000 Xbox Series X pre-orders.
As frustrating as it can be to find an Xbox Seires X or Series S, we suggest you avoid buying a console from these scalpers. Paying massively over the odds for a console that doesn’t have a huge range of new Xbox Seires X games isn’t a shrewd move in our opinion. If you can hold out until 2021 Microsoft should have more Xbox Series X units to ship, as well as the promise of more exclusive games for the console, making it a much better time to get one.