Buying Smart
Trade-ins, pre-owned, memberships, timing and returns.
Is GameStop Pro worth $25 a year? A simple break-even calculation
What GameStop's paid membership includes after the 2026 changes, who comes out ahead, and a quick way to work out whether it pays for itself for you.
How to get the most from a game or console trade-in (and protect your data)
What affects trade-in value, how to prepare games, consoles and phones, the factory-reset steps for each console, and when selling privately makes more sense.
Buying a pre-owned or refurbished console: what to check and what to ask
How pre-owned, refurbished and open-box consoles differ, the checks that matter on day one, and how to buy used games safely.
Nintendo Switch Online, PlayStation Plus and Game Pass explained: which tier do you need?
What each console subscription includes, which tier you need just to play online, and when the bigger tiers are worth it — without the marketing.
The 2026 holiday gaming gift guide: what to buy for every kind of player
Gift ideas sorted by who you're buying for — kids, teens, collectors, couch co-op families, and the player who seems to have everything — with the compatibility checks done for you.
The new-console starter kit: what to buy alongside a PS5, Xbox or Switch 2
The short list of extras that make a new console usable from day one — controllers, storage, subscriptions, protection — and what you can safely skip.