Playstation 2 - Thin or Fat?

[greenaccord02]

I'm going to get myself a playstation 2. I don't want a three, just a two. Anyway, to those of you who have one of these consoles: Is there any advantage to getting the thin vs. the fat in terms of performance or longevity. Obviously, the thin unit is smaller, but I don't care about that. Is one known to have less failures than the other? There is a ten dollar price difference between the two, and that's not enough money to base the decision on, either.

Anything you have to say on the topic would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[IndyIan]

Check out wikipedia on it. My understanding is that the thins are just game consoles... My buddy has a fat with a HD on his wireless home computer network. He downloads movies off the net and watches them on the PS2.

 

[greenaccord02]

Sweet - sounds like that's the way to go. Wikipedia helped - I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

I have a PS2 that's around 8 or 9 years old (thick) and it still works great. I don't use it heavily though.

Just got a 360 so it might even get less use now.

 

[greenaccord02]

Yeah, the more reading I do the more I see that the PS2 Fat is the only way to fly. So far I see that it is less prone to overheating, has hard disk capability, and it can be exploited to do things well beyond it's original design. That pretty well seals the deal for me.

And it's $10 cheaper!

 

[97tbird]

I have a post-2005 slim PS2 which was revised not to have the overheating problems -it's been great, I bought it used. I researched before I bought, and made sure it was a post 2005 with the software revision to correct the heating problem.

Here's what wiki says about the slim PS2: I have heard that it's faster than the fat one.

Quote:
"...The redesigned slimline PlayStation 2.

In September 2004, Sony unveiled its third major hardware revision (V12, model number SCPH-70000). Available in late October 2004, it is smaller, thinner, and quieter than the older versions and includes a built-in Ethernet port (in some markets it also has an integrated modem)..."

In the beginning of 2005 it was found that some black slimline console power transformers bought between November and December 2004 were defective and could overheat. The units were recalled by Sony, with the company supplying a replacement model made in 2005.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Yeah, the more reading I do the more I see that the PS2 Fat is the only way to fly. So far I see that it is less prone to overheating, has hard disk capability, and it can be exploited to do things well beyond it's original design. That pretty well seals the deal for me.

And it's $10 cheaper!


Remember, you need an 'official' PS2 Network Adapter in order to use a hard drive. And unless you buy the old Linux kit or the Final Fantasy bundle, the drive sled that secures the drive inside the PS2 is not included.

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_2_Expansion_Bay

When all is said and done, you'll possibly be spending just as much as a low-end PS3 for 8 year old hardware.

 

[greenaccord02]

Well, money really isn't the object. I like old consoles. There's no way I'll spend as much on this as I did on my Sega CD/32x system. I just like to be able to play games on the hardware they were made for. Like Virtua Racing or Sonic CD or Altered Beast on the Sega, I want to be able to play Gran Turismo 4 and Resident Evil 4 on the PS2. I would consider a PS3 if it were fully backward compatible, but unfortunately it's not.

 

[Jaymus]

I've heard the thin ones tend to scratch CD's. I'd go with the fat one if you can get one in new condition.

 

[tmorris1]

If you are going to add a hard drive and networking, then why not just get the PS3 which already does this and more. It is also 1080P compatible, playds blu-rays, surf the net, etc.

The fat PS2 doesn't have builtin networking so you have to get the adapter from somewhere (Ebay, Gamestop, or third party)

 

[Jaymus]

Ah, Gran Turismo 3 and 4... my favorite games. I always had to beg my brother or wife to race "this" car against "that" car (in 2-player) to see how they compared..

My PS2 came with an Ethernet 'box' back in the day when we got it. But yeah, it's not built in, but it plugs right in and usually they have them.

 

[mcrn]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Well, money really isn't the object. I like old consoles. There's no way I'll spend as much on this as I did on my Sega CD/32x system. I just like to be able to play games on the hardware they were made for. Like Virtua Racing or Sonic CD or Altered Beast on the Sega, I want to be able to play Gran Turismo 4 and Resident Evil 4 on the PS2. I would consider a PS3 if it were fully backward compatible, but unfortunately it's not.


Some of them were compatible! One of my best friends has one that is. Its on of the earlier ones Check into it! The PS3 is awesome!