Fat PS2: Actually unreliable, or just a myth?

[ReddMcKnight]

I've read that Fat PS2 Consoles are incredibly unreliable for a number of reasons. Any truth to that, or is it just a myth? If yes, how exactly are they unreliable?

[ZenErik]

Most "broken" PS2s I have encountered have just needed adjustments to the laser lens. *shrug*

[Valkyrie-Favor]

Mine worked for 6 years until my little brother shoved a fork into the controller ports >_>

[Ziggy]

I got my fat PS2 brand new, around 2000 or 2001 maybe. Never had a single problem with it ::knock on wood:: and I've played it a LOT. But I also try to keep good care of my stuff. I don't trust reports from random internet people, you don't know what kind of abuse they gave to it. And they might deny any abuse, but they might have unknowingly abused it.

I think the most common problem people get/got with fat PS2s is disc read errors, and that usually just turns out to be a dirty lens. A dirty lens really isn't a hardware fault, that's the fault of the end user.

I've read that earlier models of the PS2 would get disc read errors which was caused by a failing optical drive, which you might be able to fix by adjusting the strength of the laser. Not sure how true that is, but I wouldn't doubt it. Early revisions of consoles usually tend to not be as good as later revisions. For this reason, if you're in the market for a fat PS2 I would recommend hunting for a later model. But this is something I would suggest with pretty much every console.

But yeah, separating fact from fiction, I'd say for the most part that the fat PS2s are reliable. There may be some problems with early revisions, but that goes for pretty much any console (look at the PS1 for example).

[BoringSupreez]

As said before, most broken fat PS2s are only in need of a lens cleaning or adjusting, nothing more. If you are capable of doing that yourself, a fat PS2 is just as reliable as a slim model.

[Ziggy]

A fat PS2 also allows you to use a HDD via the network adapter, which you can utilize in a number of ways. The most popular being playing games off the HDD, which gives you a number of benefits. So if you're in the market for a PS2, and you're trying to decide if the fat or the slim is a better buy, I recommend going with the fat. Just try to hunt for a later model. The later model could have improvements, and since it is a few years newer it might have less miles on it (unless a previous owner played the hell out of it).

[Xeogred]

Yeah, never had a problem with my fat PS2. It was the family's though and they were horrible at keeping it in good condition, but when I was the main user it was perfectly fine. I'd definitely rather get one than a slim nowadays (plus the inside of the slim's flappy tray gets so dusty super easily, pretty annoying). In fact about that, my slim gave me problems the first year I bought it when it just sat on my shelf for years, had to clean the lens that soon.

[ZenErik]

I prefer the look of the slim. Plus mine is white.

I burn DVDs for Free McBoot as running a USB hard drive on the PS2 isn't a very good option since it's only USB 1.1...

[benderx]

Xbox was the most unreliable system for scratchings discs and red ringing most often after hearing numerous reports, that is why I never bought one.

[Duke.Togo]

I bought my PS2 at launch, and never had a hiccup. I'm sure more of them end up with troubles simply because they are older and have taken more abuse over time.