Reviews:
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| [ps3] Which version of PS3 would you buy? Why? My son is really working us to get a PS3 now that the prices have dropped. With all the versions available now, which is actually the most useful? Will any of them play PS2 games? Our PS2 died, yet we have lots of PS2 games that were purchased over the last few years.
Just trying to make an informed decision before taking the plunge. Last year he bought a PSP with his birthday cash and ended up with the 3000 slim model. Only afterward did I discover PSP modding and that his particular model had that ability removed. Since I really despise many of Sony's business practices anyway, I want to make sure he gets the PS3 that's the best bang for the buck. 
Thanks! |
|
 C0deZer0Oc'D To Rhythm And PolicePremium
join:2001-10-03
Davenport, FL | The ideal model (personally) would still be the 60GB, but you'll pay a king's ransom to get even a used one, much less trying to find a new one on eBay.
Sony's trying to quickly make it so that the only model you can buy is the new slim one, though.
As far as controllers, the Dualshock 3 is arguably the best controller to get, but to make it not suck anymore I suggest spending the extra $5 for a set of RealTriggers, to turn the L2/R2 triggers concave.
--
Front Line Force Fortress Forever |
|
pandoraPremium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
kudos:1 Reviews:
 ·Google Voice
·Future Nine Corp..
 ·Comcast
·ooma
| reply to HarryH3
If you want PS2 game capability on a PS3, you'll need either an old 20GB or 60GB PS3. Between the two the 60GB is hands down a better choice.
It is VERY difficult to get hold of a legitimate 60GB PS3. Sometimes people put a 60GB in a PS3 and call it a PS3. You need one with PS2 capability, sometimes referred to as backward capability / compatibility or BC for short. These units sold for $500-$600 when new.
I bought 2 of these when they were out as new for about $500 a piece, and have never for one second regretted it. They are durable, tough and have played every PS2 game my kids have. On an HD set the PS3 with PS2 BC tends to provide a superior image vs a real PS2. The video processor of the PS3 can help improve PS2 image resolution on a HD set.
Codezero purchased a used PS3 60 GB, which was defective. Eventually he had to send it in to Sony for repair. If I recall correctly he was charged $150, but Sony sent him back a functioning 60 GB unit.
Allegedly new PS3 60 GB consoles sell for between $900-$1800 in the Amazon store.
I can't emphasize enough how careful you must be if buying one of these. The potential for fraud is IMO very high. If you get one, your kid will be able to really enjoy every PS3 game and just about every PS2 game. For my kids, the value of these units has been priceless.
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
|
| reply to HarryH3
The earliest 80Gig release is another gem and likely easier to find than the 60Gb or 20Gb. It has four USB ports, memory card reader ports and is backwards compatible to PS2 games. It's not totally hardware BC, but more a hardware/software hybrid (haven't had a problem with my PS2 games yet).
There is talk that an upcoming slim will bring back PS2 backwards compatibility, albeit all software emulation. It would still be better to get an earlier model not just for BC, but for some of the other little options they stripped out of the slim. |
|
Reviews:
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to pandora
said by pandora:Allegedly new PS3 60 GB consoles sell for between $900-$1800 in the Amazon store. I can't fathom why anyone would pay THAT much for one. $400 would get you a new PSP Slim AND a new PS2 that plays 100% of PS2 games. 
But hey, lots of people have paid $400+ for a Wii the last couple of years. 
I see that Sony now has a 250 GB version of the PS3 Slim coming out for $349, just to add to the confusion...
I haven't been a Sony fan for many years now, but my son is convinced that the PS3 is THE game console to have these days.  |
|
Reviews:
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to SRFireside
Did Sony drop the memory card reader ports completely, or just non-Memory stick ports? (I don't know what they had before, obviously. ) Sony's proprietary version of flash memory is priced ridiculously as compared to all the other flash memory options available. Grrr........ |
|
|
|
pandoraPremium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Google Voice
·Future Nine Corp..
·Comcast
·ooma
| reply to HarryH3
I posted in another thread that Sony was selling PS3's for $249. When I purchased my new 60 GB PS3's they were $500 each plus tax. My kids play a lot of PS2 games. Some series (like Naruto) that my kids like are still released new as PS2 games. Many older PS2 games like Ratchet and Clank still offer hours upon hours of enjoyment to young children.
I assume people play a lot for a PS3 with BC, because that is the price determined by the market.
I believe Codezero went around looking for a PS3 60 GB at his local Gamestop or some such. He found one but had trouble, he then bought his brothers, and had trouble yet again. Eventually he returned it to Sony for servicing (out of warranty) for $150 and got either a new or good as new PS3 60 GB back.
BC has been very valuable for my family. I realize other families may have different experiences or values.
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
|
| reply to HarryH3
If you are talking about the 80Gig (the one I have) it does have memory card slots for SD and such. Not just Sony's memory stick. Personally I never use them, but I'm sure it's useful for people with cameras and camcorders that use memory cards to transfer pictures and home videos. |
|
C0deZer0Oc'D To Rhythm And PolicePremium
join:2001-10-03
Davenport, FL | reply to HarryH3
said by HarryH3:I can't fathom why anyone would pay THAT much for one. $400 would get you a new PSP Slim AND a new PS2 that plays 100% of PS2 games. The PS3 slims (inexplicably) remove the ability to install another OS, such as Linux for one... which may be valuable to some. Further, the PS3 slim apparently has some issues where it runs some things slower than the original "fatty" PS3's (I only heard about this due to a duellinganalogs comic page that mocked the slim for being slow).
Secondly, think about Sony's current marketing for the new ps3 - "it only does everything." well, compared to the original 60GB model, the slim does a lot of things poorly. And if you're like me, the PStwo being made now is simply a poor substitute... and one that just screams poorly made to boot. So having one well-built system as opposed to two cheaply-made ones would add to the (psychological) value there. It just doesn't make much sense to have two separate systems, two separate sets of controllers, etc. when a single one can (literally) do it all.
pandora  got the story mostly right. My first two units were from Gamestop because by the time I could afford a PS3, the only way to get one with true BC was going used... or spending an exhorbitant amount of money on eBay for possibly a new one (as opposed to just bricks in a box). Dumb Luck favored me in that a local gamestop did have what was supposed to be a refurb/remanufactured 60gb model in stock, but that didn't work out too well...
First one chewed my one copy of MGS4.
Second one I got back from them was overheating just at the XMB, and the fans were even louder than my 360 ever was when it ran any game. Considering I have to keep the volume fairly low for my roommates' sake, it made the fan noise even more apparent (and annoying).
After that, no gamestop within 100 miles had one, nor would they do a cross-store order (which I only found out too late that they could do) to bring one in for me. My brother and I then worked a deal where I would then pay for him to get a new MGS4 bundle 80GB model, and he would send me the fresh copy of MGS4 along with his 60GB unit. Everything worked fine for a while, but then I started getting lock-ups and freezes, and not long after that, red snow style artifacts on the screen when it did crash... looking about online for more information indicated that this was a symptom of GPU failure.
So yes... I did (begrudgingly) have to pay Sony its $150 ransom. And at the time I was hearing some rather scary reports that Sony had started basically abandoning these units, and sending those that sent in 60's and 20gb models in the "newer" (and gimped) 40GB models in return. So I was quite concerned when I got the return tracking number. But luckily, I did get a 60 back... that looked like it was brand new still. I've been grateful that it's been working fine since, though given my past with Sony (and particularly PlayStations), I still am a bit nervous about the thing...
--
Front Line Force Fortress Forever |
|
 Anonymous_AnonymousPremium
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1
kudos:2 | reply to HarryH3
i got the 60 GB all ready |
|
Anonymous_AnonymousPremium
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Comcast
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
2 edits | reply to HarryH3
said by HarryH3:said by pandora:Allegedly new PS3 60 GB consoles sell for between $900-$1800 in the Amazon store. I can't fathom why anyone would pay THAT much for one. $400 would get you a new PSP Slim AND a new PS2 that plays 100% of PS2 games. But hey, lots of people have paid $400+ for a Wii the last couple of years. I see that Sony now has a 250 GB version of the PS3 Slim coming out for $349, just to add to the confusion... I haven't been a Sony fan for many years now, but my son is convinced that the PS3 is THE game console to have these days. to bad that PLAYSTATION 2 can not upscaile to 1080p
but i *do* have my PS2 setup
both USA and Japanese one (NTSC-M and NTSC-J)
Japanese one uses 50% less power 50001 vs 50000 models |
|
| If you have the 60GB why even bother with the PS2? Now you can play upscaled PS2 games on your fully backwards compatible Playstation 3. |
|
C0deZer0Oc'D To Rhythm And PolicePremium
join:2001-10-03
Davenport, FL | said by SRFireside:If you have the 60GB why even bother with the PS2? Now you can play upscaled PS2 games on your fully backwards compatible Playstation 3. Well, it sounds like Anonymous_ has two PS2's for being able to play different region games.
As good as the ps3 is to upscale and the like, it still annoyingly follows region locking limitations on PS1 and PS2 games, even though ps3 games are supposed to be region-unlocked.
--
Front Line Force Fortress Forever |
|
 KonceptzIntel
join:2001-12-22
Chesterfield, VA
·Comcast
·Clearwire
| reply to HarryH3
I would go with one of the newest 80gb models because of the 45nm cell cpu and nvidia rsx gpu. They will run the coolest and be the quietest.
i couldn't care less about backwards compatibility or the extra 2 usb ports and card readers because if you aren't connecting your PS3 to the PS3 media server on your PS3 your missing out. |
|
Reviews:
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by Konceptz:... if you aren't connecting your PS3 to the PS3 media server on your PS3 your missing out. I'm afraid your circular reference lost me... Connect the PS3 to the PS3 on the PS3? Can you clarify? Thanks! |
|
Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·AT&T Southeast
| said by HarryH3:said by Konceptz:... if you aren't connecting your PS3 to the PS3 media server on your PS3 your missing out. I'm afraid your circular reference lost me... Connect the PS3 to the PS3 on the PS3? Can you clarify? Thanks! talking about using this »code.google.com/p/ps3mediaserver/ |
|
| Aha! Now it makes sense. Connect the PS3 to the PS3 Media Server running on a PC. Now THAT is cool stuff. |
|
 NightfallMy Goal Is To Deny YoursPremium,MVM
join:2001-08-03
Grand Rapids, MI
 ·Site5.com
·Comcast
·Callcentric
| reply to HarryH3
I love my PS3, but I also have a PS2 slim. If I am going to play PS2 games, I am just going to use my PS2. I decided last year not to go after a PS3 with backwards compatibility and so far its all good. So thats not an issue for me.
If your PS2 died, I would look at getting a PS2 slim on craigslist or ebay. There are good deals out there for a PS2. A lot better than spending thousands on a PS3 with backwards compatibility.
As for which model, I would look at what you want to do. I don't install Linux on mine or hack it in anyway. I use it with a PS3 Media Server so I can stream movies to it. That is very nice for me. If you want to do modding, then stay away from the slim line. I would love a slim actually but I am not upgrading since my current PS3 is working great.
--
My domain - Nightfall.net |
|
Anonymous_AnonymousPremium
join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Comcast
·Time Warner VOIP
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to C0deZer0
said by C0deZer0:The ideal model (personally) would still be the 60GB, but you'll pay a king's ransom to get even a used one, much less trying to find a new one on eBay. they are going for 250 to 300 used |
|
C0deZer0Oc'D To Rhythm And PolicePremium
join:2001-10-03
Davenport, FL | said by Anonymous_:said by C0deZer0:The ideal model (personally) would still be the 60GB, but you'll pay a king's ransom to get even a used one, much less trying to find a new one on eBay. they are going for 250 to 300 used Yea... beat to shit and back and about three power cycles away from a YLOD incident, or worse. And being forced to pay $150 repair to Sony with no guarantee you'll get the same equipment back.
I myself have never had to go the used route before with a home console. I only did with the ps3 this time because there was no other alternative for a hardware BC model. And after that experience, I can safely say that I would never trust another "used" console again from someone other than me.
--
Front Line Force Fortress Forever |
|
