Sony PlayStation 2 Slimline Console (Black)

Admittedly the PS2 is now getting on in years however this shouldn't put anyone looking for a console off. The PS3 is still part of the rumour factory with no one even knowing what it looks like never mind when it will be released. Sony do have a good record of making their new consoles backwards compatible (ie the PS2 played almost the entire catalogue of PS1 games meaning anyone who upgraded from 1 to 2 could still play their old games. In fact in many cases the PS2 improved the graphics and load speed of the old games) however there is no guarantee that this will happen with the PS3. The PS2 has by far the largest selection of great games available and many times the customer base of the other consoles meaning games manufacturers will continue to produce games for this unit for many years. The PS2 outsold the X Box on the X Box day of launch and has continued to out sell it day on day since. This alone should be a great indicator of the quality and breadth of games available. The old unit did have disc read problems, presumeably from dust on the inaccessible lens, (I myself went through 2 in 4 years) however the new slim line unit should cure that as the lens is is easily got to for cleaning if required.
A word of warning though, DVD region free DVDs will not work on this unit due to the electronically operated door being replaced by an old stlye CD flip door operated by pushing a release catch. This means the unit knows it's been opened when you try and put your region 1 DVD in and won't play along. There are, as always, ways around this however you should be aware further equipment purchases would be required. The cost of DVD players available make this a false economy (Check the Sony region free player available from amazon that I also reviewed.)just buy this for the games and think of DVD play back as a bonus.

In short (about time, I know) the sheer enjoyment obtained from this unit for so little outlay makes it an essential purchase. Even if you own other consoles, are waiting for the next generation of consoles to be released or your old unit has given up the ghost you will get many times your moneys worth in enjoyment from purchasing the slim line model. Some of the games alone are worth the purchase price. My own humble recomendations are GTA San Andreas and Call of Duty.

Despite its diminutive size the new model also has the ethernet connection built in. This is what is required to play the many on line compatible games actually on line. To purchase this for the old one is £40 making the slim line great value on many levels from casual gamers to those who want to take it on line. Be aware that a minimum of 512kps broadband is required for this though.

Sorry for the length of this review but I would hate folk to miss out on years of great gaming experience for the sake of a bit of doubt and less than £100.If your looking for a console make it this one.

Hope this helps. (No, I don't work for Sony, really just love the machine that much!)

Upon opening the box my first impression was something along the lines of, 'Is this it?!' I knew it was suppose to be small but photographs do not do it justice. The automatic DVD drive mechanism from the larger PS2 model has been replaced with a PSOne style lid which lifts up to reveal where any disc would go, meaning it is very easy to get to the laser lens. This will hopefully prevent the common problem of disc read errors with the large models, as any dust built up inside can now be easily removed. Another difference from the larger model is that the power cord now has to be plugged into a supplied adaptor (much like the kind found on laptop computers) before it can be plugged into the mains. I'm assuming that it was not included in the PS2 unit itself to save space. The final difference, is that this smaller model is DVD+RW/-RW compatible, meaning home burn DVDs are playable in full colour. The promise of the system being 75% quieter has also been kept as I only occasionally notice a slight buzzing sound as I'm using the system. This model also includes an ethernet netword port, two USB ports and a built in infra-red detector for use with a DVD remote control.
Overall, a great games console made even greater. Does exactly what it says on the tin.

I got my PS2 late in its lifespan, and decided to buy it instead of an Xbox 360. In fact, I got the PS2, a memory card and 7 games and still spent £100 less than I would have done if I'd bought the X360 on its own!

So what convinced me to buy the aged console (aside from the price) when there are more technologically advanced options available? It boils down to the games. No, the graphics are not as good as on the newer consoles (but still quite impressive), but that doesn't matter. Late in its lifespan we are finally seeing some real AAA titles for the console, and with lots more to come well into 2007. Add to that an already well established library of games, and there is something for everyone to enjoy, from family friendly party games to more adult-orientated action games. As everyone knows its also plays DVDs and CDs, which saves a lot of space as I no longer have to have a separate DVD player.

The slimline PS2 is incredibly tiny, but it still does everything its bulkier predeccessor does (and it even includes a network card for online play, but I have never used this feature). Because of its size it fits quite well next to my TV and is not too intrusive. Aesthetically, you cannot fault it. It is also extremely quiet as there is no fan buzzing away, but mine has never overheated even after having it turned on for prolonged periods of time. Another bonus of the redesign is that discs are no longer tray loading, and so the lens is easier to clean, and you also don't have to worry about it coming dislodged, or the tray itself breaking.

The slimline PS2 is cheap but cheerful and has many great games available, so rather than procrastinating over whether or not to buy an X360, buy a PS2 instead!