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Is it safe buying a PS3 fat?
- Thread starter drspeedy
- Start date
It's a shame they use these in consoles now. I had both a 360 Falcon and PS3 launch unit fixed with leaded solder and not a single problem on these since :/
WickedCobra03
Member
I have had mostly the same experience. I think I have 4 or 5 friends with PS3's and then me who all had phats... there is only one of them left with a 80GB fat, but everyone elses has YLoD'd on us. I was pretty pissed when mine went, and it sucks that Sony doesn't acknowledge that it actually has a problem with their first models.
I was tempted to replace my 80GB fatty (the one with hybrid BC) due to the awesome PS3 Slim Black Friday deals, but it's still running great for me. It's still really quiet, and has never given me any problems. *knock on wood*
The sad thing is that I've played maybe one PS2 game on it. I've considered selling it and replacing it with a Slim.
The sad thing is that I've played maybe one PS2 game on it. I've considered selling it and replacing it with a Slim.
sixteen-bit
Member
Phascinating rundown you got there. Thanks phor breaking down the phacts for us.
Nealand Liquor
Member
That was unnecessary don't you think?
The guy just wrote phat (which is commonly used on many boards) instead of fat. Doesn't really seem to warrant such arrogance imo.
I have a launch day PS3 60 GB and it's been working fine. Though I only ply very few games far and in between. I don't believe I own any ps3 games save for Little Big Planet/Infamous which I got for free. I have super stardust too.
I've been thinking about selling this PS3 but some how I like the idea of being able to play ps2 games on it. I still haven't finished FFXII nor Digital Devil Saga nor Wild Arms 3. Not to mention I have my beloved Mega Man Collections (PS2.) I don't care to to fiddle with emulation.
Dammit Sony, I want BC. Sad part is I don't believe I can send it to Sony for repair if it ever broke. I've been hearing people sending them for repair and getting back refurb slims.
I've been thinking about selling this PS3 but some how I like the idea of being able to play ps2 games on it. I still haven't finished FFXII nor Digital Devil Saga nor Wild Arms 3. Not to mention I have my beloved Mega Man Collections (PS2.) I don't care to to fiddle with emulation.
Dammit Sony, I want BC. Sad part is I don't believe I can send it to Sony for repair if it ever broke. I've been hearing people sending them for repair and getting back refurb slims.
Sapiens
Member
The minute you say this you YeLOD within 30 days. Good luck...
My 60GB exists in some form, that's all I will say. It is a early 2007 model.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
I haven't even played many PS2 games on my PS2 that's till hooked up, much less my 70-80% compatible 80GB phat. I'm not really sure if I would use BC more on a 60GB phat. This is going to sound way stupid, but it's the idea of having the option that's more powerful than actually using it.
Here's why: they take out the BC for all the disk-based games you bought, and then sell you DD PS2 games for 10 bucks each. This is bullshit.
Getting really sick of every entertainment medium trying to pad distribution wallets by double-selling you the same crap.
As long as you know how to open it up, clean out all the dust, and replace the lead-free solder with leaded solder, you should definitely pay the $100 for it.
If your friend only played CoD on it, I'm just going to make the assumption that he didn't really take great care of the system, so that may be something to consider. May want to ask him if he covers his PS3, dusts it regularly, etc. My 60gb has no problems whatsoever because I am super meticulous about keeping the console clean and completely covered from all elements when I'm not playing.
If your friend only played CoD on it, I'm just going to make the assumption that he didn't really take great care of the system, so that may be something to consider. May want to ask him if he covers his PS3, dusts it regularly, etc. My 60gb has no problems whatsoever because I am super meticulous about keeping the console clean and completely covered from all elements when I'm not playing.
This thread couldn't have come at a better time. A coworker of mine is giving me a PS3 fattie (60gig I think) that died on him. Each time he touches the power button it powers up for a sec then dies again. Is that a common problem? He opened it up and told me that there's a white ribbon connected to the blueray drive that seems loose. I've been wanting a BC PS3 for a while. Is it worth trying to fix this? Does sony give back BC ps3s when sending one off for repair? (Assuming I can even do that once it's been opened.) Thanks!
Bjoern the Smexy
Member
I keep hearing this, is this really true?
Because my 80GB PS3 is silent. I mean, really SILENT. I almost forget it's still on when I get distracted by something else.
Anyway, yeah, get it for 100$. I payed 200€ for mine, which still was a horribly good deal.
I've a 40 gig, which is fairly similar to an 80, and it works fine. Couple caveats:
1) It needs ventilation. If it's sitting on a carpet or in an enclosed home entertainment center, the fan will kick into high gear for movies. I kept mine on a tempered piece of glass in front of my old home entertainment center (though my new one is open and provides basically the same level of ventilation) and I couldn't hear it.
2) It will run hot and loud on games in the summer unless you have really good AC. I live in the retarded land of swamp coolers, which cool about as well as a microwave does. In the summer, my living room will be 85. The PS3 will be shooting out hot air somewhere around 120 or higher for games and it will be loud as hell.
1) It needs ventilation. If it's sitting on a carpet or in an enclosed home entertainment center, the fan will kick into high gear for movies. I kept mine on a tempered piece of glass in front of my old home entertainment center (though my new one is open and provides basically the same level of ventilation) and I couldn't hear it.
2) It will run hot and loud on games in the summer unless you have really good AC. I live in the retarded land of swamp coolers, which cool about as well as a microwave does. In the summer, my living room will be 85. The PS3 will be shooting out hot air somewhere around 120 or higher for games and it will be loud as hell.
DenogginizerOS
BenjaminBirdie's Thomas Jefferson
I have a less than two year old slim that I have had to send in twice. My 60gb launch system has never had issue.
sloppyjoe_gamer
Member
I have yet to see any proof whatsoever that a reball lasts longer than a reflow of the solder when fixing a YLOD PS3.
Has anyone reballed a YLOD where it actually fixes it for longer than 3 months?
Has anyone reballed a YLOD where it actually fixes it for longer than 3 months?
dreamer3kx
Member
The 20 gig launch unit is a frackin beast of a machine.
dispensergoinup
Member
Launch 60GB here, YLOD'd about 6 months ago, paid a guy here at work about 50 bucks to put new paste and whatnot on there. (Apparently it dried and flaked off after years of use) Haven't had a problem since.
$100 bucks is a crazy steal, OP. DO IT!
$100 bucks is a crazy steal, OP. DO IT!
I think it really depends on who the previous owner was. I'll be selling my 60GB in a month or so, but I've taken really good care of it by making sure the unit was always properly ventilated and never running on carpet as well as blowing it out with compressed air regularly, and haven't put thousands of hours on it.
To Far Away Times
Member
While not quite a ticking time bomb, old PS3's aren't exactly known for their build quality.
I'd budget in the cost of repairs a couple of years down the line. Maybe another $50 or $100 to have it fixed in a couple of years.
If that seems like a good deal then go for it.
I'd budget in the cost of repairs a couple of years down the line. Maybe another $50 or $100 to have it fixed in a couple of years.
If that seems like a good deal then go for it.
Same here. But my PS3 is used only for blu-ray movies and PS3 exclusives (X360 is my main console).
So the wear-n-tear on my PS3 is less than normal.
FAT ftw 
Also, I gotta question. I have two 60 GB PS3s, one working, one not working so well.
The borked one has a pristine scratch free cover that still has the protective iflm on it and looks nice. the working one is scratched up on top and fugly. How easy is it to swap the plastic covers?
The borked one has a pristine scratch free cover that still has the protective iflm on it and looks nice. the working one is scratched up on top and fugly. How easy is it to swap the plastic covers?
I'm comfortable opening it up and dusting it off, putting on new thermal paste, so I'm starting to think for $100 and maybe another $50-100 later if it dies later is reasonable. But I'm curious as to the software emulation of PS2 games- which might the deciding factor for me. Anyone care to elaborate (or direct me to a better thread) for a PS3-newbie? Benefits/drawbacks, games that don't work, issues on games that do work, things like that.
No room (or need) for another console, I primarily would get a PS3 for Bluray and its 3D capabilities, but the allure of making my backlog even bigger via PS2 games I missed out on is pretty strong, though...
My 60 GB had a faulty Blu-ray drive which I replaced, it died eventually after being zapped by lightning down the telephone wire
If you are thinking of buying a fat for the benefit of BC you may aswell get a PS2 they are dirty cheap.
No room (or need) for another console, I primarily would get a PS3 for Bluray and its 3D capabilities, but the allure of making my backlog even bigger via PS2 games I missed out on is pretty strong, though...
Very very easy. I think you only need to loosen one screw, you can slide it right off
Could be yeah. Ask your local SCE support line, you also have 3rd party options if you don't mind buying from the internet. XCM might make em
I really hope Sony or Microsoft make their next consoles more similar to PCs. What I mean by that is if a part fails a consumer should be able to easily replace it. When I had to replace my PS3's Blu-Ray drive it blew my mind how difficult it was.
There isn't any reason to do this when you most of the piracy protection for the next gen should be non-hardware based. I say should because I doubt Sony does it, and MS has always been about making more money. I suppose it is just a hope for now.
Back on topic, if you like to tinker pick up the PS3, if you don't I'm not sure it is a great investment.
There isn't any reason to do this when you most of the piracy protection for the next gen should be non-hardware based. I say should because I doubt Sony does it, and MS has always been about making more money. I suppose it is just a hope for now.
Back on topic, if you like to tinker pick up the PS3, if you don't I'm not sure it is a great investment.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
So why stop development on software-based emulation BC?
Because you're supposed to pay for God Hand twice.
carbonbased
Member
i love tinkering with hardware and have had 4 consoles fail on me in the past two generations combined, with the theoretically easy-to-replace disc drive being the culprit in all but one case. unfortunately however your idea won't happen for the exact reason you stated. there is a lot of money in reselling/repairing hardware that was shoddily made to begin with.
it doesn't help that one of the main draws of consoles is their hands-off nature. a feature like this probably wouldn't make for much of a selling point and could even scare away the feeble minded.
Fantastical
Death Prophet
For $100 hell yes. Although my friend's 80GB did die a few months ago.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
My launch unit is good as new. I have no problem with it.
I'd say that no design of PS3 is essentially "defective". Every product has a certain % that fail, hence the YLOD, but it's not an essentially flawed, and self-destructive design, as the original 360 was.
I'd say that no design of PS3 is essentially "defective". Every product has a certain % that fail, hence the YLOD, but it's not an essentially flawed, and self-destructive design, as the original 360 was.
radioheadrule83
Banned
My 40GB phat died last year. If I were you, I'd save the extra and get a slim. That's if I really wanted one at all.
To be specific it was my blu-ray laser that died -- no history of being in a dusty environment or maltreatment, it just stopped reading discs one day. I can fit a replacement drive for about £60, but I just haven't bothered.
To be specific it was my blu-ray laser that died -- no history of being in a dusty environment or maltreatment, it just stopped reading discs one day. I can fit a replacement drive for about £60, but I just haven't bothered.
I don't think the evidence is that clear, I have a 60gb launch system and it works the same as the day I bought it, It does get loud but I don't think the failure rate is that high but it does get loud.
For a 100 dollars, I would go for it. It's a good deal.
Imbarkus
As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
I don't think you're getting upscaling on the polygonal level on that thing, man. Probably just a 480p progressive picture, maybe some AA.
Alligatorjandro
Banned
$100?Go for it.