Sony PlayStation 2 (slim form factor)

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Design : 8.0
  Features : 7.0
  Performance : 8.0
  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  John P. Falcone
• Edited by:
  David Carnoy
• Reviewed on: 12/07/2004
• Released on: 11/01/2004

With dimensions of 1.1 inches tall by 23 inches wide by 6 inches deep, the revamped PlayStation 2 is downright tiny. In fact, it's less than a quarter of the size of the original console. Sure, Sony cheated by off-loading some of the system's bulk to an external power transformer (a laptop-style power-brick AC adapter), but the superslim miniconsole still represents an impressive feat of miniaturization. Another design compromise: the new PS2 is a top-loader. The disc bay pops open like a Discman, and you snap the disc onto a spindle. (Like the old PS2, the new one can be set up horizontally or vertically, though the latter configuration needs a special stand.) It looks a bit cheesy and requires extra headroom, but the spring-loaded disc door won't fail as easily as the motorized tray found in your DVD player.

The unit's front panel is barely wide enough to include all the necessities: two Memory Card slots, two controller ports, two USB ports, and power and disc-eject buttons. Unlike the Xbox and the GameCube, even after the redesign the PS2 requires an add-on adapter if you want to use four controllers at the same time. (And since the older PS2 Multitap is one of the only accessories that won't work with the redesigned console, multiplayer fans will have to spring for a new one.) The front panel also includes a dedicated infrared receiver. This allows you to control the PS2's CD/DVD functionality using any one of several available remotes without losing one of the controller ports to an IR-receiver dongle, as was necessary with the first-gen PlayStation 2.

The new PS2 includes built-in support for online games (including Madden NFL 2005, SOCOM II, and Burnout 3, just to name a few) in the form of a 56Kbps modem jack and an Ethernet port. Older PS2s can achieve the same effect by snapping on Sony's Online Adaptor accessory, but having the online-gaming hardware built in makes things that much easier. Unlike the Xbox, the PlayStation 2 supports dial-up connections (though not all online games work with them), and Sony doesn't charge a monthly fee. The downside is that the PS2's online-gaming experience is a more scattershot affair, requiring title-by-title configuration rather than using a more elegant, unified interface such as Xbox Live's. Another annoyance: you'll need to purchase a PS2 Memory Card to store the network configuration found on the included installation disc.

Where to buy

store	price	in stock?	rating
Best Buy	$99.99	See Site
eBay	$64.99	Yes

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	Best Buy	$99.99
	eBay	$64.99

Recent user reviews

• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 153 reviews
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• Showing 3 of 153 user reviews

• 4.5 stars

  "The champion if the past generation the best games"

  by ironsnakemx on January 9, 2009

• 4.5 stars

  "Great product"

  by Zaqschlanger on October 11, 2008

• 4.5 stars

  "Fun with lots of choices"

  by Freshbakedpie on September 22, 2008

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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

• alaTest.com

  Summary: alaTest collected and analyzed 3508 reviews of Sony PlayStation 2 from international magazines and websites and compared these to 7255 reviews for other Games Accessories. Experts rate this product 77/100 and users 85/100. The amount of rated reviews for this product is too low to calculate a reliable alaScore™.

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• stuff.tv

  Editors' rating: 80

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• pcmag.com

  Editors' rating: 100

  Summary: You'll enjoy good performance and more games than are available for any other controllers, but you'll pay more for the titles.

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