CNET REVIEW USER REVIEWS SPECS SHOP
?
Sony PlayStation 2 Slim
$329.99 See all prices Get from Amazon
By John Falcone /
@falconejp
Dec 7, 2004
7 Related Models
CNET EdBrianbalakumaranrs’ Rating
3.5
Stars
See Full Breakdown +
Average User Rating
5
Stars
1 user review
?
The good Huge library of games; svelte design; built-in networking/modem ports and remote sensor; doubles as a CD/DVD player; free online gaming with select titles.
The bad Top-loading disc tray; only two controller ports; no hard disk expansion option; Xbox’s graphics capabilities are superior.
The bottom line Sony’s slimmed-down, network-ready PS2 is a welcome update to the world’s most popular video game console.
CNET REVIEW
Sony PlayStation 2 ( slim form factor)
The Sony PlayStation 2 remains the best-selling video game console of all time, with more than 70 million units sold worldwide since its autumn 2000 debut. But with the PlayStation 3 not expected to hit store shelves until sometime in 2006, Sony has given its venerable cash cow a makeover. The new PlayStation 2 is smaller and lighter than a hardcover book and bundles a few extra features that on the original PS2 required bulky hardware upgrades.
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.