The hugely scientific console reliability poll : part 2 - last of the generations

[Shifty Geezer]

A fundamental limit of the hugely scientific console reliability poll is the difference in time consoles have been out. Some hve just been around longer to have more chance of going wrong. It'd be nice if there was a way to normalize the relative fault rate to time.

Well there is! Using last gen as a base standard, we'll get an average all-time failure rate for consoles, and can compare current gen failure rates with those of yesteryear, specifically the XB360 to see how it's longer term on the market compares with the usual.

Same rules as Part 1. In my case I can report a PS2 that died. I managed to fix it myself (the drive head just needed lubrication on a guide rail!) but the machine itself stopped working until fixed.

Edit : Abandon Poll! Forget to check multiple choice. I'll repost the thread, and let the mods clean this one away.

 

[aselto]

I have an Xbox and a PS2. I bought the Xbox in Sept 2003 and never had a single issue with it. I bought a used PS2 in August 2006 which was originally bought in Sept 2005. It works perfectly fine, too. I think buying consoles late in their lifycecles is the safest bet, but you also miss excitement with new technology.

 

[DJ12]

Does user enforced hardware breakages count as it died?

I am sure I'd still be on my first PS2 if I had not got it chipped by someone who swore blind he could follow instructions and solder when it's was blatantly obvious that he couldn't when he screwed the damn thing.

 

[rabidrabbit]

I have a PS2 that was bought at EU launch day.
Still working perfectly.

 

[Todd33]

My Xbox had read issues, it slowly died (the DVD drive did at least), I swapped it. I then sold it on eBay like 2 years ago. My PS2, which I got earlier than the Xbox was working fine until I traded it in last week.

 

[NERO]

I purchased a PS2 during the launch window, and it lasted right until the day - yes the day - I received Gran Turismo 3. I got the ever-popular Disk Read Error. Under warranty I got it replaced within a month (as well as an extended warranty) and enjoyed gaming until the same thing happened about a year later. I did the same thing and received a new one in 2003 and have had it ever since.

I purchased a refurbished GameCube from EB in early 2004 for ~50USD in order to play my beloved Nintendo first party games. The GC has treated me well and I have purchased nothing but used GC games and eventually a Game Boy Player. I am currently playing FF6 and having a ball.

 

[deepbrown]

Had those disc read errors...but just used a laser cleaner disc. And it works fine after that...didn't see what the fuss was about.

 

[macabre]

My Xbox and GC still work, but I never played them much. I only have 1 game for the GC
My US import PS2 probably died together with my voltage converter. I guess it roasted the power unit.

 

[TheChefO]

I had/have all three last gen.

Xbox was a day one unit and still works today.

Ps2 was a $200 unit (timeframe 2002?) and died a few months ago.

Gc was purchased December of 2005 so it isn't fair to put in either way but it still works.



may/june xb360 had ring of death last fall.

 

[rbushner]

Well I can't vote the whole truth.

I own 6 xboxes, only one had some minor read issues that were fixed with a replacement laser.

 

[patsu]

Owned all 3 with no problems whatsoever.

 

[Freak'n Big Panda]

I bought one ps2 upon release in october '00, died about a year later. Got another one, which is actually still working too my knowledge, but I traded it for an xbox. Then I treaded that xbox for a modded ps2, which pretty much died (serious DORs). Replaced with a modded v7 which was awesome for about 2 years and then died (laser went). It was still reading legal games when I scrapped it but it wouldn't read CDRs/DVDRs at all. I currently have a v15 slim which is still perfect.

So I've been through 4 PS2s, 1 of which completely died and 2 of which stopped reading certain types of media. I do think mod chips, or burned media anyways, puts more strain on the laser than normal pressed games.

 

[Diamond.G]

I had a launch PS2. I remember paying for it with cash and running back to my truck hoping that I didn't get mugged during the midnight launch . With in two weeks of having it my friends brother tripped over the cord and we all watched the console fall to the floor in horror . The systems worked for quite a long time after though. It finally quit reading any kind of disk in 2002-2003 or so. I got the slim pretty much as soon as it came out. Due to GT4 (hehe I am sad...).


Now that I think about it I also had a Xbox, but I got it from a friend, and gave it to another friend pretty much within the span of a week. So I didn't vote on the XB.

 

[Fu3lFr3nzy]

I own a post launch PS2 (which is around 2002 then), and have no problems whatsoever to this day. Well, it wasnt reading GoWII at first due to the disc being dual layer, but a good spray of compressed air fixed her right up :smile:

I have one of those Xbox's that came bundled with Sega GT 2002/JSRF. Aside from blowing a fuse during a trip to the philippines (220v>110 ), I fixed it and the console itself never ran into problems and runs very strong to this day

 

[Darkon]

My xbox had disc read errors occasionally, suprisingly my ps2 being one of the early models works fine

 

[Nesh]

I have a PS2 which was baught during xmass 2001.

It plays all of my PS2 DVD based games perfectly except GT4, which strangely decides to get stuck in some loading screens at random

It does not play any CDs anymore though

 

[Rolf N]

I still have no issues with my PStwo, and I had sold my Gamecube while it was still in good health.
I added a third vote for a Gamecube with niggles for my brother. The spring mechanism for the top broke on him, so he had to weigh the lid down with a book when he wanted to play. As I understand it, besides this condition it still works fine, but has been relegated to shelf duties since the Wii arrived.

That makes my vote:
[x] Healthy PS2
[x] Healthy Gamecube
[x] Niggly Gamecube

 

[theafu]

I tend not to have issues with my console. Only reason my xbox gives me issues is because I bought it refurbished, hiccups during video playback.

 

[DeathKnight]

DVD drive went down the crapper in my launch Xbox. Modded that later on. Bought a replacement Xbox shortly after the launch one became nearly unplayable. The newer one has worked ever since. I still have both.

 

[Phil]

I own(ed) a PS2 with minor niggles

The launch PS2 failed to read normal CD-ROMs after it's 4th year. This probably could have been avoided if I would have taken a bit better care and cleaned the laser regularly.

In anycase, got one of the last generation "normal sized" PS2's shortly after and it's easy to see how much better the quality is. So much quieter too! Haven't had any problems at all with it yet and in it's 3rd year, it's still going very strong (and receiving extensive usage)!