# Is Playstation2 worth buying in 2003?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-playstation2-worth-buying-in-2003/146843
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 5, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-playstation2-worth-buying-in-2003/146843 "2003-01-05T23:58:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-playstation2-worth-buying-in-2003/146843/21 "2003-01-06T18:24:37Z")
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> But yeah, go for it. I don’t think the price will drop until Christmas 2003
Actually, I’d bet that prices are going to drop again this spring. My guess would be around E3, which is IIRC in May.
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### Author:  [@beajerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beajerry)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2003, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-playstation2-worth-buying-in-2003/146843/22 "2003-01-06T18:37:06Z")
Thanks for all the advice.
I think I’ll go with waiting until spring and seeing if there is a price drop in the PS2, and if not, then get it anyway.
I’ve noticed there are good deals on PS2 games in the used game shops which are popping up all over.
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### Author:  [@habs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/habs)
#### Post date: [January 6, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-playstation2-worth-buying-in-2003/146843/23 "2003-01-06T23:38:10Z")
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> \*Originally posted by Fallus \*
> \*\*Is it true that the PS2 is compatible with the PSone because the PS2 “soundcard” is essentially a modified PSone? My brother told me this, but he could have been drunk 🙂 \*\*
The reason it’s compatible is that the PS2’s GPU actually emulates PSOne/PSX games. This emulation is what gives the PS2 the ability to execute such features as texture smoothing on PSX games, for example.
What would really impress me is if the PS3 would be compatible with **both** PS2 and PSX games! 😃
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### Author:  [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-playstation2-worth-buying-in-2003/146843/24 "2003-01-07T01:59:41Z")
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> \*Originally posted by Cisco \*
> **Mr2001 - even PS2 frothing at the mouth fanatics that I know have to admit that Xbox’s online service is vastly superior. And you don’t pay by the month - at least not yet. The first year is free with the purchase of the hardware and no games charge extra.**
The lack of dialup support is no small issue. Only about [17 percent](http://www.newsfactor.com/perl/story/19046.html) of Internet users in the U.S. have broadband access.
And, more subjectively, the reviews I’ve read haven’t been as clear-cut as you suggest. The XBox service is more integrated–you have the same username in every game, you can check your rank against other users, and you can receive alerts inside a game. But casual online gamers who don’t subscribe to games like EverQuest can save a lot of money in the long run with the PS2.
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### Author:  [@justthefacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justthefacts)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-playstation2-worth-buying-in-2003/146843/25 "2003-01-07T03:17:27Z")
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> \*Originally posted by beajerry \*
> \*\*Thanks for all the advice.
> I think I’ll go with waiting until spring and seeing if there is a price drop in the PS2, and if not, then get it anyway.
> I’ve noticed there are good deals on PS2 games in the used game shops which are popping up all over. \*\*
Don’t wait…buy now. If prices are going to drop they are not going to drop much if new systems are not due until 2005. In 2005 you will be able to get a PS2 for about $50.00 (like the PS1 is now), but you will be saying to your self “I wonder when the PS3 price will drop”. They are pretty much like computers…you gotta just get the best deal that day…in the long run you have to look at the fun it gives you not the $XX.XX you saved.
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