Five Steps to Buy a PS2 System - written by JJ Hendricks

The Playstation 2 system has sold more than 110 million units worldwide since its release in 2000. If you weren't one of these millions of consumers you may still be looking to buy a PS2. Follow these steps below to save you money and make your shopping as hassle free as possible.

1. Buy the Slim PS2 - The Playstation 2 comes in two major versions. The original, larger PS2 and the more compact PStwo. The original PS2 system worked well in most cases but was bulky and some systems would lose power in their lasers over time making certain games unplayable. The PStwo system is much more compact than the original plus has a built in Ethernet adaptor or online play. The laser problem has been fixed in the PStwo version so you won't have to worry about disc read errors after using the system for a while.

2. Spend Less than $90 - Slim Playstation 2's are still sold new in stores, but they cost $129.99. If you want to save some money you can find used and refurbished slim PStwo systems for under $90 and the old Playstation 2 is even cheaper (thought be sure to read the paragraph above to make sure you know the differences between the two).

3. Shop Online - Although you can find used PS2 systems in many local game shops, the prices are usually higher in retail locations than online. Almost every gaming website carries Playstation 2 consoles since it was the most popular system last generation. You won't have to look hard to find the system. Ebay can also be a good option if you want to buy games with your Playstation 2 at the same time. Sellers will sell you their entire collection and you can save even more money.

5. Buy Used - You can save up to $40 by buying your PS2 system used instead of new. If you buy used games too, that can be two or three extra games you can buy to go along with your system. Just be sure to read step 5 to make sure buying used doesn't hurt you.

5. Buy only Quality Guaranteed - Because of the problems mentioned earlier that the PS2 can have, be sure to only buy from a retailer that guarantees their systems. You don't want to receive the system only to find it doesn't read certain discs and then not be able to get a replacement. Most websites will say they guarantee their items right on the same page you are buying the PS2 system.

Keep these five steps in mind when shopping for your Playstation 2 system and will can start playing all the great games available on the console and save yourself some money in the process.