Model differences, laser wear, and the accessories nobody includes.
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The PS2 has the deepest library of any console ever made, and working units are still easy to find. The catch is that every one of them is old enough to have a tired optical drive.
Here is what to look at before you buy, and what you will need on day one that the listing probably does not include.
The original chassis has the expansion bay, best compatibility with PS1 discs and accessories, and is easier to service. Heavier, and the drive is the part that wears.
Tiny, quiet, and has built-in Ethernet. No hard-drive bay, and the lid mechanism is a common failure point.
No memory card, no saves — and almost no used listing includes one. Get this in the same order as the console.
The PS2 outputs 480p in many games, but only over component or a converter. It is the difference between blurry and sharp on a modern TV.
Ask the seller for a photo of the console powered on with a game running — it rules out most of the common faults in one step.
Yes — the library is enormous and much of it never got re-released. It is also one of the cheapest ways into a whole console generation.
Fat for compatibility and serviceability, slim for size and built-in Ethernet.
Yes, both models are backwards-compatible with PS1 discs, and PS1 memory cards work in the same slots.
The optical drive laser first, then the disc tray or lid sensor. Both are the reason to insist on seeing it running.