What are the differences between the Sony PS2 and the slimline PS2?
The biggest difference between the two is indeed the form factor. Sony removed the power supply and the space for the HDD bay and used the (then) recent improvements to their manufacturing process to squeeze what were originally multiple chips spread out across the PS2’s mainboard into a single, much smaller space. By moving the power supply out out of the unit, Sony made the PS2 incredibly thin, added in ports for broadband multiplayer (something that was previously only available if you’d shelled out the cash for the Network Adaptor), and removed the i.Link (FireWire) port that was never really used. The only reason you’d want to use the older, original PS2 is if you have the HDD, which is required for Final Fantasy XI. Some have used programs like HDAdvance to rip and store games to the hard drive. While HDAdvance is undeniably convenient, it’s hardly legal.
