Out of all the sixth gen consoles, which is the most reliable out of the three and still holds up well?

[Santana2011]

I would say, the PS2 original(especially the 3900x series), those are built like tanks and are very reliable. Gamecube is probably the most reliable, but i heard various reports that those disc drive sadly need recapping. While Original xbox despite being a amazing console, those sadly have capacitor issues needing a recap, and their disc drive sadly tend to not aged well at all. So anyways, which is the most reliable out of the sixth gen era.

 

[Dinis]

Definitely not the PS2, those break like paper.

 

[CraigJarrett]

PS2 has of course the biggest game library (although a large portion of them are crap, like the simple series games for example), I never liked the original Xbox console or controller but for me Gamecube is my favourite and to me holds up well today.

 

[BrawlMan]

GameCube. The GC rarely ever breaks (you have to be trying really hard to do so, outside of trying to smash it) and were made to last a long time. The PS2 while having the largest library, technically has the weakest hardware, and the big library doesn't mean much when most of the games are crap or didn't age well. Us in the USA/America kinda got lucky with not getting as much shovelware as Japan and EU/UK, but that changed when most of those PS2 shovelware games were sent to Wii with a different coat of paint. The XBOX definitely has the power, but has a faulty clock system attached to the motherboard that melts after a certain point. If you got an XBOX at launch, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. This was a problem with the newer models, but you can pay someone to remove the clock, before it melts, if you're not comfortable doing it yourself. So at this point, it's either get a modded XBOX that doesn't have this issue, or pray you got lucky.

 

[Neb Lleb]

Xbox.

 

[Kobu]

The laser in my PS2 wore out about 12 years ago. The disc tray went out as well I have to press mildly to open it up. The power button is loose somehow. Its still kickin with a SATA drive hardmod and Free McBoot though.

My GCN on the other hand is in excellent condition it sill works like new. Even the paint on it is well preserved. So I'd say the GCN is more durable imo. I never owned an Xbox.

 

[Dr.Kisaragi Dr.Kisaragi]

Ps2 because I brought ps2 year 2007 and died last year

His been with me from my childhood to adulthood.

 

[DayBreak_Illusion]

Gamecube, is the only one that didn't have something wrong, PS2 has the laser disc, Xbox has the Battery and Dreamcast has the Power Supply

 

[nobitakun]

It depends on what "break" means. Being reliable for me entails every important component.

If we talk about lenses, PS2 3900x has a lens that is good but 5000x is better. But the best lens on a PS2 console is PSTwo 9000x, followed by PVR802. The worst lens of that generation goes for GameCube. Dreamcast lens was exceptional as well. But if we talk about all generations, there is nothing better than the lens of Xbox360 (non slim). I've seen them reading completely scratched discs like nothing, while even the PC DVD writer couldn't read.

GameCube was made to be durable, that is a fact, but its weak point was the lens, worst I've ever seen in a console, as I never experienced a new console having reading errors from a disc in pristine condition other than GameCube. And since the software was terribly made, when reading errors popped up you were litterally screwed up and needed to reset the console. Any other console from that generation did that.

If we talk about memory cards, GameCube ones were the best. Simple, big and reliable, even unbranded ones. But my favourites are Xbox360 ones, although they come from a newer generation. That's simply the only reason that keeps me from using any Xbox360 Slim, the memory card slot.

Gamepads are kind of mixed bag. If we stick to the original brands, GameCube pads are very durable, but again Xbox360 get the best if we go one gen higher. Wireless gamepads with the option to use AA batteries or battery packs, that is a wonderful idea in a gamepad that is rock solid, unlike Sony which smashed a battery inside and screw you if you want to use AA batteries. Also, PS3 gamepads were just "decent" quality wise.

 

[Sheepy765]

I think the gamecube holds up the best over a long period of time. My PS2 still works but I’m very sure it’s due to lack of use.

 

[G.L.a.D.O.S.]

Well, it really boils down to the usage of the console and how well it's taken care of, as well as quite a bit of luck. Out of the three consoles mentioned here, the PS2 is the only one I haven't had any issues with. Again, luck plays a role, and I have taken very good care of it. Plus, it doesn’t get played as much as it did ten years ago, since emulation is much easier now.

When I had a GameCube, I can't recall anything aside from the second controller port dying on it. The original Xbox are ticking time bombs if you don't remove the clock capacitor, even on the last revision. I still wouldn’t trust it completely.

If we include the Dreamcast, its optical drives are horribly engineered. I finally gave up on replacing the one in mine, as it was less of a hassle to emulate it, just like with the PS2. I never experienced the power issue mentioned above with the Dreamcast.

Again, I think it really just boils down to luck with these consoles for the most part.

And well, if we are talking about breaking now, you have to remember that this hardware is approaching the 30 year mark, with the Dreamcast being the oldest. I'm referring to the USA release dates, by the way. The Dreamcast is 27 years old, the PS2 is 26, and the GameCube/Xbox are 24 respectively. So, if you mean breaking now, it's old hardware. It happens even to the best engineered systems.

 

[Pearly]

Definitely not the PS2, those break like paper.

This.

I have had one gamecube last me at least 15 years and that was played frequently, same for my xbox, I had both and I only needed one of each, I parted with both of them a few years back and they were still working perfectly. I should add a launch release of both at that.

I am extremely careful with all my belongings and despite all my consoles pretty much lasting the entire time I owned them, my sega mega drive 2 still working over 30 years later, my launch release dreamcast which works to this day, longest lasting disc based console I still own.

I have had several ps2s, starting from the black brick through to the slimlines, they all eventually stop reading DVDs and blue discs, it really wasn't a great machine in terms of how long it would last. There was a myth about a specific slimline ps2 model being built to last. My ps3 super slim seems to be built to last at least, so there's that. The dual shocks didn't last long either. Great library, serviceable machine. I wonder how many people had to buy several ps2's because they just stopped working so frequently.

Someone is going to chime in and say their ps2 survived re-entry of earths orbit, works like a charm to this day, and all I can say is congrats, you won the ps2 lottery

 

[BrawlMan]

but again Xbox360 get the best if we go one gen higher.

The only problem with the 360 controller is that it sucked when you were playing certain 2d/2.5d games or fighting games, especially. That dpad is still considered the worst dpad out of all the consoles. It took another generation to correct that error.

Someone is going to chime in and say their ps2 survived re-entry of earths orbit, works like a charm to this day, and all I can say is congrats, you won the ps2 lottery

Thanks. My older brother's PS2 Slim he got in 2004 still works fine. My refurbished PS2 slim still works and I got that in 2011. Though I am gonna have to get an aftermarket controller to replace one of the controllers.

 

[nobitakun]

I have had several ps2s, starting from the black brick through to the slimlines, they all eventually stop reading DVDs and blue discs, it really wasn't a great machine in terms of how long it would last. There was a myth about a specific slimline ps2 model being built to last. My ps3 super slim seems to be built to last at least, so there's that. The dual shocks didn't last long either. Great library, serviceable machine. I wonder how many people had to buy several ps2's because they just stopped working so frequently.

Someone is going to chime in and say their ps2 survived re-entry of earths orbit, works like a charm to this day, and all I can say is congrats, you won the ps2 lottery

Not someone, several people. That "lottery" could be won more often than you think. I've also had several PS2's for testing purposes and none of them broke electronically and only the ones with the lens model SPU3170 were the ones failing. I can tell you the lens from 9000x model is one of the best lens I've ever seen in a Playstation console to date as it was made by Sony itself.

The only problem with the 360 controller is that it sucked when you were playing certain 2d/2.5d games or fighting games, especially. That dpad is still considered the worst dpad out of all the consoles. It took another generation to correct that error.

That is true. I remember a friend complaining about that a few times. Since I play fighting games just to joke around and very from time to time, more like once or twice in a year, I never cared. I was mainly a shmup player, and for those the gamepad was working perfectly fine :)

 

[Santana2011]

It depends on what "break" means. Being reliable for me entails every important component.

If we talk about lenses, PS2 3900x has a lens that is good but 5000x is better. But the best lens on a PS2 console is PSTwo 9000x, followed by PVR802. The worst lens of that generation goes for GameCube. Dreamcast lens was exceptional as well. But if we talk about all generations, there is nothing better than the lens of Xbox360 (non slim). I've seen them reading completely scratched discs like nothing, while even the PC DVD writer couldn't read.

GameCube was made to be durable, that is a fact, but its weak point was the lens, worst I've ever seen in a console, as I never experienced a new console having reading errors from a disc in pristine condition other than GameCube. And since the software was terribly made, when reading errors popped up you were litterally screwed up and needed to reset the console. Any other console from that generation did that.

If we talk about memory cards, GameCube ones were the best. Simple, big and reliable, even unbranded ones. But my favourites are Xbox360 ones, although they come from a newer generation. That's simply the only reason that keeps me from using any Xbox360 Slim, the memory card slot.

Gamepads are kind of mixed bag. If we stick to the original brands, GameCube pads are very durable, but again Xbox360 get the best if we go one gen higher. Wireless gamepads with the option to use AA batteries or battery packs, that is a wonderful idea in a gamepad that is rock solid, unlike Sony which smashed a battery inside and screw you if you want to use AA batteries. Also, PS3 gamepads were just "decent" quality wise.

Is it weird I find my PS2 SCPH-3900x more reliable than the 5000x(even tho it’s a good model). Because I also play backups on my 3900x since late 2024, and that laser is still going strong with no issues.

 

[BrawlMan]

I was mainly a shmup player, and for those the gamepad was working perfectly fine :)

Those are about the only 2d games that benefited the most from that dpad. Guardians Heroes on XBLA too.

 

[ThatOneLum]

I'm currently still running the same Phat PS2 that I've had since the original release back in 2001/2. The only changes it's had have been a hard drive and a wireless controller receiver so I can play it was a DualShock 4.

My Xbox, however bit the dust ages ago. First the drive whent, then the caps needed replacing so I sold it off. It was a great system but very bulky compared to both.

Still have a GC lying around somewhere and it still works even though it was completely destroyed by me 'modifying' it with a screwdriver and hammer as well as some poster paint. It's a wreck, but damn if the fucker still plays discs lmao

That said, I've moved to using my Wii for GameCube games because it means I have both systems covered with one tiny white box.

 

[Bakuma1997]

Gamecube, it could give Nokia phones a run for their money in terms of durability, and if someone dares to disagree, they come with handy handles to swing it aganst the heretic's face

 

[Don Patch]

Depends, but I'd put my money on the Cube standing up to time best.

That said, I still play my PS2.... but I baby the thing and don't use the disc drive anymore, so...

 

[Advil Lavs]

I remember that video of Gamecube durability tests. The one where they dropped the consoles and smashed them with sledge hammers. That kinda inspired confidence in me. The PS2 doesn't need to be that durable since it's so easy to get another one even today. I think there are 14 PS2s for sale at second hand stores, just in my town. As for Xbox, I figure it's build like an early 2000s PC since it has the same architecture.