So here's all I know.
I use a 2009 Slim, you just have to make sure you have the correct revision of the Slim if you want CFW. I don't personally care if I have to use HEN or not so I just bought a console and I got lucky.
The older fat models are guaranteed to be defective due to inappropriate underfill used inside the 90nm RSX and
maybe a few 65nm RSXes, the older the console is the more likely it is to be fucked. B
oth AMD and NVIDIA had similar design flaws in their graphics chips during this generation, and responded to them around the same time. For both the PS3 and Xbox 360, Mid-2009 or later is where you want your MFR date.
The only reason anyone should buy a fat PS3 is for the native PS2 hardware, which is needed for a handful of games. If you buy one then you'll eventually need to replace it, sacrifice another defective RSX every few years (which is just more work for no reason)... or transplant a newer RSX with the correct underfill and fix the problem for good. If your RSX is too new, you lose OtherOS. None of the options are pleasant.
In conclusion...
If
this is not good enough PS2 support for you, buy a fat - ONLY IF you're ready to do a complex hardware mod on it.
Otherwise just buy the Slim and forget about it.
Now, it's 2026, so if you can afford to buy a PS3, then you probably have a PC or Mac that can emulate PS2 games more accurately. Even laptops and portables can do it now. The same can't be said for PS3 emulation, which is why these consoles are still in high demand. I don't think perfect PS2 support is what most buyers are looking for these days. Despite this, Sony's PS2 emulator is pretty good. The only PS2 game I found that doesn't run properly is WipEout Fusion.
