Hardware PS3 cooling issues, are there any?

[ferofax]

A friend of mine is considering getting one, but he somehow came into some info where you're only supposed to play for 3 hours before you need to cool it down for an hour. That sounds kind of iffy at best, because I was under the impression that cooling problems were a thing of the past.

Which of the two PS3 models are best cooling wise, and is that okay for extended playtime, or do will it really be needed to give it some sort of cooling system, like a small fan or something?

 

[Qtis]

As long as you don't close the PS3 into an airtight place while playing, there is no problem whatsoever with the PS3. Only time I've got my PS3 fans shouting for mother is while playing Crysis 2 and leaving the PS3 closed into the cupboard. Also it was after about 5 hours of playing. After opening the cupboard (usually play with it open anyways), the fans calmed down very quickly.

TL;DR: Just keep the airflow going (don't block the fans) and you're good to go.

 

[Depravo]

As above. My brother kept his in a closed cabinet and the fans started to cry after a while. Now he keeps the door open as he plays and all is well.

 

[Magsor]

I have a laptop cooling fan underneath my PS3. They are worth it I think.

 

[Twiffles]

I've kept my slim on for upwards of 8 continuous hours before. The fan kick up a little about an hour in and stayed that way until the end. Granted I keep it in a generally open area so all the heat can exhaust properly out the back.