My theory there was a repair prior to the console been sent to gamestop, explaining signs someone had been inside. Gamestop however haven't touched the console past some tests it works.
@@Everprod that's to much to ask. Their lazy fucks ebgames/gamestop my 360 my mom got us one year ringed after a month I had overheat it then replace the thermal paste pain in my ass I never buy anything from there I just go on craigslist or Facebook you'll get a better condition console that works for cheaper plus not deal with some rude bitch or fat sweaty nerd!!!
Pro tip: If you're ever doing work on electronics & need to keep track of the various screws removed during different stages, buy a couple of those 7 day pill dispenser containers from Walmart or a dollar store, and number them so that each step's screws can be kept separated. You'll never miss a screw or use the wrong screw.
@@Joshodude Sure do, I like the pill containers for the convenience of having closures. I'm a spill prone individual, so it's saved my ass many times in the past.
@@renegadeblade2673 I've heard a lot of horror stories about customer service, but honestly, I never ran into one. The closest thing maybe is accidentally running into my ex who I never knew that she worked there until the heat of the moment, and even then it was more just awkward instead of irritating. Otherwise, every employee I've come across so far has been relatively nice.
I agree with the general idea of always buying new from a reputable dealer, but personally I have a success story. A few years ago they were running a deal on used Wii U's (I think it was 150 dollars for the console and 2 games). I bought one because the U was the only current gen console I hadn't picked up yet and I wanted to play MK 8 and Smash had either just come out or was about to come out. It was the basic white 8gb console. It looked brand new when I opened it. The screen on the controller was completely unscratched, it looked like a stylus had never touched it. I threw some extra storage on it and it's worked fantastic ever since. It's seen a lot of use too. So, while I'd usually not recommend buying used from Gamestop, sometimes you don't get screwed. Just make sure you know what you're getting into when you buy something like this.
GameStop gets hate but I do have to say , in more rural areas , GameStop is the only game only store people have. That’s the only positive thing I could say about them
I worked at Gamestop for a few weeks. On my first day, someone brought in a PS3 to trade in. The people trading it in informed us that there was a game stuck inside of it. We powered it on to make sure it worked, then tried to get the disc out with no luck. We actually heard a crunching sound at one point while it was on and started to worry. My manager got out her tools and started taking it apart. As soon as she got the top off, a cockroach came crawling out. Then we noticed more were squirming around inside of it. One had gotten squished when we turned the system on. I quickly grabbed a bag and we threw the system in, then threw that in a trash bag, and tied it up tightly. We still took it in and gave them store credit. I imagine someone out there bought this once roach infested PS3 and they have no idea.
What GameStop did you work at? Cause I currently work at a GameStop and if we see ANY signs of infestation even just a single bug leg or wing we quietly inform them of what we have found and ask them to remove the system from the store before we continue with any purchases or other trade-ins
It's good to know that it isn't just me. Last year, I bought one of their "refurbished" PS3s. The stupid thing wouldn't play certain games that were too graphically taxing. I took it back because of the warranty I got, and to my surprise, the employee immediately took it back without me really explaining what was wrong with it. They gave me a new one, and when I got home, I opened the box. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I was greeted with a huge cloud of dust coming right of the box. And I never went to Gamestop again.
@@guccimalcs I kind of get what you're saying, but that still makes it the higher-ups at Gamestop's problem. What if Nintendo's sales on the 3DS slowed down? Would Nintendo ship out dusty hardware? Of course not, they'd get a reputation for terrible quality. There's got to be some sort of expiration date for something like this.
The employee didn't listen to what was wrong because it in no way changes what he does with it. They all get sent to corporate to be inspected there anyway.
I distinctly remember buying a used controller from Gamestop, a used 360 controller that I wanted for a PC. Took it home, started using it, and immediately noticed that the bumper buttons weren't working correctly. Took it back immediately and swore off buying anything used from them from that day forward.
If that one PS3 couldn't read certain games, I think that's an eye issue with the disc drive. My PS3 only plays certain DVDs and is really picky about it. But it plays Blu-rays just fine. Though my PS3 was new when I bought it.
Lot of people are ignorant to this stuff. So long as it still works, they don’t care. Irks the shit out of me.
4 года назад+2
@@MrSlendyMannn I mean they did spend their own fortune on it, I wouldn't let it get to me that much. Plus what do you expect from a refurbished? Gold?
@@princenoreally. Seems like spoiled kids. I only got toys for my Birthday and Christmas. I didn't even get Dollar Tree toys cause my parents wanted to teach me responsibility. It worked cause I take care of my stuff and I've never broken a controller or console out of anger.
@@Deadsea_1993 I had a friend who broke controllers all the time. A grown ass man, too. I don't hang out with him anymore. It's way too stressful. He's on a hairtrigger constantly and it's multiplied by the fact that he sucks at games lol
Tank Kill I’m pretty sure he said in the Xbox video that Nintendo Wii’s were pretty durable and the main issues in almost all cases was a broken disc drive
@@TheRavenwolf666 bought one b4 and tested a gamecube game and it worked. A couple weeks later went to play a wii game in it and the disc drive would work on full size wii games. Drive was fucked I got a random used wii on ebay that worked better.
"Supply and demand" people aren't running out buying PS3's everyday, why the hell would someone give people at mass scales a ton of money for shitty systems that don't regularly sell
Yeah if it were refurbished it's supposed to look new. That top panel should have been replaced judging by its poor condition. I doubt they refurbish anything.
Eh, knowing how to assemble consoles doesn't mean you know anything about game series such as speed running Mario64 or getting every ending in Until Dawn or the best party build for beating all the marks in FFXV. Really doubt he knows all that much about gaming and specific video games or franchises or even weekly news.
Refurbished anything from gamestop is a joke, the newer systems they charge way to much might as well get new. And the older systems just get a band aid slapped on for a couple month fix.
That's so true, it's far better to buy from eBay from normal people, they are usually just bit dusty but atleast you may know if it has been damaged somehow if you ask from the seller for info
I bought a PS3 Slim years ago brand new at Best Buy. I've never had a problem with it ever since I bought and it's gotten a lot of use. I always tell people the best way to make your stuff last is to keep it clean and take care of it as much as possible. I used to work at a game store and I've seen some terribly abused systems. I've had customers get pissed at me when I tell them I need to test the system to see if it works.
Derek Work well it's like if I brought in my old PS3 (which is the A-01 model) and you didn't test it and resold it, you would be selling someone a dead system because it cooked itself after about 6 or so years of being played constantly
You tell me. I bought a launch PS3 from Japan which was [sold as is] for $40 dollars and it looks new!. I only bought it for the shell/housing. I turned the console on and it gave me the red blinking light then I saw how full of dust it was! I opened it up and cleaned everything, the whole motherboard with Isopropyl Alcohol 99%, changed the thermal paste and that thing booted up with no more red light! Everything works lol. What a steal! Now Im on my way to look for a few more like that and take my chances. People are really lazy when it comes to cleaning their consoles or they just dont want to open it or the time for it.
That is funny, if you are pissed that I am testing it, wait till you get home and it doesn't work. This is to protect you as much as them. No knowing what has happened to it since you got it in.
@@jugostran could have had a console skin ,stickers anything like that they might removed leaving thick sticky residue and the lazy way is wire brush or sandpaper. can be done by soaking the residue in isb alcohol and rubbing with a microfiber cloth just takes awhile and most refurbishers don't take time for others just themselves tbh
I bought a 2008 phat non-bc model 80gb CECHK01 back in August for CHEAP on ebay. It was so bad, I had to turn it off after about 10 mins it gave me a heat warning. I said screw it and opened it up and to my dismay I saw the most cluttered console in my life. Dust bunnies everywhere. Must have been owned by an idiot who kept it on the floor and played it a lot over the past decade. The security seal was still on it so I know it had never been cleaned. I gave the plastics a nice needed bath in hot to the touch water, and let them dry out in the September sun. I took my air compressor to all parts and cleaned every square inch. Cleaned the motherboard off with Q-tips and alcohol as well. I made it spotless. Applied Arctic MX-4 thermal paste which is even better than Arctic Silver 5. I took the temps down from 83c, with shut down warnings, to 53c. A FULL 30 degree change. I have never had a more satisfying console refurbishing experience after cleaning it out completely and giving it a totally new lease on life. I jailbroke it and have been enjoying homebrew on it as well. I am super happy with the system now and plan on keeping her for a very long time. I even upgraded the HDD with a 600GB drive from an old broken laptop we had laying around the house. I basically only had to spend maybe $70 tops on it. Got a Power A Xbox styled officially licensed by Sony controller. Works with PS2 software emulation(Many 3rd party controllers don't that use USB dongles) and was only $8.50. Then the shipping on the console was $10, so total cost wasn't too bad considering. Been running it for months now and no sign of slowing down! She is a survivor.
Yours sux. My ps3 has Super MX-5 platinum paste, 10 TB hard drive and plays ps4 games. It even has a freakin hundred emulators, bet yours doesn't do all that.
@Efrain Collazo Jr. Download some software that modifies fan speeds, older ps3s had shitty fan controllers and wont bump the speed till the hardware reaches 70 degrees. The fan controllers also apparently didn't have access to gpu temps while playing ps2 so the gpu would burn to crisps without software. Keep that phat well, it will become rare in the future when most die.
Karl Walker I have a backwards compatible 6gb ps3 and I replaced and gave it wat better parts it doesn't even overheat or make those loud noises planning on buffering the rest of the scratches out then it will be perfect
@@animegaming4782 I just bought a working 60bg backwards compatible model, what parts did you replace ? I’m asking because I plan on doing the same thing to mine to make it last as long as I can.
Far out that corrosion... if i let a system leave our workshop looking like that, my boss would beat me with it, far out its not even that hard to clean.
Just because it's refurbished doesn't mean there is or was actually anything wrong with it. All systems with a hard drive are "refurbished" and not just resold because they have to clear the data off the drive. It's still a lottery.
Joshua Vanderburg huh I didn’t know that. I always thought if it was refurbished that meant that at some point there was some problem with it and it was fixed and put back on shelves
jeremy roberts lol really? Refurbishment usually is more involved vs used but Doesn’t mean was even anything broken or wrong with the device. I used to do refurbishment of consoles when the PS3 was the sexy console. And I would say around half of the units I got nothing really wrong with them, maybe I was lucky but ya. Mostly cleaning and replacing thermal paste. However all that being said were units I got in I genuinely decided was better I write them off entirely as parts units even if they functioned because the amount of damage.
No there is pre-owned and refurbished. Pre-owned means it was a Gamestop trade in. Data was wiped and factory settings restored. Refurbished means there was an issue with it and it was sent to the ROC for repair
@@stevewittbrodt When I worked there, Pre-owned was only for devices that not only didn't have anything wrong with them, but also didn't have an internal hard drive. You could get a pre-owned 360, but you couldn't get a pre-owned PS3, only refurbished. You also can't get a pre-owned hard drive for the 360, only refurbished. If it had an internal hard drive (or was a hard drive), it's automatically going to be refurbished. Edit: To clarify, staff in the store were not allowed to wipe the drives, in either of the 2 stores I worked, which is why they had to be sent off. This is why all the 360 hard drives on gamestop.com say refurbished and all the PS3s on the website make no distinction between pre-owned and refurbished.
I still am operating a Ps3 I bought new, ten yrs ago, of my 100 games, none of which are scratched either, still damn good value, for blu Ray, 3d movies, Spotify, netflix too.
Spawnwave is like a gaming tech detective in these videos. Instead of looking for blood splatter patterns, he looks for liquid patterns or other tech damage. Awesome vids!
as far as I know you can use a PS4 controller on PS3 (but not the other way around), so it is not a big deal, especially because the PS3 Dual Shock was so shit. I dont know how Sony improved the controller internally at the time, but I had to fix multiple times the triggers because I play a lot of racing games. Sony used a really shitty spring that break easily (mine broke playing GTA IV) and I replaced with the spring of a pen and it lasted more than the original.
I'm guessing they only replaced the outer compound. Then THEY probably got liquid in it after they put it together and started buffing out all the light scratches on the case with a WET S.O.S. pad. You mentioned it probably SAT for a long time, and that would explain the rust. The controller looks like they MAY have swapped out the cracked and worn Sixaxis outer shell with a 3rd party one, but most likely has Sony internals.
@@drownsinkoolaid4203 I also think it depends on the Gamestop you go to. I bought The Nathan Drake collection PS4 and the Gamestop in my Hometown gave me the full 60 dollars cash back for it. The game stop down where i live now is trying to sell used Ps3's for 120 bucks i went to used game store and got one for 60 bucks lol.
Thanks for this video! Just picked up an A01 on Craigslist mostly for PS1/PS2 games and after cleaning it out and fresh thermal paste it still runs hot. Never thought to try delidding but looks like that's next. Thanks for the tips and clear instructions.
Thanks for the good information. Finally, after years of trying to keep my PS3 running, I find out about the dies under the heat spreaders. I had seen them removed before, but did not know about replacing the paste underneath. In fact, if I remember correctly it was recommended to not remove them. I do wish you had mentioned the best kind of glue used to re-attach the heat spreaders. I heard you mention Silicone, so at least I have a place to start. I thought I knew just about everything after taking my PS3 apart to work on it so many times. I guess you can always learn something new. Cheers!
Peter Loew I like the convenience of the store and enjoy browsing the selection, but I quit being an idiot and trading anything with them a long time ago & I don’t buy their refurbished garbage. I will buy used, but not refurbished.
I’ve gone through two PS3s- both slim models. The first was Refurbished. The discs wouldn’t read within I think 2-3 years. And I bought a used one a couple of years ago that crapped out on me a few months ago. I had a lot of troubles with that one freezing prior to it not turning on again.
Great video, but I was bummed you didn't go through the process of cleaning up the corrosion and mainly relidding the chips. How do you secure the heat spreaders back in place?
I am so glad my refurbished Ps3 slim works to this day. The only problems I had were the mistake of getting a super slim from them, gave me the wrong price in comparison with the online price, and some screw covers were off. If you want to get a ps3 or 360 from GameStop, the best bet is to get the slim versions since they are guaranteed to last. Otherwise, they have a 30 day warranty so there's rly no risk to try any of the consoles out.
you said it was sitting in the stock room under a bunch of stuff. perhaps it wasn't liquid damaged while being refurbished. but suffered some damage while sitting in the stock room. though you would probably see some residue in the box. or maybe they box it when you buy it. seems very weird that they wouldn't do anything about that no one is that bad. by looks of things. it was overheating so they opened it up and slapped new paste on it. the water damage came after the fact.only plausible scenario really.
@@Commodore4eva yeah exactly however doesn't explain why the box isn't soggy or show signed of damage. Unless it's only packaged at the point of sale. By the looks of things this cannot be moisture buildup as there is clearly signed of liquid running down the board. Even the most extreme moisture damage would form almost like ice around components. But as someone who has worked in a place similar to GameStop I know how tight space is.
I left my ps3 on for several days straight & it auto shut off, would get a flashing yellow light upon start up, and my game i was playing was stuck in it and never retrieved lol.
I love how you’re doing this so we don’t have to experience the terror of buying a “refurbished” console. You’re a true hero John, you and your family enjoy thanksgiving
Is the rust from a damp environment and dissimilar metals? In the same way you put sacrificial anodes on a boat to stop the hull rusting. I cant think of what the process is called, electrolysis? It looks to be around power connectors, maybe there is a power leak somewhere. EDIT Ah right, bit later into the video now, spillage. But I still think the actual rusting was shorted in through moisture and power getting mixed up.
My PS3 is REALLY loud, maybe I should try delidding it and see how the thermal paste is doing... How do you put the heat spreader back on? Do you need to put new silicone?
Would have been nice if you would have said how to put it back together oh well you'll have to use Google well technically the RUclips search but it is run by Google so
Just put thermal paste on and sit back in original place the pressure from the heat sinks will keep it in place no problem. I did this to mine and I'm using liquid metal and haven't had a single issue.
My PS3 80GB played PS2 games (most of them). It had an emulator, that the 40GB version didn't (that's what I was told). Anyway, that was my experience, and I'm, by no means, an expert, on these machines. It's fun watching these systems torn down, and explained, though. Good job on the channel - I hope it grows, and hope it becomes all that you want it to be!
I did too. But I think at some point there was an update that stopped them from being backwards compatible. Or at least that is what I have read online. So the only ones that are still backwards compatible are the 60Gb and 20Gb models because of the hardware built in unless you can find one that was never updated or not past 3.x. Which is stupid. I think it was update 4.4x and the most recent update is 4.89 so it was toward the end of Sony support for the PS3.
The first PS3's had a hardware emulators/chip. Next version had software emulators (no chip), then shortly after that (since more PS2 games didn't work with the software emulation), they removed PS2 emulation, altogether.
meanwhile my ps2 (other than the plastic shell being broken due to an accident when i was like 6 years old) is in PERFECT conditions! The disk drive works flawlessly any game will work unless its very scratched. Now im 16 and this ps2 is still kicking and i use it with free mcboot for emulation and some ps2 classics
I still have a PS3 with PS2 backwards compatibility, the 60GB fat one still in very good condition. Never had an issue with it, still play it quite often too.
Hey Spawn, I had a little thought - if it’s literally been sitting in a warehouse out the back for years then maybe the liquid exposure occurs there - after the initial refurb. Any sign of liquid on the box?
You should check out a Sony refurbished PS3; a few years ago I bought my system (older "fat" model, I think it was 80gigs) from a thrift store for $15 (long story lol) but it didn't work, disc drive was bad and wouldn't read discs, but the system would turn on, connect to the internet, etc.; sent it to sony to get refurbished, I think they just sent me a different unit (same model and everything though) but this model had the yellow light issue. Kept sending it back multiple times and on my 4th or 5th system (each new unit with the same yellow light issue, all of this over the course of 2 or 3 months), I just gave up and traded it in to gamestop for a newer ps3 model. But I'd love to see what sony themselves considers "refurbished" after seeing these videos and considering my own issues in the past with them.
I bought one in 2010 ,40bg version , it worked good except fan was loud almost max all the time , it survived 6 years till it got YLOD , but it was clean from the store and i suspect they made fan go fast to make it go more years in life... it was ok for a *refurbished*.
Heads up guys. If you attempt the repaste as John had shown in the video, be careful to not scratch part of the raised surface that the cpu/gpu die is directly sitting on when using the pop tool. Cut mine just a little to much I guess and now I have an almost instant ylod when i turn my ps3 on and from what I can't tell the ps3 is pretty much dead at this point. He warned us pretty well in the vid but I just wanted to give an extra heads up to please be careful when attempting it.
why would buying a refurbished ps3 be a waste of money? i bought a refurbished super sim ps3 model and besides some fps drops in certain games all have been working fine
He said he filmed both todays video & yesterdays video both on Wednesday. So he had two days off. But yes. He does deserve a break. He makes awesome content for our enjoyment. Especially todays videos. I love the console break downs.
Never shop at GameStop! Last time I went to buy a New game the employee literally brought me a used game and tried to charge me for it being new and to make it worse it wasn't even in it's box! So then I proceeded to tell the GameStop employee that "I wanted it used" so then the employee said oh I thought you said new and I said used and he gave it to me used price with the same game with out the box! I would rather go buy electronics at a Best buy or somewhere else.
@inputfunny It is technically policy that they can try a new game if I'm not mistaken. Almost no manager allows it though because yeah, doesn't make sense. And yeah, it's usually only the final copy/display copy that gets sold opened like that. Most store's you can safely bet it wasn't touched but it can be a gamble based on the store. Don't know what the fuck the employee that helped OP was doing tho.
inputfunny I got a copy of soul Calibur 2 from a GameStop years ago. had a memory card in its case which was unusual itself, but it had been played and had nearly everything unlocked on that save. I didn't complain since it just saved me time unlocking stuff.
I bought a refurbished PS3 Slim from Gamestop 4 or 5 years ago and it still works perfectly fine so I don't think its a waste of money you guy's must've unlucky or something
4 or 5 years ago they were alright. I had a system from that era. Actually had a screw in the disk reader. Otherwise ok. Today I wouldn't recommend it.
Nero I disagree i bought a refurbished ps3 slim 6 months ago and it still works well, the controller that it came with was great as well 360 analog stick it was missing the sony logo but it played like an original. Only thing i would say is avoid dropping the controller because mine got messed up after a few drops
The issues that the fat ps3s had are the reason Sony went and made the slim version to begin with, even though the fat ps3 was the better and sexier version in my opinion. Most slim ps3s should have no where near the issues a fat one has unless your just literally beat it up for some strange reason. I've owned a fat and currently own a slim ps3....and dearly miss the fat ps3...for one game and one game only....a ps2 game called Tourist Trophy. Polyphonic Digital need to make a 2nd version of that
Im impressed with how easy you make taking these consoles look. I guess you experience really shows. Great vid! Very informative. These refurbishes units are very deceiving products.
I bought a slim 320gb ps3 about 4 years ago from a guy off Craigslist with a nasty controller for $10 in a grocery bag I was pretty sure it was a lost cause. I got it home and the system had all the screws missing except the security screws under the power and eject button where they decided it was a good idea to break the lid off then attempted to super glue it back together. That isn't even the worst of it the disc drive didn't work either and was also missing the HDD cover and it had a mixture of Nicotine and Dust all over the inside of the system and the controller was a whole other story entirely I resurrected it with a new drive cassette, case lid, HDD cover a screw set and a whole lot of time I have used it for years with zero issues.
As someone who owns a CECHC04 model PS3, I should probably open it up for a bit of preventive maintenance or at least a hefty clean. I've had it for 3 years now, and it's served me well and without issue so far. I even upgraded the original 60 gig hard drive to a 160. I'm not comfortable with the idea of removing heat sinks or committing surgery on the thing, I figure the risks are fairly high, and the price of replacing a PS3 when mine inevitably dies is going to be a tolerable expense.
I went through 3 of these back about 5 years ago. Luckily I paid for the replacement plans. I was trying to get a system that would play PS2 games but looking back I'd have been better off just buying a separate PS2.
I bought one of the big models when they first came out, with the larger HDD. Mine has all the accessory ports under a cover in the front that they removed in the later models. It has been a workhorse and I love it.
utp216 My fat PS3 finally died this year after many years of service. Found a guy in California that fixes them. $200 later fat backwards compatible PS3 is up and running. Hope to get many more years of gameplay on it.
I replaced my PS3's thermal paste with Artic Cooling MX-4 years ago and it's still quiet or at the very least, quieter for longer than it was at launch. I'm afraid to de-lid the CPU/GPU, would this actually make it even cooler than before? Obviously YLOD is caused by the solder cracking from the heat but is this worth the hassle to maintain my 60GB PAL CECHC model.
TheMadPolarBear the factory paste under the ihs is degraded without a doubt, and reapplying will definitely help it out. If you are interested, I can go into further detail. I used to work on them commercially so I learned quite a few tricks.
@@Dirty_Bear22 Yeah it would be nice to see what i'm up against + how difficult it could be. Want to keep the ol 60GB as long as possible, especially since my PS2 died 2 months ago.
TheMadPolarBear you can take a look at this Reddit page where I went into pretty good detail: www.reddit.com/r/ps3hacks/comments/9g5peg/anyone_in_the_midwest_willing_to_help_me_change/ It would be ALOT to retype, so I ask you to look over the reddit post and come back with any questions about thermal pads, thermal paste, fans, and power supply’s. If you really go all in, you are going to spend about 150-250 USD in supplies.
my early model 1st edition fat ps3 has been bulletproof to this day. my neighbor had a 360 and had to send it in 3 times for repair because of the red ring.
It looks like it has been rubbed down with alcohol, and it etched the plastic, some people care alot about how their items looks; and would never accept this one. Did anyone see the refurbished ps4 full off tar and smoke ressidue? Seems to me they just do a quick clean and dust removal. Luckily I still got my 160gb ps3 that came with a limited edition box and 4 games bundle bought in 2008 or so. I can't seem to find many pictures of the box searching google, so I take it it must be rare. My box is located in another house, 300km away making it difficult to get a picture taken for now. I think the games was Ratchet and Clank Quest for Booty, The Last Guy, Super Stardust and Gran Turismo Prologue 5. I think it might be this one. www.cnet.com/products/sony-playstation-3-game-console-160-gb-hdd-series/
Judging by the look of the console and particularly how the controller has been scrubbed to the point where the writing has come off it was definitely cleaned out pretty thoroughly. At least you can give them props on cleaning it out properly. I also wouldn't be surprised if the liquid damage was the cleaning solution they used rather than why it came in as a broken unit.
I have a CECHA01 and I love it because I can play Playstation 1 and 2 games on it, but recently it's giving the over heating problem, the fan sounds like a jumbo jet about to take off, on the inside the PS3 is spotless, no dust and the air vents are clean, so I'm willing to delid it, what I want to know is after deliding it, what can I use to hold the lids in place again? Maybe a high temperature silicon? Or just trust that the heatsink will hold them in place?
@@Frozenduckling Well, no company is perfect, all have had their problems, maybe you just got bad luck. My PS3 fat worked great for almost 12 years, the overheating problem started just recently, currently I have a PS4 pro and I can barely notice when the fan is working and before someone comes to say I'm a Sony fanboy, I enjoy playing in my PS4, my Switch and my Xbox, I'm a video game lover regarless of their brand
mr Tree they're SUPPOSED to do that but it's gamestop and they're lazy, they'll sell you a cardboard box with a ps4 sticker slapped on it and play it off like it's a console.
What is the best model of ps3 to get in 2021 ? I would hope to homebrew it. Is the original version more likely to fail ? The super slim comes with 500gb which seems attractive for homebrew purposes.
My PS3 came from a pawn shop. It's modded and running Rebug CFW. I'm glad my brother got from there and not from GameStop. Only console I got from GameStop was an Xbox 360 and it froze sometimes when playing Skyrim.
Buying any device not brand new from gamestop is a waste of money. I picked up a 360 from them years ago, and the disc drive wouldn't even open. I returned it and drove 45 minutes to an independent video game store who repairs them in house to get a better unit. The QC at gsmestop is so bad that I didn't trust another from them.
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The Smash Bros Ultimate Giveaway is on! gleam.io/nUzQt/super-smash-bros-ultimate
Would have been cool to see the backwards compatible one! But still cool :)
@@wheresbarry1434 same thing her bud mines never been open but it sounds like a lawn mower
Great video
Heres some good reasons not buy a refurbished ps3.1 the ps4 is out 2 its gmstop 3 the ps3 is a garbage system
Spawn Wave is there a difference between a premium refurbished and a used one? When buying it from the gamestop app?
"They put the screws back in the correct places".... More likely they never removed them in the first place.
My theory there was a repair prior to the console been sent to gamestop, explaining signs someone had been inside. Gamestop however haven't touched the console past some tests it works.
How can they change the thermal compound without removing the screws? They are GameStop, not magicians.
Gamestop Refurbisher: "Yup, turns on!" *slaps on warranty sticker.
Ask to see the console before purchase and inspect it or buy brand new. Just some tips.
I got a pre-owned Xbox 360 at cash converters
And opened it up and dust was all in small areas
Never buying from there again
@@xxxgames4458 good advice but you think gamestop has employees in store that can open and verify the green light of a console?
@@Everprod that's to much to ask. Their lazy fucks ebgames/gamestop my 360 my mom got us one year ringed after a month I had overheat it then replace the thermal paste pain in my ass I never buy anything from there I just go on craigslist or Facebook you'll get a better condition console that works for cheaper plus not deal with some rude bitch or fat sweaty nerd!!!
Yes is a fucking word
How is this a refurbished unit? Should it be called "We put an old PS3 in a Gamestop Refurb box"?
I’m sure you can call it that.
If the system was in working order, they might not have had to replace any parts. Essentially, you'd get an old system in a box.
@Zealous888 it's refurbished, they wiped the hd lmao
They wipe the memory and call it refurbished. Im not kidding
If it works it is "refurbished" to them.
Pro tip: If you're ever doing work on electronics & need to keep track of the various screws removed during different stages, buy a couple of those 7 day pill dispenser containers from Walmart or a dollar store, and number them so that each step's screws can be kept separated. You'll never miss a screw or use the wrong screw.
Ha I would still end up with bonus pieces
ice trays also work
@@Joshodude Sure do, I like the pill containers for the convenience of having closures. I'm a spill prone individual, so it's saved my ass many times in the past.
Great idea
I like magnetic whiteboards, you can write what each thing is, I made mine but I'm sure you could find someone selling them
So, never buy any refurbished console on Gamestop. Got it.
BassSinger313 / Aaron Vo Or anything
Well every now and then you'll see a used game for a good price that's about all they are good for lol
I would never buy any console from EB/Gamestop period shit customer service and a lot of lemons for consoles.
@@renegadeblade2673 I've heard a lot of horror stories about customer service, but honestly, I never ran into one. The closest thing maybe is accidentally running into my ex who I never knew that she worked there until the heat of the moment, and even then it was more just awkward instead of irritating. Otherwise, every employee I've come across so far has been relatively nice.
I agree with the general idea of always buying new from a reputable dealer, but personally I have a success story. A few years ago they were running a deal on used Wii U's (I think it was 150 dollars for the console and 2 games). I bought one because the U was the only current gen console I hadn't picked up yet and I wanted to play MK 8 and Smash had either just come out or was about to come out. It was the basic white 8gb console. It looked brand new when I opened it. The screen on the controller was completely unscratched, it looked like a stylus had never touched it. I threw some extra storage on it and it's worked fantastic ever since. It's seen a lot of use too. So, while I'd usually not recommend buying used from Gamestop, sometimes you don't get screwed. Just make sure you know what you're getting into when you buy something like this.
GameStop gets hate but I do have to say , in more rural areas , GameStop is the only game only store people have.
That’s the only positive thing I could say about them
Other then 2nd and Charles, that's what it's like for me
I just never get anything Pre Owned from there anymore
Ace Spitfire I usually just preorder just for their collectibles lol
Pickpocket games!!!
Shit I'll stick to digital copies. Or if I really want a hard copy I'll go to Walmart or order it from Amazon. gamestop is trash period
I worked at Gamestop for a few weeks. On my first day, someone brought in a PS3 to trade in. The people trading it in informed us that there was a game stuck inside of it. We powered it on to make sure it worked, then tried to get the disc out with no luck. We actually heard a crunching sound at one point while it was on and started to worry. My manager got out her tools and started taking it apart. As soon as she got the top off, a cockroach came crawling out. Then we noticed more were squirming around inside of it. One had gotten squished when we turned the system on. I quickly grabbed a bag and we threw the system in, then threw that in a trash bag, and tied it up tightly.
We still took it in and gave them store credit. I imagine someone out there bought this once roach infested PS3 and they have no idea.
Someone gonna have new neighbors
It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood!🎶
Yeah I really doubt that
What GameStop did you work at? Cause I currently work at a GameStop and if we see ANY signs of infestation even just a single bug leg or wing we quietly inform them of what we have found and ask them to remove the system from the store before we continue with any purchases or other trade-ins
@@Xylaran This was in 2016 at a Kentucky location. Hopefully things have changed at that store.
It's good to know that it isn't just me. Last year, I bought one of their "refurbished" PS3s. The stupid thing wouldn't play certain games that were too graphically taxing. I took it back because of the warranty I got, and to my surprise, the employee immediately took it back without me really explaining what was wrong with it. They gave me a new one, and when I got home, I opened the box. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I was greeted with a huge cloud of dust coming right of the box. And I never went to Gamestop again.
I mean, to be fair it isn’t their fault nobody buys them. There was dust because nobody wanted it and they have to keep it.
@@guccimalcs I kind of get what you're saying, but that still makes it the higher-ups at Gamestop's problem. What if Nintendo's sales on the 3DS slowed down? Would Nintendo ship out dusty hardware? Of course not, they'd get a reputation for terrible quality. There's got to be some sort of expiration date for something like this.
The employee didn't listen to what was wrong because it in no way changes what he does with it. They all get sent to corporate to be inspected there anyway.
I distinctly remember buying a used controller from Gamestop, a used 360 controller that I wanted for a PC. Took it home, started using it, and immediately noticed that the bumper buttons weren't working correctly. Took it back immediately and swore off buying anything used from them from that day forward.
If that one PS3 couldn't read certain games, I think that's an eye issue with the disc drive. My PS3 only plays certain DVDs and is really picky about it. But it plays Blu-rays just fine. Though my PS3 was new when I bought it.
It saddens me to see that people let there systems get messed up like this.
Lot of people are ignorant to this stuff. So long as it still works, they don’t care.
Irks the shit out of me.
@@MrSlendyMannn I mean they did spend their own fortune on it, I wouldn't let it get to me that much. Plus what do you expect from a refurbished? Gold?
Well you gotta also know that the system might off been own by a little kid or something who didn’t know how to take care of there items
@@princenoreally. Seems like spoiled kids. I only got toys for my Birthday and Christmas. I didn't even get Dollar Tree toys cause my parents wanted to teach me responsibility. It worked cause I take care of my stuff and I've never broken a controller or console out of anger.
@@Deadsea_1993 I had a friend who broke controllers all the time. A grown ass man, too.
I don't hang out with him anymore. It's way too stressful. He's on a hairtrigger constantly and it's multiplied by the fact that he sucks at games lol
You should review a refurbished/ used Wii from GameStop
Tank Kill I was gonna say the same thing. I want to see that for myself.
Pls spawnwave
Let's add a Wii U into the mix.
Tank Kill I’m pretty sure he said in the Xbox video that Nintendo Wii’s were pretty durable and the main issues in almost all cases was a broken disc drive
@@TheRavenwolf666 bought one b4 and tested a gamecube game and it worked. A couple weeks later went to play a wii game in it and the disc drive would work on full size wii games. Drive was fucked I got a random used wii on ebay that worked better.
this is not refurbished... they buy them at 10, slap some sticker and sell them at 40...
"Supply and demand" people aren't running out buying PS3's everyday, why the hell would someone give people at mass scales a ton of money for shitty systems that don't regularly sell
Dark Soul Cole forreal, it’s common sense
@@joelsaravia1629 more like they buy 'em at 10 and sell 'em at 100
Yeah if it were refurbished it's supposed to look new. That top panel should have been replaced judging by its poor condition. I doubt they refurbish anything.
40??! Try 80-140
I would never want to test my video game knowledge against this guy.
@John James Rambo Lately he's been doing a bunch of Switch gaming videos, so he may be stumped if it is more obscure stuff from non-Nintendo systems.
Eh, knowing how to assemble consoles doesn't mean you know anything about game series such as speed running Mario64 or getting every ending in Until Dawn or the best party build for beating all the marks in FFXV. Really doubt he knows all that much about gaming and specific video games or franchises or even weekly news.
@@DOC_951 you dont seem to watch him a lot. He literally does gaming news videos every day
@How Not To lmfaooooo you sound insecure as fuck bro. Calm down cry baby bitch
@@Dezzz060 💀
Refurbished anything from gamestop is a joke, the newer systems they charge way to much might as well get new. And the older systems just get a band aid slapped on for a couple month fix.
That's so true, it's far better to buy from eBay from normal people, they are usually just bit dusty but atleast you may know if it has been damaged somehow if you ask from the seller for info
anything from gamestop is a joke and anyone supporting their parasitic business model are jokes
thats their business model
My refurbished PS2 from 2004 is still going strong. Still use it regularly
Refurbished anything from anywhere is a joke
I bought a PS3 Slim years ago brand new at Best Buy. I've never had a problem with it ever since I bought and it's gotten a lot of use. I always tell people the best way to make your stuff last is to keep it clean and take care of it as much as possible. I used to work at a game store and I've seen some terribly abused systems. I've had customers get pissed at me when I tell them I need to test the system to see if it works.
Derek Work well it's like if I brought in my old PS3 (which is the A-01 model) and you didn't test it and resold it, you would be selling someone a dead system because it cooked itself after about 6 or so years of being played constantly
If they get pissed about you needing to test the system, that's a pretty good sign something is wrong with it and they don't want you to find out, lol
You tell me. I bought a launch PS3 from Japan which was [sold as is] for $40 dollars and it looks new!. I only bought it for the shell/housing. I turned the console on and it gave me the red blinking light then I saw how full of dust it was! I opened it up and cleaned everything, the whole motherboard with Isopropyl Alcohol 99%, changed the thermal paste and that thing booted up with no more red light! Everything works lol. What a steal! Now Im on my way to look for a few more like that and take my chances. People are really lazy when it comes to cleaning their consoles or they just dont want to open it or the time for it.
That is funny, if you are pissed that I am testing it, wait till you get home and it doesn't work. This is to protect you as much as them. No knowing what has happened to it since you got it in.
That’s funny and stupid. Funny because how these people are. Stupid because these people don’t know that your just doing your job.
Jeeez, did they clean it with a wire brush?!
Probably had graffiti on it.
@@camerondudley2 like spraypaint or stickers?
@@jugostran could have had a console skin ,stickers anything like that they might removed leaving thick sticky residue and the lazy way is wire brush or sandpaper. can be done by soaking the residue in isb alcohol and rubbing with a microfiber cloth just takes awhile and most refurbishers don't take time for others just themselves tbh
@@camerondudley2 like cj in gta san Andreas
@@historyofvideogamesandmyop2913 humans are pathetic lazy pieces of shit what do you expect
I had rust on my PS3...
Was an okay game, but nothing special.
Haha
🤦🏻♂️
Heh
Good joke, I didn't get it at first
10/10
I bought a 2008 phat non-bc model 80gb CECHK01 back in August for CHEAP
on ebay. It was so bad, I had to turn it off after about 10 mins it gave
me a heat warning. I said screw it and opened it up and to my dismay I
saw the most cluttered console in my life. Dust bunnies everywhere. Must
have been owned by an idiot who kept it on the floor and played it a
lot over the past decade. The security seal was still on it so I know it
had never been cleaned.
I gave the plastics a nice needed bath in hot to the touch water, and
let them dry out in the September sun. I took my air compressor to all
parts and cleaned every square inch. Cleaned the motherboard off with
Q-tips and alcohol as well. I made it spotless. Applied Arctic MX-4
thermal paste which is even better than Arctic Silver 5. I took the
temps down from 83c, with shut down warnings, to 53c. A FULL 30 degree
change. I have never had a more satisfying console refurbishing
experience after cleaning it out completely and giving it a totally new
lease on life.
I jailbroke it and have been enjoying homebrew on it as well. I am
super happy with the system now and plan on keeping her for a very long
time. I even upgraded the HDD with a 600GB drive from an old broken
laptop we had laying around the house. I basically only had to spend
maybe $70 tops on it. Got a Power A Xbox styled officially licensed by
Sony controller. Works with PS2 software emulation(Many 3rd party
controllers don't that use USB dongles) and was only $8.50. Then the
shipping on the console was $10, so total cost wasn't too bad
considering. Been running it for months now and no sign of slowing down!
She is a survivor.
I too once wrote a 3 paragraph essay in the comment section of youtube. It was liberating.
Yours sux. My ps3 has Super MX-5 platinum paste, 10 TB hard drive and plays ps4 games. It even has a freakin hundred emulators, bet yours doesn't do all that.
@Efrain Collazo Jr. Download some software that modifies fan speeds, older ps3s had shitty fan controllers and wont bump the speed till the hardware reaches 70 degrees. The fan controllers also apparently didn't have access to gpu temps while playing ps2 so the gpu would burn to crisps without software. Keep that phat well, it will become rare in the future when most die.
@@bucknutty952 you're so full of shit! Your PS3 doesn't play PS4 games. Get out of here with your lying ass!
@@chriswells2583 are you serious? Lol
Wow mate you may have the first liquid cooled play station, that survived lol 😂
Lol
Karl Walker I have a backwards compatible 6gb ps3 and I replaced and gave it wat better parts it doesn't even overheat or make those loud noises planning on buffering the rest of the scratches out then it will be perfect
@@animegaming4782 I just bought a working 60bg backwards compatible model, what parts did you replace ? I’m asking because I plan on doing the same thing to mine to make it last as long as I can.
@@TheKANTUS101 just replace the thermal paste and have it cleaned from inside out I'd recommend getting the best thermal u can afford for it
@@animegaming4782 sweet, thanks for the info. I really want this console to last as long as possible.
Far out that corrosion... if i let a system leave our workshop looking like that, my boss would beat me with it, far out its not even that hard to clean.
The fat PS3 could certainly do some damage if you were hit with it!
Haha only being dramatic, he would just get real pissed off, he's actually a legend, he just hates lazy and dodgy shit like this
Same, I work for a small time game store, and every console we let out the door is friggin immaculate.
FAR OUT...
@@-BUGZ- CLOSE IN
I think that’s my brother’s friend’s ps3, one time I spilled root beer on it
I was looking for the owner of that PS3 in the comments
you monster
I was him 🙋♂️
Lockon Stratos were you the owner of this POS
this entire comment as a whole is an utter miracle
I'm sure all they do is make sure it turns on and then repackage it with the cables and controller. J doubt they open them or clean anything.
Love how knowledgeable you are about these systems. It’s great to watch you tell us step by step what each part is and the history on them.
Just because it's refurbished doesn't mean there is or was actually anything wrong with it. All systems with a hard drive are "refurbished" and not just resold because they have to clear the data off the drive. It's still a lottery.
Joshua Vanderburg huh I didn’t know that. I always thought if it was refurbished that meant that at some point there was some problem with it and it was fixed and put back on shelves
jeremy roberts lol really?
Refurbishment usually is more involved vs used but Doesn’t mean was even anything broken or wrong with the device. I used to do refurbishment of consoles when the PS3 was the sexy console. And I would say around half of the units I got nothing really wrong with them, maybe I was lucky but ya. Mostly cleaning and replacing thermal paste.
However all that being said were units I got in I genuinely decided was better I write them off entirely as parts units even if they functioned because the amount of damage.
@@jeremyroberts8822 I thought so too.
No there is pre-owned and refurbished. Pre-owned means it was a Gamestop trade in. Data was wiped and factory settings restored. Refurbished means there was an issue with it and it was sent to the ROC for repair
@@stevewittbrodt When I worked there, Pre-owned was only for devices that not only didn't have anything wrong with them, but also didn't have an internal hard drive. You could get a pre-owned 360, but you couldn't get a pre-owned PS3, only refurbished. You also can't get a pre-owned hard drive for the 360, only refurbished. If it had an internal hard drive (or was a hard drive), it's automatically going to be refurbished.
Edit: To clarify, staff in the store were not allowed to wipe the drives, in either of the 2 stores I worked, which is why they had to be sent off. This is why all the 360 hard drives on gamestop.com say refurbished and all the PS3s on the website make no distinction between pre-owned and refurbished.
I still am operating a Ps3 I bought new, ten yrs ago, of my 100 games, none of which are scratched either, still damn good value, for blu Ray, 3d movies, Spotify, netflix too.
Backwards compatible ?
I wonder if the liquid was spilled by a gamestop employee after the refurb
That’s totally what happened. It only logical.
idk maybe. but you're supposed to box the system and put it away right after trade
Not surprising. I brought something from them and there food particular on it😒
My thoughts as well.
Why are people buying stuff from GameStop.
The only ethical way to get stuff from them is from their dumpsters.
Oh wait...
I believe this is PS3 rust edition which was extremly rare back in the day :D
Copper edition
Ps3 crusty smudges edition
Sorry I'm late, I was watching that Lego Movie ad.
the one that is an hour and 40 mins? i got that one too somewhere else, though i only made it to 4 mins
Wasnt it the actual movie?
@@Swagnandez yah it was
Spawnwave is like a gaming tech detective in these videos. Instead of looking for blood splatter patterns, he looks for liquid patterns or other tech damage. Awesome vids!
@@nowonmetube it's like that person that got stabbed a bunch of times and somehow was able to crawl out of the woods and live to tell the tale
as far as I know you can use a PS4 controller on PS3 (but not the other way around), so it is not a big deal, especially because the PS3 Dual Shock was so shit. I dont know how Sony improved the controller internally at the time, but I had to fix multiple times the triggers because I play a lot of racing games. Sony used a really shitty spring that break easily (mine broke playing GTA IV) and I replaced with the spring of a pen and it lasted more than the original.
I'm guessing they only replaced the outer compound. Then THEY probably got liquid in it after they put it together and started buffing out all the light scratches on the case with a WET S.O.S. pad. You mentioned it probably SAT for a long time, and that would explain the rust. The controller looks like they MAY have swapped out the cracked and worn Sixaxis outer shell with a 3rd party one, but most likely has Sony internals.
Aye keep spinning vinyl, I like your channel
@@28nnace2 Cheers man!
How about a refurbished WiiU?
Bullet Bill I got one and it works fine
And the really good games are super cheap like xenoblade chronicles X was like 10 dollars
They're all in the trash so he probably can't find one. Jk. I still have my Wii U console sitting next to my Switch.
@@Drewsefer89 really I put mine away
that's honestly a good investment im turning mine into a retro machine since we aint getting no fleshed out vc type of service on the switch.
Anybody else get a 105 minute ad in the middle of the video?
Wait, it was the ENTIRE Lego move
I did too xD
Yeah it was Chris Pratt then a trailer then the Lego Movie
Yeah. I got it. Looks like im fixing to watch The Lego Movie in its entirety and then watch the video 😂
Am I missing some kind of joke here? No I didn't get any ads on the whole vid.
I scored a 60 gig Fat system for 35 bucks at a garage sale, been running about a year with no overheating!
You still got it ?
Yes, it's how I watch YouPoop and amazon in the bedroom at night.
@@stclairstclair willing to sell ?
Lmao
Lucky ass foo
I bought a refurbished PS3 from Gamestop in 2013. Still works like a charm.
Yo Joey, fancy seeing you here :D
@@drownsinkoolaid4203 I also think it depends on the Gamestop you go to. I bought The Nathan Drake collection PS4 and the Gamestop in my Hometown gave me the full 60 dollars cash back for it. The game stop down where i live now is trying to sell used Ps3's for 120 bucks i went to used game store and got one for 60 bucks lol.
I got a refeb ps3 from GameStop in 2014 and it's running fine. I also got a refeb PS4 in 2016 and it's working just fine
Same I bought ps3 years ago and it worked just fine actually really good condition still works to this day.
you are one lucky charm
Thanks for this video! Just picked up an A01 on Craigslist mostly for PS1/PS2 games and after cleaning it out and fresh thermal paste it still runs hot. Never thought to try delidding but looks like that's next. Thanks for the tips and clear instructions.
I love my PS3. Barely play it anymore though. When you turned that PS3 on and I heard that fan, it took me back
You still have it ?
Clean it up, I recently cleaned mine up
Clean it up bro I replaced thermal paste + cleaned dust from fan and heat sink now its quieter than a fucking ps4
Thanks for the good information.
Finally, after years of trying to keep my PS3 running, I find out about the dies under the heat spreaders. I had seen them removed before, but did not know about replacing the paste underneath. In fact, if I remember correctly it was recommended to not remove them.
I do wish you had mentioned the best kind of glue used to re-attach the heat spreaders. I heard you mention Silicone, so at least I have a place to start.
I thought I knew just about everything after taking my PS3 apart to work on it so many times. I guess you can always learn something new.
Cheers!
If I came across a Gamestop in the middle of a desert, I wouldn't buy a glass of water there.
Peter Loew But.... GameStop doesn’t sell water? Your joke is retarded. Try again
@tyvek05 No... no it's not. I dunno if you know what a Game Force is, but it's a much better resource for used games.
I would. Water sounds delicious in such a situation. That said, I only ever went to gamestop for the ac, enticed by that distinct 'new' plastic smell.
Peter Loew I like the convenience of the store and enjoy browsing the selection, but I quit being an idiot and trading anything with them a long time ago & I don’t buy their refurbished garbage. I will buy used, but not refurbished.
You'd only be hurting yourself in that situation. Wouldn't bother desert Gamestop.
Looks like somebody spunked in it
He must have gotten my mine
Hes touching someone's spooge
@@BigDad138 the bible app is free
🙊
@@aIt-girl lmao hello!
CSI: Gamestop
CSIWAVE
Lol I love it!
I regret buying a refurbished PS3 from GameStop.
I got a refurbushed 60GB ps3 in 2008 and its still working great in 2018
Really cool teardown. I love the tidbits you throw in and how you share just how much you know about these systems.
Should have sent it to Louis Rossman for refurb lol. Thanks for the heads up, good to know.
It's not the 'large' model, it's called the 'fat' model.
Is it actually named fat by sony, or is it just a popular name given to it by people after the slim release?
Yes but it's not fat it's called PHAT
The scuffing or scratches on it are from a magic eraser!
I’ve gone through two PS3s- both slim models. The first was Refurbished. The discs wouldn’t read within I think 2-3 years. And I bought a used one a couple of years ago that crapped out on me a few months ago. I had a lot of troubles with that one freezing prior to it not turning on again.
Great video, but I was bummed you didn't go through the process of cleaning up the corrosion and mainly relidding the chips.
How do you secure the heat spreaders back in place?
I am so glad my refurbished Ps3 slim works to this day. The only problems I had were the mistake of getting a super slim from them, gave me the wrong price in comparison with the online price, and some screw covers were off. If you want to get a ps3 or 360 from GameStop, the best bet is to get the slim versions since they are guaranteed to last. Otherwise, they have a 30 day warranty so there's rly no risk to try any of the consoles out.
you said it was sitting in the stock room under a bunch of stuff. perhaps it wasn't liquid damaged while being refurbished. but suffered some damage while sitting in the stock room. though you would probably see some residue in the box. or maybe they box it when you buy it. seems very weird that they wouldn't do anything about that no one is that bad. by looks of things. it was overheating so they opened it up and slapped new paste on it. the water damage came after the fact.only plausible scenario really.
@@Commodore4eva yeah exactly however doesn't explain why the box isn't soggy or show signed of damage. Unless it's only packaged at the point of sale. By the looks of things this cannot be moisture buildup as there is clearly signed of liquid running down the board. Even the most extreme moisture damage would form almost like ice around components. But as someone who has worked in a place similar to GameStop I know how tight space is.
Dude it's sperm!
I left my ps3 on for several days straight & it auto shut off, would get a flashing yellow light upon start up, and my game i was playing was stuck in it and never retrieved lol.
I love how you’re doing this so we don’t have to experience the terror of buying a “refurbished” console. You’re a true hero John, you and your family enjoy thanksgiving
FYI you should try to avoid touching corrosion. it has potassium hydroxide. It can cause a rash or health risk that develop later.
your face lol idiot. Its iron oxide
@@gsfbffxpdhhdf7043 no, you're the idiot. Corrosion =/= Rust
Is the rust from a damp environment and dissimilar metals? In the same way you put sacrificial anodes on a boat to stop the hull rusting. I cant think of what the process is called, electrolysis? It looks to be around power connectors, maybe there is a power leak somewhere. EDIT Ah right, bit later into the video now, spillage. But I still think the actual rusting was shorted in through moisture and power getting mixed up.
My PS3 is REALLY loud, maybe I should try delidding it and see how the thermal paste is doing...
How do you put the heat spreader back on? Do you need to put new silicone?
Would have been nice if you would have said how to put it back together oh well you'll have to use Google well technically the RUclips search but it is run by Google so
Could you do the same thing to a loud PS4?
Just put thermal paste on and sit back in original place the pressure from the heat sinks will keep it in place no problem. I did this to mine and I'm using liquid metal and haven't had a single issue.
@Jane Doe You do realize thermal paste goes bad over time right, it dries out. The stuff Sony use only really good for like 2 to 4 Years anyway.
I just watched a 1+ hour skippable ad ( The lego movie). Like no joke its a great movie.
12codyishere genius marketing for the new LEGO movie lol
Would you buy the product advertised?
1 hour ad? You mean the movie
My ps3 was the first edition of the fat ps3 with the flip up lid & glossy top
100 Bucks for this? Wow, Gamestop really is the worst.
Congrats on the 160k.
that was quick! getting from 140 to 150 seemed harder
I gotta dis agree. I bought a refurbished 1, same model, a few years back and it works fine
Glad everyone has the same experience as you.
My PS3 80GB played PS2 games (most of them). It had an emulator, that the 40GB version didn't (that's what I was told). Anyway, that was my experience, and I'm, by no means, an expert, on these machines. It's fun watching these systems torn down, and explained, though. Good job on the channel - I hope it grows, and hope it becomes all that you want it to be!
I did too. But I think at some point there was an update that stopped them from being backwards compatible. Or at least that is what I have read online. So the only ones that are still backwards compatible are the 60Gb and 20Gb models because of the hardware built in unless you can find one that was never updated or not past 3.x. Which is stupid. I think it was update 4.4x and the most recent update is 4.89 so it was toward the end of Sony support for the PS3.
The first PS3's had a hardware emulators/chip. Next version had software emulators (no chip), then shortly after that (since more PS2 games didn't work with the software emulation), they removed PS2 emulation, altogether.
meanwhile my ps2 (other than the plastic shell being broken due to an accident when i was like 6 years old) is in PERFECT conditions! The disk drive works flawlessly any game will work unless its very scratched. Now im 16 and this ps2 is still kicking and i use it with free mcboot for emulation and some ps2 classics
Fogolol !! My PS2 is in excellent condition as well. All games work flawlessly except the ones that are really scratched.
Your ps2 is most likely older than you
Mine is, got it from my sisters who had moved elsewhere.
I still have a PS3 with PS2 backwards compatibility, the 60GB fat one still in very good condition. Never had an issue with it, still play it quite often too.
Hey Spawn, I had a little thought - if it’s literally been sitting in a warehouse out the back for years then maybe the liquid exposure occurs there - after the initial refurb. Any sign of liquid on the box?
I bought a refurbished ps3 from GameStop and it was perfectly fine no scratches on it or anything
tahlik mann yeah
lucky
You should check out a Sony refurbished PS3; a few years ago I bought my system (older "fat" model, I think it was 80gigs) from a thrift store for $15 (long story lol) but it didn't work, disc drive was bad and wouldn't read discs, but the system would turn on, connect to the internet, etc.; sent it to sony to get refurbished, I think they just sent me a different unit (same model and everything though) but this model had the yellow light issue. Kept sending it back multiple times and on my 4th or 5th system (each new unit with the same yellow light issue, all of this over the course of 2 or 3 months), I just gave up and traded it in to gamestop for a newer ps3 model.
But I'd love to see what sony themselves considers "refurbished" after seeing these videos and considering my own issues in the past with them.
I bought one in 2010 ,40bg version , it worked good except fan was loud almost max all the time , it survived 6 years till it got YLOD , but it was clean from the store and i suspect they made fan go fast to make it go more years in life... it was ok for a *refurbished*.
Heads up guys. If you attempt the repaste as John had shown in the video, be careful to not scratch part of the raised surface that the cpu/gpu die is directly sitting on when using the pop tool. Cut mine just a little to much I guess and now I have an almost instant ylod when i turn my ps3 on and from what I can't tell the ps3 is pretty much dead at this point. He warned us pretty well in the vid but I just wanted to give an extra heads up to please be careful when attempting it.
Yup, when you showed the rust, I was thinking acid. This stuff doesn't rust easily. Orange juice or some other sour fruit juice methinks.
why would buying a refurbished ps3 be a waste of money? i bought a refurbished super sim ps3 model and besides some fps drops in certain games all have been working fine
Let the guy take a day off...It was Thanksgiving, let him relax a little. One day of no Spawn Wave wont hurt...Take it easy mate
He said he filmed both todays video & yesterdays video both on Wednesday. So he had two days off. But yes. He does deserve a break. He makes awesome content for our enjoyment. Especially todays videos. I love the console break downs.
We dont dictate anything
PRE RECORDED PEOPLE!!
@@Truekingr6 even if he had recorded this on thanksgiving it would still be prerecorded.
Never shop at GameStop! Last time I went to buy a New game the employee literally brought me a used game and tried to charge me for it being new and to make it worse it wasn't even in it's box! So then I proceeded to tell the GameStop employee that "I wanted it used" so then the employee said oh I thought you said new and I said used and he gave it to me used price with the same game with out the box! I would rather go buy electronics at a Best buy or somewhere else.
@inputfunny It’s because they often hire idiots and not the people that know what they’re doing.
@inputfunny It is technically policy that they can try a new game if I'm not mistaken. Almost no manager allows it though because yeah, doesn't make sense. And yeah, it's usually only the final copy/display copy that gets sold opened like that. Most store's you can safely bet it wasn't touched but it can be a gamble based on the store. Don't know what the fuck the employee that helped OP was doing tho.
inputfunny I got a copy of soul Calibur 2 from a GameStop years ago. had a memory card in its case which was unusual itself, but it had been played and had nearly everything unlocked on that save. I didn't complain since it just saved me time unlocking stuff.
I work at GameStop never buy refurbished systems.
Ive owned a preowned xbox one for 2 years and abandoned it for 6 months.
And it works perfectly!
Wyatt Gordon stop bolt modding the 360s. That’s just shortening its life
I bought a refurbished PS3 Slim from Gamestop 4 or 5 years ago and it still works perfectly fine so I don't think its a waste of money you guy's must've unlucky or something
4 or 5 years ago they were alright. I had a system from that era. Actually had a screw in the disk reader. Otherwise ok. Today I wouldn't recommend it.
Same runs like a charm except for Bethesda games but I doubt that's the ps3's fault
Nero I disagree i bought a refurbished ps3 slim 6 months ago and it still works well, the controller that it came with was great as well 360 analog stick it was missing the sony logo but it played like an original. Only thing i would say is avoid dropping the controller because mine got messed up after a few drops
The issues that the fat ps3s had are the reason Sony went and made the slim version to begin with, even though the fat ps3 was the better and sexier version in my opinion. Most slim ps3s should have no where near the issues a fat one has unless your just literally beat it up for some strange reason. I've owned a fat and currently own a slim ps3....and dearly miss the fat ps3...for one game and one game only....a ps2 game called Tourist Trophy. Polyphonic Digital need to make a 2nd version of that
@@christianrodney7124 where I'm at you'll get Frankenstein ps3s and 360s they don't sell quality here never buy refurbished just buy new
Thanks for another informative video. I was considering buying a refurbished PS3. Not from Gamestop though.
I wonder if Gamestop watches these videos?
Jani Tiainen cease and desist.
Im impressed with how easy you make taking these consoles look. I guess you experience really shows. Great vid! Very informative. These refurbishes units are very deceiving products.
I bought a slim 320gb ps3 about 4 years ago from a guy off Craigslist with a nasty controller for $10 in a grocery bag I was pretty sure it was a lost cause. I got it home and the system had all the screws missing except the security screws under the power and eject button where they decided it was a good idea to break the lid off then attempted to super glue it back together. That isn't even the worst of it the disc drive didn't work either and was also missing the HDD cover and it had a mixture of Nicotine and Dust all over the inside of the system and the controller was a whole other story entirely I resurrected it with a new drive cassette, case lid, HDD cover a screw set and a whole lot of time I have used it for years with zero issues.
sorry I'm reading this right? it had NICOTINE all over the inside?
@@HKgaming86 late reply, but was most likely from a home where they smoked a lot
@@HKgaming86 indeed it was disgusting.
LMFAO nicotine in the console
As someone who owns a CECHC04 model PS3, I should probably open it up for a bit of preventive maintenance or at least a hefty clean. I've had it for 3 years now, and it's served me well and without issue so far. I even upgraded the original 60 gig hard drive to a 160. I'm not comfortable with the idea of removing heat sinks or committing surgery on the thing, I figure the risks are fairly high, and the price of replacing a PS3 when mine inevitably dies is going to be a tolerable expense.
Great video! Does GameStop still allow you in its stores? :)
I went through 3 of these back about 5 years ago. Luckily I paid for the replacement plans. I was trying to get a system that would play PS2 games but looking back I'd have been better off just buying a separate PS2.
I bought one of the big models when they first came out, with the larger HDD. Mine has all the accessory ports under a cover in the front that they removed in the later models. It has been a workhorse and I love it.
My 60 gig still works too. Ps1. ps2 backwards hardware.
Remember when you could run linux on the ps2 and ps3?
@@salvatore6808 before the update there was a "use different OS" option in the settings
Just got my check form the settlement!
@@TJC450 I'm waiting for mine now... ;)
utp216 My fat PS3 finally died this year after many years of service. Found a guy in California that fixes them. $200 later fat backwards compatible PS3 is up and running. Hope to get many more years of gameplay on it.
TJC450 does he fix Xbox 360 Slims? And where is he
Next video idea: Here's why drop kicking a toaster on your way to work isn't worth your time
Ive seen them trade in a system and stick it straight in a refurbished box and taken to the back.
I replaced my PS3's thermal paste with Artic Cooling MX-4 years ago and it's still quiet or at the very least, quieter for longer than it was at launch.
I'm afraid to de-lid the CPU/GPU, would this actually make it even cooler than before? Obviously YLOD is caused by the solder cracking from the heat but is this worth the hassle to maintain my 60GB PAL CECHC model.
TheMadPolarBear the factory paste under the ihs is degraded without a doubt, and reapplying will definitely help it out. If you are interested, I can go into further detail. I used to work on them commercially so I learned quite a few tricks.
@@Dirty_Bear22 Yeah it would be nice to see what i'm up against + how difficult it could be. Want to keep the ol 60GB as long as possible, especially since my PS2 died 2 months ago.
TheMadPolarBear you can take a look at this Reddit page where I went into pretty good detail: www.reddit.com/r/ps3hacks/comments/9g5peg/anyone_in_the_midwest_willing_to_help_me_change/
It would be ALOT to retype, so I ask you to look over the reddit post and come back with any questions about thermal pads, thermal paste, fans, and power supply’s.
If you really go all in, you are going to spend about 150-250 USD in supplies.
I still have my 80GB software backwards compatible. Still going strong.
What’s next the Wii U?
my early model 1st edition fat ps3 has been bulletproof to this day. my neighbor had a 360 and had to send it in 3 times for repair because of the red ring.
It looks like it has been rubbed down with alcohol, and it etched the plastic, some people care alot about how their items looks; and would never accept this one. Did anyone see the refurbished ps4 full off tar and smoke ressidue? Seems to me they just do a quick clean and dust removal.
Luckily I still got my 160gb ps3 that came with a limited edition box and 4 games bundle bought in 2008 or so. I can't seem to find many pictures of the box searching google, so I take it it must be rare. My box is located in another house, 300km away making it difficult to get a picture taken for now. I think the games was Ratchet and Clank Quest for Booty, The Last Guy, Super Stardust and Gran Turismo Prologue 5.
I think it might be this one. www.cnet.com/products/sony-playstation-3-game-console-160-gb-hdd-series/
Learned a lot from this and am interested in trying this myself. Thank you for the very detailed explanations sir!
Amazing video, a Power supply replacement guide/tutorial would be a blessing.
Next Video: "Here's why GameStop is a waste of money"
(I shop there tho, they have some good stuff)
i like gamestop...
Judging by the look of the console and particularly how the controller has been scrubbed to the point where the writing has come off it was definitely cleaned out pretty thoroughly. At least you can give them props on cleaning it out properly. I also wouldn't be surprised if the liquid damage was the cleaning solution they used rather than why it came in as a broken unit.
I have a CECHA01 and I love it because I can play Playstation 1 and 2 games on it, but recently it's giving the over heating problem, the fan sounds like a jumbo jet about to take off, on the inside the PS3 is spotless, no dust and the air vents are clean, so I'm willing to delid it, what I want to know is after deliding it, what can I use to hold the lids in place again? Maybe a high temperature silicon? Or just trust that the heatsink will hold them in place?
@@Frozenduckling Well, no company is perfect, all have had their problems, maybe you just got bad luck. My PS3 fat worked great for almost 12 years, the overheating problem started just recently, currently I have a PS4 pro and I can barely notice when the fan is working and before someone comes to say I'm a Sony fanboy, I enjoy playing in my PS4, my Switch and my Xbox, I'm a video game lover regarless of their brand
Doug the type of guy to... Wait, wrong youtuber..
lol
Hahahahahaha
Quirks and features!
Chris Bennett 😀doggy
Classic
Wouldn't refurbish mean they take care of those issues lol
mr Tree they're SUPPOSED to do that but it's gamestop and they're lazy, they'll sell you a cardboard box with a ps4 sticker slapped on it and play it off like it's a console.
What is the best model of ps3 to get in 2021 ? I would hope to homebrew it. Is the original version more likely to fail ? The super slim comes with 500gb which seems attractive for homebrew purposes.
My PS3 came from a pawn shop. It's modded and running Rebug CFW. I'm glad my brother got from there and not from GameStop. Only console I got from GameStop was an Xbox 360 and it froze sometimes when playing Skyrim.
More likely skyrims fault and not the xboxs
Harley Black I complained about my Xbox 360 being broken and overheating randomly without being hot. And traded it and i got 200$ for it
The rule of thumb is.. DO NOT TRUST ANYTHING FROM GAMESTOP... PERIOD.. lol
Buying any device not brand new from gamestop is a waste of money. I picked up a 360 from them years ago, and the disc drive wouldn't even open. I returned it and drove 45 minutes to an independent video game store who repairs them in house to get a better unit. The QC at gsmestop is so bad that I didn't trust another from them.
Spawn does CSI, Console Scene Investigation.