Guides & How-Tos

Vintage game consoles don’t fail overnight — they slowly age. From leaking capacitors and corroding batteries to dried thermal paste, cracked solder joints, brittle plastics, and failing optical drives, time takes its toll even on well-stored systems. Understanding how and why these components break down makes it easier to prevent damage, avoid costly repairs, and keep original hardware running for years to come.

Not all PlayStation 2 consoles are built the same, even when they look identical on the outside. This article breaks down how to identify PS2 hardware versions using external labels and internal mainboard markings. Accurate version identification makes repairs easier and helps prevent ordering incompatible replacement parts.

Original Xbox revisions 1.0–1.5 include a clock capacitor that is known to fail over time and can damage the motherboard. You can determine whether your Xbox is affected by checking the manufacturing date on the bottom of the console—no disassembly required.