PS1 Classic Letdown: PAL & NTSC Benchmarks vs. Used PS3

We're benchmarking the PlayStation Classic vs. a used PS3 for PS1 games, including PAL & NTSC benchmarks on the PS1 Classic. We won the PS3 at auction for $16.
Ad: Buy EVGA's CLC 280 on Amazon (geni.us/T9lA8v)
Find the PS1 Classic on Amazon: geni.us/Mh21S
These new benchmarks look at whether the PS1 Classic is worth it, benchmarking the PlayStation 1 Classic vs. a used PS3 that we got for $16. We also look at the 50Hz vs. 60Hz PAL/NTSC comparison between the PS1 Classic titles and its developer mode, which is unlocked by plugging in certain keyboards. The benchmarks primarily test GTA, Syphon Filter, and Ridge Racer.
Original tear-down of the PS1 Classic: • PlayStation Classic Te...
At $100, the PS1 Classic is a tough sell except to collectibles enthusiasts, as anyone wanting to just play the games might as well buy a used PS3 for cheaper, then buy the games on the marketplace. It's all emulation anyway, seeing as the PS1 Classic uses the PCSX emulator and the PS3 also does emulation.
We have a new GN store: store.gamersne...
Like our content? Please consider becoming our Patron to support us: / gamersnexus
** Please like, comment, and subscribe for more! **
Follow us in these locations for more gaming and hardware updates:
t: / gamersnexus
f: / gamersnexus
w: www.gamersnexus...
Host: Steve Burke
Testing: Patrick Lathan
Video: Andrew Coleman
Links to Amazon and Newegg are typically monetized on our channel (affiliate links) and may return a commission of sales to us from the retailer. This is unrelated to the product manufacturer. Any advertisements or sponsorships are disclosed within the video ("this video is brought to you by") and above the fold in the description. We do not ever produce paid content or "sponsored content" (meaning that the content is our idea and is not funded externally aside from whatever ad placement is in the beginning) and we do not ever charge manufacturers for coverage.

[@GamersNexus]

We won the PS3 via Goodwill auction for $16.00, since people keep asking. What would you like to see us use our new benchmarking software on next? Check out our PS1 Classic tear-down here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4q6Xmd3hKueeqc Controller tear-down here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmbaiI1vjNuaqc0

[@danielwgk]

I mean, an actual ps1 would be a cool comparison.

[@Dracossaint]

@@CrusadesOClock unfortunately ya are, only the Fatboy is unless ya "jailbreak" the other ones.

[@HowdyYT]

Dennis Rigdon I heard all ps3s are ps1 back compat, but only the fat boy is ps2 back compat.

[@Zarcondeegrissom]

ouch, I know the pi looked bad for video, however that was IO limited, this is just painful to look at, lol. It really looks like they didn't want to put any effort into making the games run well unlike the original, emulators can do so much better than this. Great vid Steve and crew. B)

[@brunogm]

How about add a histogram of frame-time at the left of the graph so 95%, 1% and .1% can be visually obtained. ps rotate the histogram 90deg to match the lines "exiting"

[@DrearierSpider1]

Fun fact: All PS3 models are backwards compatible with PS1 games (including discs). It's only the PS2 functionality that Sony famously stripped out.

[@JosephArata]

@@JoshOsRocks it happened during a time when they were still selling PS2 units 1 year after launching PS3. Mainly due to the price hike between the two systems.

[@maxxtheender]

DrearierSpider1 i know it’s weird how I cannot play PS2 games on my 2013 PS3 SS (Super Slim/ slidey top version) but it’ll run PS1 games with full functionality like upscaling and whatnot, but heaven forbid I wanna play Automodelista from 2001 on my PS3 even though it lets you make the internal memory cards for PS2

[@PwnytheTiger]

@@maxxtheender You can still play PS2 games purchased through their store. Hence the need for the memory card utility and emulator you need to download to play ps2 games.

[@thisemptyworm4677]

no... I used to town a slim PS3: it is not backward compatible

[@youtubasoarus]

Plus that model of PS3 shown actually has the PS2 hardware built onto the board. The chips (actual PS2 hardware) are there. They stripped out the chips (hardware) in later versions and did it through software instead (emulation).

[@Asdayasman]

5:54 5:58 You said "GTA5" by accident and it was so natural to you you didn't notice until post, right? I know your tricks, you devil.

[@GamersNexus]

Yep. Multiple times, actually. I think we got them all before publishing.

[@_BangDroid_]

Lol I thought they were trolling with faux stutters

[@Asdayasman]

@@GamersNexus You did. It's ok, I still love you. :)

[@EyebelieveTheNarrative]

Is the hair mounting kit still back ordered?

[@StaticVapour590]

I think he frogot

[@-eMpTy-]

Where tf do you get an PS3 for $15? lol

[@GamersNexus]

We bid on it on Goodwill's website. Our winning bid was $16.00.

[@SuperG3FR]

@@GamersNexus lol

[@michelvanbriemen3459]

Auctions ftw

[@JoshHopkinsYT]

whaaa goodwill has auctions online?

[@-eMpTy-]

Gamers Nexus ayy that's pretty good if you keep in mind that the ps3 has a blu-ray drive and free multiplayer.

[@get2choppa]

The human eye can’t see above sega Dreamcast anyways

[@DeadalusG]

@@dudebro8856 You also feel it. 120 FPS feels sooo much better to play than 60 fps. i barely can play shooter games these days at 60 fps, it feels so sluggish

[@flamehiro]

@@DeadalusG I sometimes play gunz (really old game) and it feels sluggish even at like 500 fps compared to 1k so I know the feels).

[@hanniffydinn6019]

Jesus the raspberry pi is a higher spec , cheaper.... this PS1 classic is the worst nostalgic cash grab ever....

[@iwinrar5207]

id like a pi 4 that can do like 4 times what the current can shouldnt be much more expensive

[@johnny6194]

I remember when a guy made their own PS1 Classic using a Raspberry Pi 3! It runs pretty well.

[@KILLERONROAD]

You forgot about the AtGames systems :P

[@dutchdykefinger]

well there's odriod xu4s and asus tinkerboards that are slightly more powerful, could just be enough to get you over the PSX hurdle. but i think linux and that damn mali gpu are a headache, and they work better in android.

[@eduardoavila646]

Getting a dvd drive + a raspberry pi, a psone-like case, and buying the classic original games, would possibly be a really good option actually...

[@amp888]

Also worth considering, of course, is PC emulation, which affords much more control and can do things like high quality upscaling and better anti-aliasing.

[@tclemens96]

That's kinda a gray area, video did mention that the ps1 classic was using a open source emulator people can get.

[@Knowbody42]

I've used ePSXe to emulate PS1 games. That's been available for like fucking ages, and worked on a Pentium 3 with an Nvidia TNT2.

[@mydogbuddy07]

PC emulation is what i always recommend unless someone has a strong desire for the authenticity of using the original hardware for some reason (nostalgia mostly, though someone might have a more niche reason) I personally prefer PC emulation though for the various advantages: - Higher resolutions - possibly better performance (especially if the emulator supports virtual overclocking) - faster load times and reduced tediousness for repetitive tasks like grinding (via a turbo function to speed the game up) - Can save and load anywhere (via save states) - Much better and easier save management

[@michaelkitchin9665]

I'll be honest, I don't tend to dive into that stuff when emulating on PC. I've got my old PSX, PS2 and PS3 to cover me but I do like the convenience of PC emulation like save states.

[@nickmotsarsky4382]

I run an N64 emulator on my Note 9 and I'm shocked at how good most N64 games look at 1440p and with modern AA and 16x AF. Specifically Smash Brothers and Rush 2049. They look better than Gamecube games.

[@blackkimchics]

Shoot, even a laptop with a discrete mobile GPU can run emulators very well, without amazing specs, but I wanted the nostalgic feel of that Dualshock controller and the actual console. Sony definitely dropped the ball here, which is sad since I have such fond memories of PS1 classics like Gran Turismo 2 or even Madden 99 with my dad. Would definitely have shoveled out for something of good quality, unfortunate. Edit: Big ups for the Syphon Filter gameplay! More great, albeit frustrating memories.

[@k3salieri]

If you're feeling up to the task you can build your own PS1 Emulator with a Raspberry Pi or ODroid I believe. Personally, I'd probably take an original PS1 Case gut it, then rebuild it with the Raspberry Pi, then once I get it all set up and working inside it, I'd begin to work on making original controller adapters + USB ports for newer inputs, then see about getting the old power button to work with the new system.

[@pipyakas]

A budget-midrange Android phone can still run PCSX-rearmed as well, and for laptop you don't even need a discrete gpu for PS1 emulation

[@brandonupchurch7628]

Hell, for PS1 Intel HD graphics is more than enough.

[@starwarrior125]

They make adapters for you to use an Original PS1 controller on PC. They also make replica PS1 controllers that just hook up to USB. Use one with my Raspberry PI 3 and other than not having the original console the games play the same if not better than they were on the original.

[@dolbyprologicii]

you can plug in a ps3 controller or a ps1 with adapter into your laptop if you want.... everything works

[@welshmouse]

Correction to a common misconception: ALL models of ps3 can play ps1 games. It was only PS2 support that was removed from the later models.

[@VGDocs]

PS3 is ABSOLUTELY a better choice but saying $15 and showing one of the OG models is at least a little disingenuous imo Not only are the OG models much more likely to break or at the very least have disc drive issues (making it a poor choice for long term usage even though they have better PS2 BC), but realistically MOST people aren't going to find a PS3 for $15, let alone a good one for the long term (like the slim models). I personally think the best choice is getting a PS3 slim for PS1 and PS3 games, while a good bit more expensive than $15, it's far better as a long term solution.

[@confusername]

(I know this comment's from eight months ago, but.) If you look where they got the PS3 for the video. www.shopgoodwill.com , you'll find various working PS3 models (original fat PS3, Slim, Super Slim.) for under 20$ all the time. So in that case he isn't really being disingenuous at all. That being said, all of the sales are auctions so you might find yourself in a bid war, (although that's highly unlikely.)

[@alexdignard939]

15$ for an original retro compatible PS3, what? Here in canada there is none for less than 200$ CAD from what I can see

[@GamersNexus]

As answered in about 18 other comments, we bought it on Goodwill's website for $16.00 via auction.

[@aoelp]

@Alex Dignard What, really? I mean, $15 to $20 is too optimistic in most regions, but $35 is possible on eBay Europe from what I have seen. I mean, CAD$200 is just 10€ less that I paid for a brand new XBOX One S with some games, so that is VERY expensive for a last-gen console that is discontinued.

[@GamersNexus]

@@aoelp They are on the Goodwill site every single day for under $20.

[@aoelp]

@Gamers Nexus I never said they didn't, however the site (www.shopgoodwill.com from what I found) is refusing connection because of my IP address location (Google did list $16 though so, I see where this figure comes from), which I bypassed by using a VPN and now I see an ended auction for $16. Why would they do that? To cut down on server load? Never seen this to this date apart from obvious legal obstacles, sketchy. Anyhow, most people do not live in the US or countries that could easily and cheaply import from Goodwill, even if most of your audience probably does, so I also see where that criticism arises from.

[@dolbyprologicii]

i got my slim for 100... cfw'd it, now its an ultimate retro powerhouse that can run everything from ps1 ps2 psp and ps3 games

[@im.a.nickel]

All Playstation 3 & Playstion 2 consoles are backward compatible with the Playstation 1. If you want something portable the PSP and Playstation Vita can play Playstation 1 games either from the Playstation Network store or if hacked you can load backups on to it. If you want to play on an original Playstation 1 or Playstation 2 and want to get the best video quality I would highly recommend an Open-Source Scan Converter. (It's a bit expensive, but it's really good!)

[@zuestoots5176]

Not all PS3's we have one that is not. it was a special limited run of BC PS3's Fight me!

[@EvilTurkeySlices]

Josh Shaw all PlayStation 3 play ps1 games, even the super slim.

[@JusttheEdge]

@@zuestoots5176 all ps3s can play most psone games. The unplayable games are due to some kind of bug. support.playstation.com/s/article/Play-PSone-and-PlayStation-2-Games-on-a-PlayStation-3?language=en_US

[@coryryker3305]

@@EvilTurkeySlices wrong

[@coryryker3305]

@@JusttheEdge it was a hardware change in the console

[@madcommodore]

I find the best way to play PS1 games is on a CRT with an RGB cable connected to a real PS1 (either chipped, or with an adaptor to play import games etc). Even on a 65" Plasma TV it looks no worse than playing the same games on the PS1 Classic or a PS3 with HDMI cable. With a PS3 of course you get added wireless controller option. The PS1 classic really only offers the benefit of CRT effect on modern screens via hidden menus accessed via specific types of USB PC keyboards. The emulator however does not have scanline effects anywhere near the quality of those found in the excellent Sega 8/16/32bit cartridge machine emulators like Fusion (written by the legendary Steve Snake).

[@KhainesKorner]

Something that might interest you folks at Gamers Nexus... I'm in the UK with a USA launch model PS3 (4 USB ports, SD card reader, full HARDWARE backwards compatibility) and I recently put a custom firmware on it to remove the region lock so I can play all my USA and UK games. Using discs, the video output actually switches between 50hz and 60hz depending on the game used (remember, USA model so 60hz is the native), which is something I didn't expect given how I removed the region lock so all my games would be playable. May have to hook it up to an elgato or something and see if I can try and record what the framerates are live for PAL vs NTSC on real hardware.

[@catalystguitarguy]

I still got my PS2 Thin from back then. and a stack of ps1 and 2 games. though i usually just play them on my phone these days

[@maxxtheender]

Justin Parrish did you have to solder the Power Unit back in yet or was that done by the previous owner, cause if you drop it half a foot it’ll break the solder

[@catalystguitarguy]

@@maxxtheender never dropped it. bought it new from a toy r us on black friday way back when.

[@DylRicho]

I also still have my original fat PS2. Still works to this day, and blows the awful PS3 Blu-ray lasers out of the water.

[@alexc3504]

I absolutely love the ad segment for the AIO water cooling thing. "Keeps my core temperatures down during long benchmarking sessions" HAH

[@SomethingAbstract]

Any model of PS3 will play PS1 games.

[@EvilTurkeySlices]

Justin A that one cant play ps2 games, I have that exact one. It’s either the 40gb or the 80gb two USB which aren’t backwards compatible with ps2 games.

[@BurntFaceMan]

@@EvilTurkeySlices nope the early models were 20 or 60. The new ones were 40 and 80 and cannot play ps2

[@EvilTurkeySlices]

BurntFaceMan nope, the 20gb, and the 60gb have both the cpu and gpu of the ps2 and are the best experience, while the 80gb with four USB ports only has the GPU so it emulates the cpu.

[@imalreadystoney2520]

actually 1 gen 80 gb ones can play ps2 games but they didnt make many of them as they switched to 3rd gen 80 gb models pretty fast

[@obidahasdia4095]

Modded cfw ps3 can run ps1 japan mgs? Even tho the ps3 is PAL cfw modded?

[@manbearpigsereal]

All PS3 models are backwards compatible with PS1 games. But for PS2 games your only options are the original 20GB (CECHBxx) and 60GB (CECHAxx) models, there are also some 60GB and 80GB PS3 models with software-based PS2 emulation, these are the CECHCxx and CECHExx models.

[@Chickenbreadlp]

Which PS3 Model was it? The ver early PS3 Fat Models had the Emotion Engine from the PS2 Build-in making it HW compatible to PS2 and PS1 games. If you used one of these, that can explain, why the PS3 was so good, as it wasn't emulating the game...

[@j0hnnycache]

Good Lord. Got a thumbs up from me specifically for the cooler ad segment 🤣🤣🤣 Thanks for the excellent content!

[@GameBacardi]

In Finland time is 3:32AM... and I started look this video zzzzz

[@user-ro1cc8tz6d]

04:22 am here

[@budgetking2591]

3:36 am here in the Netherlands so sleepy xd

[@Baxtyr]

lmao why does this have likes? Finlanders unite or something?

[@TheMegaRin]

I'm Finnish but I'll start calling myself a Finlander from now on.

[@LevisL95]

Yeah, Finlander sounds somehow more epic.

[@Skidd2]

hahahah that CPU cooler ad. Ha ha ha, that was good :D

[@ChristianStout]

Looks like the PSP is still the best mini PS1.

[@subzerolives]

That would be the vita ;-)

[@NiGHTSnoob]

@@subzerolives The PSP and Vita run PS1 games nearly identically. It really comes down to the controls. The PSP's D-Pad and face buttons are more accurate to the PS1 and generally seen as better, but the Vita lets you use the rear touchpad for L2 and R2 which is more convenient than using the analog stick and it supports dual analog in games. Really it's up to personal preference.

[@alinepiroutek8932]

@@NiGHTSnoob For me: Vita has support to L2 R2 Acessory, better screen but it has smaller buttons(I find if more disconfortable). PSP: it is cheaper and the games play as good as on a Vita. It has built in TV Out. But I find that Dpad terrible.

[@OMA2k]

@@alinepiroutek8932 I actually like the D-pad on the PSP, it's more comfortable to use than the one in the Vita. What's a bit terrible in the PSP is the analog stick (they're much better in the Vita and there are 2 of them, not just one).

[@alinepiroutek8932]

@@OMA2k Well, my favorite Dpad is from DS fat. The Vita one is similar to that one. I hate the separate Dpad on PS1 PS2 PS3 PSP Switch.

[@Creepus_Explodus]

I'm glad I watched the ad break, well done

[@Bangie]

Is it just me, or does ridge racer just remind you of when. games looked like games lol. i know its all about graphics and physics and now that they are almost perfect these days it makes sense to have it, but seeing ridge racer and watching them cars which we wanted as kids. that was a ultimate game. a game i wanted to play over and over. i miss them days.

[@Malinkadink]

i found a FW 1.6 CECHA01 PS3, cleaned it up, new thermal pads, liquid metal, 4.82 CFW loaded up a bunch of must play ps1/ps2/ps3 games on a 1TB SSD, huge library to go through.

[@SonGoku-mj5pq]

I've always loved the EVGA ad, I watched it like 10 times.

[@BFKAnthony817]

$15 to $20 for a PS3? I doubt that! I bought one in August on eBay with no hookups or controller(had spares already) for $60 shipped a bare bones system. You can look around all day and not find as good of a deal as I got! Your $15 system is a unicorn. Rare and atypical of the price they go for nation wide in the USA.

[@dickr9345]

www.shopgoodwill.com/Item/60967497 Took me all of 20 seconds to find that

[@j.h-j5j]

Plus, you have to pay shipping, which can run from 30 to 40+

[@minilogoguy18]

I have the older PS3 like yours but I also have a modded PS2 with a PC HDD and custom OS that lets me run burned discs, games from any region and save my games to the HDD. My modded PS2 is still my favorite console.

[@nathan_tasker]

ETA Prime's channel has done some content on this which you may find interesting. Great work as always Steve.

[@ugogatto]

first time i dont skip a sponsor video part on a tech video review :D

[@Satanspawn86]

When suggesting to purchase an older, backwards-compatible system to play those games for cheaper, I think you're forgetting that some of the games included on the classic are pretty expensive to purchase due to rarity. For example, Intelligent Qube alone is a $50+ game. Loved the video either way. Really disappointing that Sony is using nostalgia and subpar emulation to suck more money out of its fan base

[@Sonyboj]

A PS2 test would be cool too. It does have PS1 hardware in it tho

[@jaydub8576]

i'd like to see the frame time characteristics of nintendo mini emulators.

[@vdochev]

As far as I remember, the PS2 has the same sound chip as the PS1, but 2 of them to make the 5.1 channel sound. I think the earlier FAT models have most of the PS1 hardware in them and are more compatible, the slims rely more on proprietary emulation.

[@DavidTastyToad]

I've been loving those frametime tests, both for the consoles and PC games, think they really show user experience accurately. I distinctively remember massive frametime increases ruining user experience in games completely so I definitely appreciate those tests.

[@PissBoys]

So glad I kept my CECHA-01 60GB PS3 all these years. Doesn't get much use nowadays, but it's nice to know that if I wanted to get into collecting PS1 and PS2 games, I have the option of running it on original hardware.

[@DoctorPaco]

Please be aware that 1) there is likely a LOT of dust in your PS3 2) your thermal paste is likely completely dry by now (Sony went super cheap on it) 3) continued use could wreck your solder. I also have a CECH-A01 PS3. After many years of use, I get a frequent crash with the red light blinking, which I now know is the code for overheating. From what I’ve read, really the only way I can hope to stop this is by changing by paste, and even then I might need to reflow or replace my solder. TLDR: Take care of your PS3!

[@michaelpegasiou4531]

I got one also,play ps2 and ps1 games on it,blow the dust out and vacuum it regularly.

[@Manic_Panic]

I don't have the A01 model since I'm European but I have the 60GB PAL CECH04 version that still has the PS2 GPU and emulates the CPU. It still runs all PS2 games I used to own. I guess some don't work due to the CPU emulation, but so far so good. No blinking on it either or at least I never noticed it. Whoever used to own it, took really good care of it. Better than the rip off PS Classic anyway. Take good care of your A01! Those won't be available for much longer.

[@pdraggy]

I used to READ anandtech reviews back in the old days and I LOVED when they went way off track and reviewed like a mouse or a kb or something or doing something like this. Pre 2010ish anandtech was awesome! I hope you do more in depth reviews on niche areas. I consider a micro-console a niche product lol.

[@user-hk3ej4hk7m]

8:00 If the number being shown as "percentage for CPU utilization" is an average over the lapse of one second, then it's not going to be indicative of jitter in frame times considering you're averaging CPU utilization across 30 frames. The correct way to determine if the cause of the jitter is deliberate or CPU bound would be to average CPU utilization across one single frame, and then compare it with frame times.

[@MazeFrame]

Exactly. And as the CPU-load display uses cpu, it will lag behind in moments of high demand. Basically: Load spike, FPS drop, FPS back to normal and now update cpu load display. The high load never makes it to the screen.

[@miketurco5282]

The side by side for Syphon Filter was really helpful to compare the two.

[@momisbusy5019]

LOL at that liquid cooler plug. Your hair is amazing.

[@katerwhall1865]

I like the tear down stuff, they boldly go where I fear to go.

[@littlerhino2006]

THIS is the quality content I subscribe for. Nice work guys.

[@604RPM]

I purchased a PS1 classic to put my conscience to rest for building a retropi a few years ago. It worked! Honestly, I'll probably end up figuring out how to build my retropi into the shrunk ps1 housing, eventually.

[@piers389]

"Let us know if it's actually worth it" - No, it's not. I still have my original PlayStation I had as a young child. It works (just) and allows me to play more than the 20 games included in this package. This seems like a 'look! Nintendo is making money from old games, let's put something together that will sort of do and call it a day'. Laziness.

[@bdhale34]

The worst argument I've heard is the reason for the 20 specific games they picked, which aren't even close to having 10 of the top 200 PS1 games included in it, is the licensing argument.. Sony published every single official PS1 game they OWN the rights to every single game that was ever officially released for the console they could have literally used any games they wanted. The obviously crap emulator port they used (PCSX Re-Armed itself is not a bad emulator and on retroPi and other setups it performs much much better than this) is another point of high contention in my mind, Bleem and Connectix VGS did a much better job than this pile of trash and it did it on a single core 233MHz cpu 128MB of SDR ram and a 16MB PCI (not PCIe) TNT2 over 15 years ago I do not understand why this is as bad as it is there's zero reason for any of it being this bad.

[@MicroChirp]

@@bdhale34 Sony didn't publish the majority of PS games. The ones they have had their yellow rhombus logo on the cover IIRC.

[@bdhale34]

​@@MicroChirp Liscensed/published it's a semantic argument.. they had to approve every official game every released for their consoles they had the rights to the games for their console every single official game.

[@ra55575]

So much nostalgia from seeing these old games♥️

[@thomasphillips885]

Including the PAL version of some games provides better localisation options. A lot of PAL titles had multiple language options.

[@DavidHanks90]

In high school my friend bought a PS3 and before we even played a game on it, we dual booted it with linux. Felt so cool lol

[@shaneeslick]

Thanks for these great comparison vids Steve & G/N crew, Awesome Work, So keeping my old Playstations & discs to play the games I like was a good idea

[@Rocky-bz8wr]

@GamerNexus great video thank you. My buddy was actually talking about the PS1 classic today and how cool it would be to get one to play the old games. SO I said well then if that is all you want to do is play those old games then have a look at this. I went & fired up my PC and showed him pretty much the same thing as to what this classic can do but on Emulation done on the PC for it. Not only that but it also cleans up the games quite a bit and gives them a better look as well. He said hmmm that;s cool and all but it's not the same thing because you made the game look different than it is supposed to. I replied well that's the point of it why would you want to play a game made 30-35 years ago without some sort of extra rendering to clean it up somewhat so it won't look like crap on a modern HDTV. I told him you have to remember when these consoles were a thing they were used on old school tube TV's that were so blurry that the effect from it actually made these old games seem as though they looked a bit better than they did. When you play these games on modern screens you do not get that so the games actually do not look any where near what they did way back then. He said but still you changed the game it is not the same now. I said well ok let me show you what it used to look like and I turned off the extra rendering and let it basically output as it used to back in the day and then let him play the game again this time unchanged or at least a sclose as you can get with emulation I guess. He played for about 2 minutes hit the menu screen and said ok I get what you were saying about this and please turn everything back to how you had it because omg it got really fugly with it set to old school rendering...I was like so do you still want a classic then he was uhmmmm nope not a chance. I think my point here is Sony and Nintendo as well seem to forget these retro remake consoles are not going to be played on the old school tube TV's where they were so bad that they actually hid a lot of the sins of the old consoles. Now on the new Screens they pretty much show you whatever you output to them and are probably about 90% clearer than the old school TV's so Sony & Nintendo probably should have took that into account in their remake of the old consoles.

[@mjc0961]

👍 on frametime over framerate. Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a recent release that holds a nice 30 fps when you look at that number, but when you look at frametime it bounces all over the place. I've been playing it and it's not so bad that it's unplayable, but it's noticable and I hope they can smooth it out with a patch. The importance of frametime is often overlooked and the more people bringing it to the forefront, the better.

[@Sebastian0440]

Compatibility: All models of the PlayStation 2(OG,Slim and 2003 PSX as well as the PS2 Bravia TV) all support PS1 games,they even have options like smoothing and stuff while upscaling the game to 480i/480p. Whereas all PlayStation 3 models(OG,Slim and Super Slim) can play PS1 games natively upscaled to 720p but this can be changed to 1080p manually,the 20GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 Phats can fully support PlayStation 2 games but this was dropped when the 80GB variants and later renditions of the console launched,dropping out hardware emulation(where the actual game disc is run in the consoles disc drive) for software emulation(via the PlayStation store and other means). The PlayStation®Portable lineup of systems also has a few PlayStation titles that can be downloaded from the PlayStation Store and loaded onto the memory card,however this is impossible to do with the newest and final Street version of the handheld that was released in 2011 which lacked Wi-Fi functionality as well as the PlayStation Network and The PlayStation Store as well as Bluetooth support. Both PlayStationVITA versions also support selected PlayStation games but if modded the handheld can increase compatibility greatly. The recent PlayStation Classic has the best ram and hardware to run the games of its native predecessor console from 1994 but does have issues displaying on some television sets mainly due to the fact that some of the games were not patched to work properly on TV sets from all regions(about half of the games were PAL) and this caused some trouble for the system,despite its technical advantages over the NES and SNES classics from Nintendo that released a bit earlier.

[@duff5000]

lol that ad intro was very effective. I want to buy it.

[@johnleonard3951]

The original reverse comparable PS3 that still works is a hard thing to find.

[@koalawithagun]

Note that *all* PS3's were backwards compatible with PS1, even the super slim models. PS2 BC is what varies between PS3 consoles, with only the ones produced near launch having the best tier of compatibility with PS2 games.

[@eN1X]

Giving Digital Foundry a run for their money with this in depth information. I loved it!

[@madfinntech]

You should really start to seriously compete with Digital Foundry just because you have this tech. DF is great, no doubt but I have noticed they are holding their opinions back to keep good relations with game publishers. What I mean their results show one thing and the commentator talks opposite. "smooth 30 fps" right... I know they mostly mean by that the equal and perfect frame-timing but to me as a gamer 30 fps just isn't "smooth".

[@topshelfgaming9093]

Dude... Steve that was hands down the best selling pitch for an AIO i have ever seen! lol! more of that! I'd probably buy one from EVGA now knowing that there is that much windforce behind those duel fans to make those locks flow!

[@LawrenceAngeloVargas]

Thank you Steve for giving importance to frametimes. I think you should do separate video topic about frametimes.

[@OvenBak3d360]

The first video you guys have made I couldn’t watch too many numbers hurt my head

[@nectarium8760]

Happy New year everyone!

[@ericwood3709]

Next, compare the Classic to Connectix VGS running on a circa 1998 Macintosh (original iMac, which sported a 233 MHz G3, was what I played on) or PC. I remember that performing flawlessly.

[@ThePietn1]

The PlayStation TV is a really compelling alternative as well, especially if you put the custom firmware on it. You can play ANY PS1 and PSP game at native speeds, also it offers extra stuff like a solid web browser and you can play Vita games (minor advantage, but ok) :)

[@AusSkiller]

I had PS2, PS3 and PS4, so I picked up the PS Classic to fill in for the missing PS1 so it was totally worth it for me, though I'd probably just emulate them on PC if I actually want to play them, but it also gives me a better legal standing to do so now.

[@super22shooter]

All PS3s can play PS1 games, it's only the PS2 compatibility that is restricted to earlier models. Great video otherwise

[@lashyndragon]

I just bought a $20 dvd drive and can play my actual PS2/PS1 games on my PC. And for the TV I have a PS3. Plus, the fat version you have there should play PS2 as well, which I believe is native.

[@ratykat]

Now that we can load our own games onto the ps classic, it would be interesting to see how GTA 1 plays with a native NTSC iso in comparison rather than a forced NTSC mode. That would hopefully shed some light on whether the PAL version is really a massive hindrance or if its the hardware.

[@FranktheTank319]

I think the PS Classic is pretty cool. It's convenient since it comes with a bunch of games and 2 controllers that can also be used on pc. I collect roms and emulators on my pc, but it's nice to have actual hardware.

[@MasterTurkey]

Those backwards compatible ps3s can be found in the wild for cheap but are a tad expensive on eBay.

[@hartsickdisciple]

Early PS3's weren't emulating PS1 or PS2 games. They had the actual PS1 and PS2 hardware in them, so they play those games natively. That's probably why you're seeing such consistent, good performance in GTA on the PS3.

[@SippyCup_Official]

I still have 4 original Playstations and 3 Playstation 2's (a few different models of each). I'm never letting them go, emulations just aren't the same.

[@zosxavius]

Those hiccups are because the frame rate is out of sync yeah. Emulators tend to do that until they can match your displays frequency perfectly. With CRTs it wasn't as big a deal because they synched 60hz perfectly.

[@MrMinecrafter720]

good job covering the frame time with the PS1 overlay ahah

[@Snaily]

I thought from the intro that I'd been tricked into watching an Ali-A video. Pleasantly surprised.

[@overdriveactive5486]

You mention that you can't organise frame time results into bar charts. Maybe not but you could gather a 10 minute run, determine how much the variance is and how often and then publish something like a ratio right? So for a GTX 1080 in Ultra 1080p Battlefield V you could say "this has a frametime consistency of 99.8% over 10 minutes". I think at this point we're in a place where GPUs are very close together in terms of FPS provided but frametimes sometimes wildly differ a lot so finding a format to report on that would be awesome.

[@Catcrumbs]

I'd love to see how both of these compare to PS2's backwards compatibility as well as the original PSX. I think a slim PS2 is the most aesthetically pleasing box that can 'legitimately' play PSX games.

[@vg4902]

Ah, I miss my George Foreman PS3.

[@HuntsmanLegacy]

Ps3 is the best system to play ps1 games now mainly because of the PlayStation store. If you have any old discs, they work on PS3. But if you don't have discs or they are too scratched and don't work, the PlayStation store has the majority of the ps1 games you will ever want. If it sold even somewhat decent, it's probably available. And ifyou have nostalgia for and "bad" game nobody remembers, well it is likely super cheap on eBay or super expensive because if it's rarity. A coin flip yes, but chances are you will have any games available to you without worry Castlevania SoTN is well upwards of $50+, or it's a $10 download for ps3 that even works on psp if you want to go mobile. Combined with digital memory cards and wireless controllers, *and* the fact that a PS3 can play PS3 games (and ps2 games for you lucky few with launch models still), the ps3 is a pretty damn good option Now the cheapest way to get an authentic ps1 experience is a mix between an original ps1 or a ps2. Unless you are a collector, the ps2 is the way to go since it's not emulating the ps1 and every game is literally identical to running on ps1. Ps2's have a full ps1 chipset on board. That means perfect compatibly. You also ps2's component out which is a hell of a lot better than composite from the ps1. Yes, RGB on ps1 exists but it's far too niche here in North America for any casual or even amateur player to invest in.

[@Gambit771]

We wanted slowed down games because we had SCART and wanted to enjoy the beautiful graphics. Wait, this is the ps1. Forget what l said about beautiful graphics.

[@zeikjt]

One of the reasons I can think of why they might have used PAL versions of games is that PAL games are usually the last ones to actually hit the market so they have the most bug fixes and patches. Whether this is true or not in this case I didn't bother looking up though :)

[@Kurukx]

Not only is the video output tied to the clock speed of the cpu but all internal timers as well. I would guess the 83ms as you call is to keep time in game correct so a 10mins race on the console = 10 mins on a stopwatch.

[@nightbirdds]

Hey! Awesome job, guys! This is definitely some good info. It's really looking like the emulator itself is mostly to blame here. I don't think it's been optimized. Not that I'm surprised, this whole micro-console is half-assed. Just to clarify something. Every PS2 and PS3 model, even the Super Slims can play PS1 games. BC for PS1 is not in the PS4, though.

[@360zm4]

You should take some Mini G.I. Joes and reenact some scenes from the movie Daylight using those cooling fans.

[@JoshuaNicoll]

There is an original PS1 somewhere in my house, I should really find and dig that thing out

[@JayB-lz6yd]

something fun about the PS3 is that they almost forgot the thermal paste on the RSX CPU. some of them had it (not great quality and application), some almost nothing. as soon as i changed the thermal paste for something high-end, the fans never went ON fully. only when it was freakin hot in the summer, yet it still was low speed. before that, the fans were screaming all over the place "GIMME SOME PASTE!!" haha! the thermal paste is so shit that it dries quickly and creates a CPU overheat and the IHS unsolds from the DIE. one technique was to heat with a gun the CPU back and front to melt the Tin and kinda resolder it. it was really a flash repair in order to recover something not to repair definitly. it wasn't holding up. once the paste done, that console was performing better than a non-modified one. no stuttering and shit that overheating can bring on the table.

[@RitzScythe]

Subbed for the great ad about the SUPER CONVENIENT hair cooling system. Now me and my 2 feet of hair no longer leave greasy trails of sweat around my house when I sulk about the disappointments that are the mainstream games industry

[@timmy_tim3421]

12:03 - 12:08 - "Hit or miss. guess they never miss huh" - Steve (long haired tech Jesus) Tik Tok 2018

[@af-aftech6029]

When I get my hair stuck in a fan I make sure Its a Noctua. This happens way more than I'd like to admit.

[@Imjustaguy123]

That’s how you do a sponsorship segment. I lold hard.

[@DorianSheridan]

There's alot of assumptive language towards his viewers. "you could buy a ps1 but no one wants to do that". I did that, so did probably half the viewers who watch these breakdowns who are genuinely interested.

[@NonsensicalSpudz]

and I got a ps3 slim and an original phat model (none ps2). personally depending on location, buy a ps3. in the UK its cheaper. plus you get access ps3 games, and if you jailbreak, you can also re enable ps2 emulation (software)

[@filthymcnasty5625]

Its really great to still have two working original PS1's.

[@EpicWink]

Sony (at least used to) condone the use of PS1 and PS2 emulator, provided you get the BIOS from a PS1/PS2 that you own. Of course, that was a HUGE hassle, and it may be far easier to get a BIOS online somewhere... I'm just going to say I own a PS2

[@MehtehTrollfacer]

Honestly, if someone wants a small form factor PS1 nostalgia trip, a PSP can do just fine, since it emulates PS1 natively and you can find MSProDuo to MicroSD adapters for super cheap if you need a bigger library. It's mobile, the battery can last about 3 hours of gaming on the go (unless it's very old) and you can do multiplayer with another PSP or some workarounds with PC. I don't see any reason to buy a PS1C over a PSP except getting a somewhat authentic feel. Tutorial for those interested in multiplayer: wololo.net/talk/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=5815

[@smbu]

The PSP-2000 and 3000 (and GO) also have video out capabilities, so you can hook it up to your tv as well.

Your analysis methods are getting more and more sophisticated, with explanations more detailed. It really shows you guys are putting a lot of efforts, reinvesting into giving quality content. It is appreciated. For myself, i think it's a really bad move from Sony. They could have made one custom with a real MIPS instead of pure software emulation on the cheapest ARM powerful enough to make it somewhat work. There could be option to have at least the ability to connect a drive and be able to play your old games, if not integrating one slim modern. There should be a way for me not to pay for the games, especially since i bought tens of copies, physical, but also online, because i got my PSN banned, usually foolishly restarting and connecting without updating the spoofs, all that crap because i would have liked to keep my OtherOS and compile my Gentoo on the magnificent Cell BE, a featured they advertised and was proven lawfully wrong removing. Really ashamed of the direction they took, they really got disconnected from their roots. I could 3D print something better and having more features. In fact, i think i will buy one only for the case when we will be able to find them for 5$ on eBay, flash the eMMC with my own Gentoo, but even then, 1GB of RAM is ridiculous. It's barely more powerful than PSVita. Speaking of which, it would have been nice to have like one SD card slot in one of the original memory card slot, be able to play the PSClassics i bought already on my PSN, like i can do still on my PSP. They really gave 0 thought on this one, very disappointed to see it's pretty much a money grab on nostalgia.

[@krishnakanth6662]

Using Air Cooler as Hair Cooler... LOL

[@john_john_john]

A $15 PS3 is very best bang for your buck gaming article you can get. Even at $50, which is a more realistic price. Plays emulators relatively well, PS1 and PS2 games flawlessly, reads blu ray for those into that stuff, and much more.

[@user-qx8qn9wc6i]

Hair water cooling mount is a must have GN item

[@michaelkuper6604]

I still got my original PSX. Haven't used it for years but I have no doubt it still works. Gotta turn it upside down to make the discdrive work, buit that's just charming really. Anyways, if I wanted to play PS1 games nowadays I'd just emulate them on my PC tbh.

[@MazeFrame]

NTSC stands for "Never the same color", because color accuracy hinders freedom (or so I have been told). "PAL inferior to NTSC" -> Higher resolution VS higher FPS, choose whatever.

[@SerBallister]

PAL TVs back in the 90s used SCART connectors, where as NTSC sets were using composite analogue, so already the picture is far cleaner for European PS1 owners.

[@wintdkyo]

One thing I learned from the video. Good Will has an awesome bidding site!