As I posted previously, my original near-launch PS3 died. Shortly after updating to firmware v2.0, my system would freeze frequently: usually within seconds of booting, before I could even run a game or even login. I’ve put that system through heavy use (almost constantly turned on and usually running folding@home) and lots of physical transportation, but I gut guess as to the fatal blow was the v2.0 firmware flashing process. That’s just a guess though.

Regardless, the PS3 seems overall very stable. Out of my handful of friends and co-bloggers who own them, I’m the only one whose had any serious stability problems. A few readers have mentioned similar problems and I wanted to mention a few things just in case:

• If your PS3 is crashing, freezing regularly, that’s not normal: call support and get them to service your system.
• The standard Sony warranty on the PS3 is only one year. If my system was going to die on me, I’m glad it did so within the warranty period.
• You will need your receipt or proof of purchase and all original cables to get a replacement.
• If you need to send in your system for replacement, you typically get a completely different system in return. This means all the save games and content you had on your hard drive won’t come back. If you can back up your data before sending your system in for service, do so. Also, this is an advantage of using a separate HDD.

The whole service process was as painless as it can be. I’d definitely rather not have my system break, but I got my return in less than a week of sending my old system in.