Is this a common issue or what?

I've just bought a cheap PS3, because I want to play some of the exclusives I never got to play on Xbox.

It has just arrived and not long into firing it up the fans have kicked into over drive and it is DEAFENING! Not like broken ticky tacky deafening but the power of the thing is unreal! And it isn't like it is massively hot, not hotter than an average laptop fan.

And it happens even when I am on the dashboard!

I mean what gives? Is it broken? Is it supposed to be like that? Everyone said the PS3 was quiet but this is the complete opposite and fucking hell this even out does my original 360 for noise. That is one of the reasons I bought it for some quiet and it has turned out to be even worse!

What a disappointment!

Not to imply anything, but...you did buy it cheap, right? Maybe it's an older model?

Ahem..

1) You purchased a cheap console. If there is something wrong, this is probably why.

2) Certain models of the PS3 are louder than others, although none of them are "loud". However, your definition of loud and mine might be different. To me, a bit of churning disc noise is not a problem, in fact its to be expected.

3) Why would the quietness of the console be a main factor in you purchasing it? The Dreamcast, PS2 and Xbox all sounded like motors, but they were still awesome. If it really bothers you, bump the tunes up, or put in some headphones.

In short, I think you're just over-analyzing it. However, if its really, really noticeable, then you could have a problem. Take it to get looked at by someone who knows electronics well, or just buy a new one. They aren't that expensive anyway.

@mwright469: Yeah I bought a cheap PS3, problems were expected now I'm trying to fix them, you pointing that out is not helpful.

My problem is the fan is so loud i.e. a perfectly functioning, not overheating console fan, that sounds like a hair dryer. And I am not kidding, my TV volume with my 360 on is 25 and I can hear it perfectly from my bed six feet away, with the PS3 and me sat two feet from the TV it was on 55 and I was having trouble.

The air is PUMPING out of the back of the console, not restricted, look perfectly clean inside and is at pretty much ambient temperature and it is still running flat out even on the dashboard.

@mwright469 Yes it is an older model but why does that mean it should sound like a hair dryer when sat on the dashboard?

@Dannystaples14:

You seem to be puzzled by why this is happening even though you acknowledge the system was cheap and used........

If it's really that noticeable and annoying, dontcha' think it's probably broken?

The PS3 is known to be quieter than the 360, you buying a cheap used console is the problem. Something is wrong with your unit.

@mwright469: Yeah the only thing I'm confused about is the fact you think you are helping me with your replies. No useful tips, have you tried this? Why don't you try that? You just looked at the first sentence and haven't said anything but. I mean what did you think I wanted when I posted this? For people to highlight the obvious? Yes I know it is second hand, yes I know it was a gamble. Why don't you try adding something useful instead?

Note to self, don't ask for help on Gamespot again.

@SolidTy Unfortunately, I won't be touching a full price PS3 and I knew it was a gamble when I bought it. I just figured that if there was a problem with it, it wouldn't be something as simple as the fan running flat out for no reason. I thought it would come bricked or something, with YLOD.

I bought it from a proper second hand retailer and it turned out the shit build quality was what I should have been more worried about. I knew there was a reason I didn't want a PS3. My fault I guess for giving them a chance.

I mean my Xbox 360 has been repaired three times for RROD but once that got sorted the console has run perfectly ever since. Seems Sony can't even put a fan in their consoles without it fucking up. No wonder their VAIO computers have gone twirling into the toilet that is all I'm going to say.

Statistically, the PS3 is far more reliable than the 360. Personally, I've also noticed this as I buy all machines at launch. I've suffered 4 RRODs and 1 E74 error bringing me through five broken 360s since 2005, but everything breaks given enough time. It's 2014 after all and who knows what previous owners did to your used PS3 unit or how old it is as the PS3 released in 2006.

@SolidTy: Yeah but that is what I was saying. The 360 had its fair share of issues overall, but they got the simple stuff nailed down, other than the RROD my Xbox 360 has had NO issues, I still have my original one, apart from it being sent off a few times for repair.

The PS3 it seems from what I've seen on the internet has had issues with everything from the internal power supply, to the constantly blazing fan, to the thermal paste on the chips drying out. Overall Sony's issues seem to be much more general and spread. Microsoft's issues hit in a big way in one specific place, which was addressed.

Just a bit pissed that I gave the console a chance and my first real encounter with it was it was broken with something as stupid as the fan.

@Dannystaples14: Replace the fan?

@Dannystaples14:

You should've spent the extra bucks and bought a new one. That way, you could've easily returned the defected console to the store you bought it for another one.

Live and learn.

@Dannystaples14: The only time that happens is when i fire up a new game. Did you buy it used?

@jasean79: Well it was on Amazon Marketplace so I'm in the process of going through all of the applications for return stuff. If that doesn't work though I'm pretty stuffed really.

I was thinking about just buying a new one but the price is still too high for a console that I don't really need, just so I can mop up a few exclusives I may or may not even like to begin with.

@The_Last_Ride Yeah it was used, it looked in pristine condition when it arrived. I was in the process of getting rid of everything from the hard drive and put my account on it when it started to get noisier. When I then put a game in to play it I could barely hear the characters speak it was so loud. Forget trying to watch a movie over it. Then it persisted over the dashboard as well.

Like if you turn it off and wait a few minutes, turn it back on, you have a few seconds of silence and then you hear it notching up the speed until it is uncomfortably loud and the thing is blowing mildly warm air out at the same time.

When I went on the internet it turns out it is a reasonably common issue for consoles that have had the original power supply replaced. But no one has any fixes that really work.

Please leave the Playstation forums do not come onto here and start going all system wars on this forum that is for System Wars, so you gave the PS3 fair chance, hmmmm right buying a used old PS3 and then saying it's a crap build give me a break, I had a PS3 since launch which died on me last september, I've had 5 360's die on me over the course of it's life span. how can you give a console a chance when you buy it second hand, please just leave the forum and don't come back with your negativity.

How do we know the fan is broken you said yourself the rest of it is working so really the PS3 is working no other fault except the noise :S, electronics fail thats parse and parcel of it, with it being used of course in the end something will start doing something it shouldn't but that doesn't mean it's broken, don't come on here moaning about it, take it back and see what they say

@bezza2011: Yeah well that is bad luck to you then I suppose, I've had ONE Xbox 360 and it still works. The first time I tried a PS3 it was broken. It isn't system wars if I'm simply pointing out the PS3 is a pile of shit from my own personal experience. System wars is a bunch of fanboys making shit up. I have a console sat in my room behind me that validates everything I'm saying right now.

Well put it this way if it isn't broken, the designer of the system should be fucking ashamed of them self. I can't even play a game because of the noise the console is making. That is pathetic no matter which way you look at it.

@Dannystaples14: but still your basing your judgement off of a used PS3, you can't bash the design without a fair assumption of the product when it isn't new, and the 360 used to be absolutely horrendous with the noises it used to make, the PS3 in all normal circumstances was pretty quiet.

you are contradicting yourself all over, you say you've had ONE Xbox 360 since launch and it's still going and yet you claim you've sent it away a few times for repairs :S, so your 360 has broke nurmerous times you get it fixed and now claim thats good, and so you get a used PS3 has a dodgey fan which may of never been fixed by the owner before hand, and it's a bad build????? what the, are you having a laugh, your 360 went in for repairs a few times the 360 build was that bad hey, your such a fanboy and so bias.

@Dannystaples14: Just sounds like it's old

@bezza2011: All I know is my 6 year old 360 is still working without it sounding like a wind turbine in my bedroom. From looking at the internet the noisy fan is a common fault. If it even is a fault, listening to you it would seem people don't mind not being able to hear the TV.

Comparing my old 360 to the old PS3 indicates that my 360 is more reliable overall. Whether the PS3 is old or not if it was better built it would still work. I mean I would say that I might have just been unlucky and got one of the few broken ones but I am not the only one with this issue, so I am not confident saying that.

I mean I bought the PS3 because I wanted a console that wasn't so loud (since the original 360 is pretty loud) and what would you know the PS3 I got was even louder.

I'm not basing my comments on every console ever created because I don't own every console ever created, I own right now a fully functioning 360 and a deafening PS3. That is all I can base my conclusion on because that is all I've experienced.

It is only the same as someone sticking to PS3 because their 360s have broken many times in the past. The only PS3 I've ever owned sounds like a ship and my 360 is fine. Why would I say anything else about the PS3 in this case?

The only issue here is I said something about the PS3 and now you are all butt hurt.

Dude what is your problem? You say the other dude is just having bad luck but the designer of the PS3 should be ashamed? Such a hypocrite.

Buys cheap used console...finds it is faulty...wonders why...blames poor design.

My 80GB Phat Boy PS3 is louder than my PS4 (no durr) but it doesn't really bother me. I don't think your fans should be kicking on though for no reason when you're just on the OS. I think it might be on it's way out, did you ask the original owner of the console about it's condition before you bought it?

Or did you just go "OooooO, look! A cheap PS3 - let's buy it right now". My 80GB console has a noise that emits from the disc drive when playing some games, the expected fans that produce noise whilst gaming and besides that it works like a dream. Yours sounds like a problem, the fans shouldn't kick on for no reason like that.

Here's something you can try doing, clean out the PS3. Use a low-powered vacuum cleaner with an attachment and go over the vents lightly sucking up all the dust. Relax, this is perfectly safe to do and in fact if you look inside the PS3 manual, Sony even recommend doing it this way.

Best of luck mate. If it starts playing up contact the seller and demand some answers, because if he listed it as "in working condition" it should be working. Don't let a little fan noise bother you though it might just be normal and you were expecting too much, but if it's as bad as you say contact the seller.

Also if you want us to judge on whether or not the fan noise is normal or not post a video, it will help us tell you what we think rather than guessing, cheers.

Edit: Obviously it's buyers beware if you bought it private, but if you bought it through eBay and used PayPal it's worth doing what I said and ask for some answers from the seller.

@hitmanactual: Yes I blame the poor design because I bought my 360 BEFORE the PS3 was even released and it has stood the test of time better than the PS3. I.e. better design. Which is strange because the PS3 was even more expensive. What was the money being spent on?

@BattleSpectre It was from a second hand retailer on Amazon. I wasn't expecting the console to be in pristine condition. That is one risk you take when buying a console second hand. What I wasn't expecting was that the fan would kick into full speed on the dashboard for no reason and it would be so loud that I couldn't hear the TV over it. It is seriously like a hairdryer. I had to double to volume on the TV just to have a chance of hearing it. How long would that last before my family started to complain?

My issue is that my older 360 which I bought before the PS3 launch, doesn't sound like a tornado outside of my house when it starts up. One of the reasons I bought the PS3 was because I thought the Xbox 360 was too loud. That is why I was shocked by what came out of the box. It is going back anyway.

Next time I'll either have to not be so cheap or not bother. The reason I bought it second hand is because I don't NEED a PS3. I already have a 360 and the only reason I want a PS3 is to try some of the exclusives. I still think a brand new one is too much money just for a few exclusives.

I posted here because I know it is a fairly widespread issue and I thought people might know a fix or something. I guess they don't.

Thanks for the help, you were a lot more helpful than the others.

@MethodManFTW Erm no. I was pointing out he had bad luck because I've had a 360 for six years and never had an issue. He is saying the PS3 is supposed to be kind of loud and that I am over exaggerating.

All I am saying is if the designer made the PS3 in the knowledge that people would have to have their TV on nearly full blast to play games then he should be ashamed of himself. There is no way this is a design. The 360 is noisy. The PS3 I received is off the scale. I am sending it back. I mean people on here can't seem to do anything but point out the obvious so what else can I do?

I have a 60 gb launch PS3, and it can get quite loud when the fan is running at its highest. It also puts out a LOT of heat. The thing can warm uo a whole room 10 degrees. That said, it's been extremely reliable, and I love the PS2 backward compatibility, but the noise can be irritating. It's quieter than an early model Xbox 360, but not by much.

@Dannystaples14:

lol....you are a straight up fanboy friend.....PERIOD....THE END

@MarcRecon: Yeah I must be huh? If I disagree with you that can be the only logical explanation. Not that you aren't the center of the universe, that CAN'T be true.

To be honest with the view I've had of Sony for many many years now it is no wonder I am more fond of my Xbox consoles. If that makes me a fanboy then honestly I'm glad to be one.

Just because you say stuff like "PERIOD.....THE END" it doesn't make you right is just shows you up to be an arrogant ass.

@ChiefFreeman Yeah I've heard a range of things from people saying it kicks up to full after an hour of playing, to some people saying it is five minutes, to mine after 30 seconds and not even in a game. I guess it is just one of those steady faults that gets worse over time. Maybe I just got one of the consoles that was used heavily on a day to day basis and it has reached its time quicker as a result.

Either way it is being sent back once the bank holiday is over.

My main issue with it was just the noise of it. Like even my brother commented on how loud it was, and it really is similar to the sound of a hairdryer.

If it had been quieter than my 360 I wouldn't have made an issue of it but that is one of the reasons I bought it so I could get some quiet in my room for a change. The 360 can get a little annoying when you are watching a movie with the constant background murmur.

If I decide to get a new one I'll have to rethink my view on the console but right now I'm thinking I might just wait for next gen instead and forget about it. Not worth it at this late stage.

@Dannystaples14:

That's sad and pathetic that you have dedicated your life to a corporation(MS) that has successfully turned you into an all consuming sheep. And the same thing goes for Sony, I own both consoles but I am in noway a company puppet/sheep/brown-noser for either one of them, I just use their products I'm not fighting anybody over who's better...but I guess that's part of the psychology of someone who doesn't know any better.:)

Gaming is a hobby, it shouldn't be your life! If Sony's product and services aren't working for you anymore, you should move on and STOP trying to wage a silent SYSTEM WAR on the PS forums. ;)

@MarcRecon: I'm not fighting anyone's side. I'm fighting problems where there are problems. If this was the other way around I'd be saying the exact same thing about Microsoft.

The fact that you can't see people in any other form than a black or white fanboy of either side is kind of sad as well.

There is still a strong chance that I'll get a PS4 this gen, right now the PS4 is the more appealing console. The PS1 and 2 are the best consoles ever created. No one can deny that (except maybe Nintendo fans) but I do still think that the PS3 was one of the worst console ever created. I even rate it UNDER the Sega Dreamcast which went bust.

I think it is the ugliest console ever created and it was built with half a heart. Just look at the monstrosity that is the CELL processor. Sony properly dropped the ball on that one.

It isn't my life. I'm here because the PS3 I got was broken. And in the process all I got was people like you calling me sad and a fanboy because I pointed out my views on the console. Maybe it is you who should take some time out of gaming for a while if someone's opinion offends you this much.

Jesus Raptor Riding Christ, this thread is a disaster. OP, leave console comparisons out of this forum. You got an answer for your question in the first two replies. No, it's not normal. You bought a used console and got a bad product, that's the dangers of buying used consoles, you can never really know what's been done to it. Of all the systems I've owned the last few years, the only one to shit out on me was a Wii U about a week after launch.

Sometimes you just get a lemon. It happens.