Reliability
A 2009 study by SquareTrade, a warranty provider, found a two-year failure rate of 10% for PlayStation 3s. According to Ars Technica, the number of PlayStation 3 consoles that have experienced failure is well within the normal failure rates in the consumer electronics industry.
Approximately half a percent of all consoles are subject to a failure that is indicated by the console failing to start up, and displaying a yellow light. In September 2009, BBC's Watchdog television programme aired a report investigating the issue, calling it the "yellow light of death" (YLOD). Among the approximately half a percent of all consoles that experience the failure, they found that it occurred usually between 18–24 months after purchase, while the standard Sony warranty covers one year after purchase. After this time, PlayStation 3 owners can pay Sony a set fee for a refurbished console.
Sony claimed that, according to its statistics of returned consoles approximately only 0.5% of consoles were reported as showing the YLOD. In response to the program Sony issued a document criticizing the program's accuracy and conclusions; specifically that the faults were evidence of a manufacturing defect. The document also complained that the report had been inappropriate in tone, and might do damage to Sony's brand.
Other common faults with the console include failure of the Blu-Ray disc drive.
Read more about this topic: Play Station 3 Web Browser