The cheapest legal foundation for PS1 emulation is a used original PlayStation. It gives you two things no download can: a BIOS you are entitled to dump, and a legitimate source of games to rip. This guide covers what to buy, what to check, and where.
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What to buy
- An original PlayStation (SCPH-100x/500x/700x/900x) or a PSone (SCPH-10x). Any working unit serves for BIOS purposes; region should ideally match the games you plan to rip (NTSC-U, PAL, NTSC-J), since you will pair the console’s BIOS with same-region discs as a rule.
- A controller and cables if you also want to test games on real hardware — a working AV/power set confirms the console actually runs before you rely on its firmware.
- Games, as discs. Original PS1 discs remain widely available second-hand and are the raw material for your rips (ripping guide).
Where to buy
Second-hand marketplaces are the natural channel — our eBay Partner Network application is pending, so this link currently points at eBay itself (consoles: search there for “PlayStation 1 console”; games: eBay’s PS1 games). Amazon’s marketplace also carries used consoles and discs (our Amazon links carry the tag oliver062-20). Local retro shops and classifieds work equally well — the checks below matter more than the venue.
Checks before you pay
- “Tested/working” language. Pay the small premium for a tested unit over “untested, sold as seen” — laser condition is the variable that matters, and a dead drive undermines both game testing and your confidence in the unit.
- Photos of the actual unit, not stock images; check the model number plate for the region/model you intend.
- Disc condition for games: ask about scratches; a resurfaced or lightly marked disc usually rips fine at low speed, a cracked one never will.
- Returns: marketplace buyer protection is a feature — use sellers who accept it.
Once it arrives
Dump the console’s BIOS following the legal BIOS guide, rip your discs, and file the console’s model/serial with your backup notes. From that point your ePSXe setup — BIOS, games, saves — is entirely your own property chain, which is exactly what this site’s setup guides assume. And if collecting the hardware turns into its own hobby: welcome, it happens to everyone.