Cheapest method of obtaining a PS3

[Drakmorg]

So now that I have a job, I'm finding that I can much more easily justify buying things that I want for myself. And one of those things is a Playstation 3 console, as it has exclusive titles that I wish to play.

Problem is, I know fuck all about consoles and the buying thereof. Seeing as how there's only a relatively small number of games I actually want to play on it, I really don't want to spend too much money.

So I ask you, knowledgeable forum-goers; what's the cheapest way I can (legally, of course) get a functional PS3 with the intent of playing a small handful of games?

 

[SnowyGamester]

The cheapest way would probably be getting used from eBay, Amazon or the like. You could get it even cheaper if you were willing to pick up one with a faulty laser and fix it yourself...they tend to go cheap and are easily fixed with a replacement part costing between $15 and $60 depending on the supplier. If you want new on the other hand you'd probably want to keep an eye out for a good sale, though again online may be a good place to look; I've not compared that to store prices.