Because I can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars for a PS4, and I want to finally upgrade from a PS2, I'm curious to know which version I should buy? Should I buy the old model that has backward compatibility, or should I keep my PS2 and get a slim?

I heard somewhere that the old version with backwards compatibility have low lifespans, and that if I buy them now then they probably will not last long. Can anyone confirm whether that's BS or true? Should I try it, or just get a newer model?