I do think emulation has it's place, but the PS2 was my first console ever. It's fun to relive old memories, especially with an old CRT for an authentic experience. Everything works as it should, the only downsides are the cost, although soft modding is an option as well. You also might consider the age of these machines. PS2s are mostly reliable, but are aging rapidly at this point. Emulation is a good option if your PC is good enough, and you don't want to bother tracking down real hardware. It allows you to make games look better than they could originally, and gives you more options on how you want to experience them.
The main downside is that not all games work perfectly or or playable at all. You will likely have to do some tinkering at some point to get a good experience, while a console will let you play immediately.
The main downside is that not all games work perfectly or or playable at all. You will likely have to do some tinkering at some point to get a good experience, while a console will let you play immediately.