The Golden Age of Atari Home Computers

Upon hearing the name "Atari," most people think "video games." But Atari dabbled in home computers as well, producing over a dozen different models between 1979 and 1992. If you're reading this now, it's quite possible that you were the proud owner of one of these fine machines.

Atari's early home computer models sold fairly well in the early 1980s, providing a solid home PC alternative to juggernaut Commodore, which reigned supreme in the low-cost market by undercutting all its competitors. Atari's sales began to slip even more dramatically as IBM PC compatibles began to take over every sector, high and low, of the PC market in the mid-late 1980s. As a result, most of Atari's later computers are practically unheard of in the States.

So let's focus on the era that many do remember: that Golden Age between, say, 1979 and 1987. In the slides ahead you won't see an exhaustive retrospective of these machines, but rather a fun trip down memory lane. My first home computer was an Atari 800, and it's still one of my favorite computers to this day.

After you're done reminiscing, I'd love to hear about your Atari computer memories in the comments below.

1. Atari 400 and Atari 800 (1979)

The Atari 400 and 800 computers grew out of a project to provide an advanced follow-up to the hugely successful Atari 2600 video game console. During development, Atari eyed the success of Apple with its Apple II machine, and the new console began to gain computer-like features such as a keyboard, an operating system, and peripherals like disk drives and printers. As a result, the 400/800 not only served as a capable low-price computer, but as a killer next-gen game console with superior graphics and sound capabilities at the time of its release.

(Photo: Atari)

2. Atari 1200XL (1983)

After three years on the market, Atari sought to simplify and update its aging Atari 800 and 400 machines, which featured fairly complex (and thus expensive to manufacture) internal assemblies and very 1970s-looking industrial design. The result of this streamlining was the 1200XL, which featured a new case design, a simpler motherboard, more RAM (64KB) and a lower price than the 800. Unfortunately, some changes to its internal OS introduced incompatibilities with certain earlier 400/800 software applications, and that tainted the reputation of the 1200XL from the start.

(Photo: Atari)

3. Atari 800XL (1983)

After the failure of the 1200XL, Atari went back to the drawing board and came up with the 600XL (with 16K of RAM) and 800XL (with 64K of RAM) computers, both of which sported similar industrial design as the 1200XL but were smaller, more compatible, and even less expensive to manufacture. The 800XL hit the sweet spot of price and capabilities for many, and it became the best-selling model of the entire Atari 8-bit computer line. As a result, many fondly remember it to this day.

(Photo: Atari)

4. Atari 520ST (1985)

After Atari floundered during the video game crash of 1983, Commodore's Jack Tramiel took over Atari and decided to take its computer business in a new direction. The result was the 16-bit ST computer series, an entirely new and incompatible Motorola 68000-based platform which featured a mouse-based GUI like the original Macintosh, but in color and for a far lower price. The 520ST, which did not feature a built-in disk drive and shipped with 512KB of RAM, generated considerable press excitement when it hit the market in 1985.

(Photo: Atari)

5. Atari 130XE (1985)

To bring the rest of the Atari computer family in line with the new ST series, the newly Tramiel-controlled Atari redesigned its still-popular 8-bit home computers. This time, Atari upped the ante with the 130XE, which featured 128KB of RAM while retaining compatibility with most existing Atari 800/XL software. It also featured a new case design that matched the stylings of the 520ST. At the same time, Atari also released the 65XE, which looked identical to the 130XE but sported only 64KB of RAM.

(Photo: Atari)

6. Atari 1040STF (1986)

In 1986, Atari improved upon its well-received 520ST by doubling the RAM to one whole megabyte (1024KB) and adding a built in 3.5-inch floppy drive. This new system, christened the 1040STF, sold for $999 at launch, which made it first computer with a megabyte of memory available for under $1,000. The 1040STF proved fairly popular in the United States, albeit not as popular as its competitors, and it served as the baseline machine of the ST series for years to come.

(Photo: Atari)

7. Atari XE Game System (1987)

As the last gasp of the Atari 8-bit computer series, the XE Game system was essentially an Atari 65XE repackaged in a new case with a detachable keyboard so it could be sold in two configurations: as a computer, with the keyboard; and as a lower-cost game console without the keyboard. Both configurations included the aging game Missile Command built-in, and both played just about every Atari 8-bit computer game cartridge released since 1979. Atari intended it to compete with the Nintendo Entertainment System, but no repackaged 1970s home computer could win that battle. Still, the XEGS provided a playful cap to the golden age of Atari home computers.

(Photo: Atari)