Atari Opens Preorders for THE 800XL Remake at $219.99
Atari has opened preorders for THE 800XL, a remake of its all-in-one 8-bit home computer. The price is $219.99, with shipping expected to start in April 2027. The Verge
The project is a collaboration with game developer and publisher Plaion, and was announced in October 2026. The relaunch product is named THE 800XL.
The new machine keeps a built-in mechanical keyboard, in which each key uses its own switch, and supports coding in Atari BASIC, the simple built-in language for writing programs. Video output is through HDMI, the standard connector on modern TVs and monitors. Four USB-A ports are included for flash drives and peripherals.
The system has a fully working cartridge slot that accepts most Atari 400, 800, XL, and XE cartridges. It can also run software made for old 8-bit Atari systems when loaded from a flash drive.
Atari is bundling the computer with a remake of its classic joystick, updated with eight action and function buttons. The system ships with 25 built-in games, including Asteroids, Centipede, Berzerk, and Millipede.
The original 800XL was introduced in 1983 with 64 KB of memory. It was Atari's best-selling 8-bit computer. Plaion
The broader context here is familiar from past retro hardware. Such machines stand or fall on control accuracy. Keyboard feel, cartridge behavior, and controller layout matter more than the case. By keeping a mechanical keyboard, programmable BASIC, and a working cartridge slot, Atari and Plaion are offering a working computer rather than a game player in retro housing.
Looking at preservation and practical use, the two loading methods cover both ends of the old software base. Cartridges cover programs still held in private collections. Flash-drive loading covers disk and tape images without the need for fragile old drives and media.
In my view, the telling choice is to add HDMI and USB-A while keeping the old limits in place. The computer fits current desks and displays, while BASIC and the fixed 25-game set keep the software small enough to understand fully. I have watched younger users stall on layered cloud tools and then respond quickly to a machine where listing a program shows the whole program.
Worth flagging for buyers at the preorder stage is what is defined so far. Compatibility, connections, bundled controls, and built-in content are defined. The announcement names most 400, 800, XL, and XE cartridges, four USB-A ports, HDMI, and 25 built-in games. That is enough to judge THE 800XL as a usable 8-bit desk machine and a simple way to run a known library on a modern display. Over the long arc, tools that lower the cost of touching computing history tend to get used, repaired, and kept running.
