800xl or 130xe

[dopey1]

Hello

I had an 800xl as a kid and loved it and was planning to pick one up altjough they seem hard to find on ebay. However I heard the 130xe is the better system so was thinking about that one instead. But can the 130xe play the same games as the 800xl can?

would like to know what you think

 

 

cheers

[Nukey Shay]

Yes

 

"Better" is a relative term tho. The 130 has double the memory of a standard 800XL and has a more advanced monitor hookup, but the keyboard has a "mushy" feel to it and there are not many games that rely on the additional memory (and the 800XL also has memory upgrades that were made for it).

 

If you just want it for gaming...I'd say just stick with an XL.

Tho I prefer the beastly 800.

[Shawn Jefferson]

The 130XE has 128k of RAM factory installed, that is about the only good thing about it. It has several drawbacks: it's cheap feeling, the keyboard is not even as good as the XL keyboards, the cartridge slot is in the back, the SIO port has some capacitors that need to be cut for SIO2PC operation (IIRC).

 

Put extra memory in your 800XL and I think you have a better system. You get the slightly better keyboard, XL OS, RAM under the OS (which isn't in the 800), a top-mount cartridge, and a slick industrial design to boot.

 

BTW: I had a 800XL as a kid. Still got it.

[killersquirel]

the SIO port has some capacitors that need to be cut for SIO2PC operation (IIRC).

 

Is this why there are a lot of games that don't work when I transfer them with the sci2pc to the atari 130xe? I get a lot of games that work, but about the same amount that do not work. A lot of the parker bros, activision, and sega games don't work on my atari130xe.

 

-mike

[deathtrappomegranate]

I'd say that the 800xl is the better bet.

 

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding one on eBay in the UK.

[jon-paul]

In my opinion the 130XE has only one serious advantage, and that memory related, You can use a 1 sweep disk copier for when your backing up disks.

 

Otherwise its 800XL all the way.

[AtariDude]

I remember having both systems during the day. I missed the tight feel of the 800XL keyboard and hated the mushy feeling of the XE. It would have been great if Atari could have used a similar keyboard for the XE but I guess maybe it cost more for the kind of keys that were used.

 

I would agree with everyone's comment here to get the 800XL and then find a way to add the additional memory.