Pruning my computer collection; should I keep the STfm or the STe?

[Commodore Loadstar 81]

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Gearing up to move to another state, I decided that it was finally time to divest myself of my retro collection and just get by with emulation in the future. At least for 4th generation machines and older (with the singular exception of the Philips CD-i; I'm not aware of any good CD-i emulators out there).

 

I no longer own any Commodore computers, or Apple computers, or Tandy computers, or Timex Sinclair computers, or IBM computers. All of my 1st/2nd gen consoles are gone except for my Odyssey 2, and that one's just a matter of time, I'm sure. The only 3rd gen console I'm keeping is my Atari 7800, because it's awesome.

 

But I couldn't just get rid of everything. I've kept an old 486 that I dearly love, and I've also decided that I'll keep one 8-bit computer (an Atari 130XE) and one 16-bit computer, which was always going to be an ST (on account of the ST not being such a pain in the ass like the Amiga).

 

But I can't quite decide whether to keep my STe or my STfm. Leaning towards the STe, of course, but I'm wondering if anyone has a good argument for going with the STfm instead. I've always been a "wide net" retro collector in the past, and now that it seems like I'm finally paring down to just Atari stuff in the main, I'm wondering if anyone more expert in the platform can offer any advice.

 

Sell me/tell me: which ST is the real keeper?

Edited June 22, 2017 by Commodore Loadstar 81

[Tillek]

All things being equal, keep the STE. I'm assuming neither has any mods that tip the scale and they are both in the same relative condition.

 

The only reason I'd consider getting rid of the STE is if you know what you plan to use it for and what games you plan to play and that none of that will benefit from the enhancements of the STE. And only then because you'd get much more money selling the STE.

 

But safe to say the STE is the keeper.

[Commodore Loadstar 81]

I appreciate the advice.

 

I'm mostly just trying to talk myself into letting the STfm go rather than just keeping both. :Þ

[walter_J64bit]

STE is the keeper, I've had the STfm after getting a hard drive for it some of the ram was being used by the drivers for the hard drive.

[simonsunnyboy]

Keep them both if you can

But if really one has to go, let it be the STFM. There are enough STE only softwares to compensate for those not working on the STE.

[rustynutt]

Personally, for older disk loaded games, the fm was more compatible than my MSTE. The exception if you still have Rainbow TOS on the STE. Don't think that broke many older games. As far as "Newer Apps" are concerned, you're not thinking of Calamus,DA's softs are you The STE is more desirable.