I'm thinking about buying an Atari 8-bit...

[J.Max]

I'm thinking about buying an Atari 8-bit. Which one is the best one to buy? I just want to play games, so I'm looking for maximum compatibility, and I want to hook it up to a TV and not a monitor. What should I get?

[deathtrappomegranate]

800xl is a good all-rounder.

[TXG/MNX]

I'm thinking about buying an Atari 8-bit.  Which one is the best one to buy?  I just want to play games, so I'm looking for maximum compatibility, and I want to hook it up to a TV and not a monitor.  What should I get?

 

Try to get the 130XE I like the machine and it already has 128Kb but an expansion to 1Mb make it fly....

[Lord Helmet]

I have an EXGS that I like pretty well, although I am thinking about selling it and getting an 800XL instead...I hear the keyboard is better

[Shawn Jefferson]

What format will you obtain the games in? Cartridge, disk, or via SIO2PC setup?

 

The 800XL, is in my opinion the best all-round machine since it will play pretty much all the games. The keyboard is fairly good, the industrial design is nice, cartridge slot on the top is great if you are going to use cartridges.

 

The 130XE has a cheaper keyboard, crappier construction overall, a cartridge slot on the back that is hard(er) to get to than the 800XL. It does have 128K though, which won't matter too much if all you are interested in is games, since the large majority will work with 64k. There are a few that require 128k. You could always have your 800XL upgraded with more memory if required.

[GrandviewCoin]

And I know you said TV, but if can get a cheap commodore 1702 or similar, the picture is sooooo much cleaner looking using the monitor hookups..

 

Daniel

 

oh yeah, 130 XE is my choice for ya!

[JB]

And I know you said TV, but if can get a cheap commodore 1702 or similar, the picture is sooooo much cleaner looking using the monitor hookups..

I just moved from a well-aged TI 99/4 monitor to a less-aged Sanyo TV.

The TV, once the image controls are adjusted away from the barbaric mis-configuration known as factory default, has a cleaner image. Both have some geometry issues, but the TV is polite enough to give me a consistently square picture, where the monitor had some nasty curving on the left edge.

 

Original quality or not, there's nothing like an extra decade of wear and tear to level the playing field.

[Goochman]

For a game machine - 800XL - lean mean Atari 8bit machine

 

The 130XE if you plan on trying to do anything else with it or get into some of the Adventure RPG's (some take advantage of the extra 64K).

 

Personally if I could only get 1 machine I would stay away from all the other 8bit machines.

[Mot]

You all don't mention the price factor.

Is correct to say that the 800XL is most produced of the bunch and therefore cheaper?

[Zybex]

Try to buy an "Made in Taiwan" ATARI Computer.

 

I have a lot of 65xe's and 800xl's, and the more confortable keyboard comes from the 800XL.

 

And, DONT BUY A "MADE IN CHINA" 65/130 Machine!!!, the keyboard sucks!!!

[+davidcalgary29]

Any 8-bit machine is a good investment.

 

That being said, I think it's beyond doubt that the 800 was the best-made Atari computer. The keyboard is great, and it has a very solid "feel" (and weight!) to it. In addition, there are several great mods for it that you can't do with some of the other machines.

[Lord Helmet]

The XEGS has a mushy keyboard as well, but it works well for games that dont need a keyboard because it sets up like a console. Oh yea, and Missle Command is built in...

[J.Max]

I'm pretty much going to be playing cart games, since I don't want to deal with a disc drive...(I'm surprised that any discs still survive intact)...It sounds like the 800xl may be the way to go. The XEGS doesn't play the other 8-bit games does it?

[+Mitch]

The XEGS doesn't play the other 8-bit games does it?

 

It plays the same ones as the other systems in the XL/XE series.

 

Mitch

[ATARIeric]

go with the 800xl, its sharp looking, sturdy and the cart is loaded in at the top, the 130xe carts load in at the back, the 130xe has mushy buttons, but i personally love my 130xe. the XEGS is a 2 piece machine, it has a seperate keyboard to it. if you like colorful buttons pinks, greens, yellows and resembles a toy system, then go with the XEGS. but i myself think its kiddie looking and you arent gonna be happy with it. i own one of those and for me its a turn off so i dont think you would want that as your main atari 8bit computer.

 

800XL is the way to go or the 130xe is also a great machine

 

you can still get them new @ myatari.com

[JB]

go with the 800xl,  its sharp looking, sturdy and the cart is loaded in at the top,  the 130xe carts load in at the back, the 130xe has mushy buttons,  but i personally love my 130xe.   the XEGS is a 2 piece machine, it has a seperate keyboard to it.   if you like colorful buttons pinks, greens, yellows and resembles a toy system,  then go with the XEGS. but i myself think its kiddie looking and you arent gonna be happy with it.  i own one of those and for me its a turn off so i dont think you would want that as your main atari 8bit computer.

 

800XL is the way to go or the 130xe is also a great machine

 

you can still get them new @ myatari.com

There's an interesting point in there... the XEGS has a seperate keyboard.

 

Personally, I hate integrated keyboards. I'd score that as a mark in teh XEGS' favor. If I were buying an 8-bit, it'd be enough to make me seriously consider the XEGS over the 800XL. But then, I got my 800Xl free, only have 3 games for it, and no real interest in expanding the collection right now.

[ATARIeric]

if my mind serves me correct, the cable is very shory that goes from the keyboard to the main unit and i find that it gets more in the way than anything.

 

i prefer less mess :wink:

[Goochman]

if my mind serves me correct, the cable is very shory that goes from the keyboard to the main unit and i find that it gets more in the way than anything.

 

i prefer less mess :wink:

 

Yup.

 

The XEGS keyboard can be about 1 inch farther away from the base than the 130XE keyboard - Of course you can buy a longer cable.

[JB]

if my mind serves me correct, the cable is very shory that goes from the keyboard to the main unit and i find that it gets more in the way than anything.

 

i prefer less mess :wink:

 

Yup.

 

The XEGS keyboard can be about 1 inch farther away from the base than the 130XE keyboard - Of course you can buy a longer cable.

Dang. One more good idea they totally screwed up in the implementation.

[J.Max]

Well, it looks like I won an Atari XEGS off of eBay...can't wait to get it! I was going to buy an Atari 800xl, but this thing came along for super cheap...

[Markimus of K.]

if my mind serves me correct, the cable is very shory that goes from the keyboard to the main unit and i find that it gets more in the way than anything.

 

i prefer less mess :wink:

 

Yup.

 

The XEGS keyboard can be about 1 inch farther away from the base than the 130XE keyboard - Of course you can buy a longer cable.

 

Curious, where can you buy a longer cable? That connector looks pretty unique to me...

[+Mitch]

if my mind serves me correct, the cable is very shory that goes from the keyboard to the main unit and i find that it gets more in the way than anything.

 

i prefer less mess :wink:

 

Yup.

 

The XEGS keyboard can be about 1 inch farther away from the base than the 130XE keyboard - Of course you can buy a longer cable.

 

Curious, where can you buy a longer cable? That connector looks pretty unique to me...

 

A PC joystick extension cable works just fine as long as all of the pins are wired.

 

Mitch