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Atari 800XL

800XL · 1983–1985 · desktop

Specifications

Cpu: MOS Technology 6502C ("SALLY"), 1.79 MHz
Ram: max: 64 KB stock; up to 256 KB via popular third-party boards like ICD's RAMBO XL · base: 64 KB
Ports: Cartridge slot · 2x controller (joystick/paddle) ports · Serial I/O (SIO) bus for disk, cassette, and printer · Parallel Bus Interface (PBI) expansion port · Monitor and RF video out
Display: ANTIC/GTIA chipset, up to 320x192 graphics, 256-hue/luminance palette (shared with the earlier 800)
Storage: base: Atari 1050 5.25" floppy disk drive over the SIO bus (sold separately) · options: Cassette recorder via SIO · Third-party hard disk interfaces
Os Support: latest: Atari DOS 2.5 · shipped: Atari BASIC and OS in ROM
Release Price: $299

Variants

Revisions

600XL600XL1983, same chassis and keyboard but 16 KB RAM and no PBI port

Upgrade paths

RAM

256 KB via ICD's RAMBO XL board (64 KB direct + 192 KB banked) · Solders into the motherboard's PIA socket area; well documented in the 8-bit community and compatible with almost all extended-memory software. Modern all-in-one boards like the Ultimate 1MB go further.

~$25-40 for a modern reproduction board

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