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Atari 400 and 800

Home computers launched by Atari in 1979, with graphics and sound that beat most rivals of the time.

Atari, Inc. introduced the Atari 400 and Atari 800 in 1979 as the Atari Home Computer System. Both used a 6502 processor and three custom coprocessors for sprites, smooth scrolling and four channels of audio.

The 400 was the more affordable model, with a spillproof membrane keyboard. The 800 had a conventional keyboard and easy memory upgrades to 48 KB.

Why it matters

Graphics and sound were more advanced than most contemporaries, and games were a key part of the software library. The 1980 space combat game Star Raiders is considered the platform's killer application.

Key facts

  • Launched in 1979.
  • Used a 6502 processor and three custom coprocessors.
  • The 400 had a membrane keyboard and 8 KB of RAM.
  • The 800 allowed up to 48 KB of RAM.
  • Star Raiders was its killer app.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Atari 8-bit computers", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_computers, accessed October 14, 2026.
  2. Wikipedia, "Atari", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari, background reading, accessed October 14, 2026.