The Atari 800XL returns with a 'faithful' but modern Retro Games Ltd redesign

What happened

Pre-orders for the Atari-licensed THE 800XL began today. This is a modernized yet claimed to be faithful recreation of the classic 8-bit home computer, popular in the early 1980s.

While it comes with era-appropriate features like built-in Atari BASIC and a working cartridge slot, this remake should be elevated by its mechanical keyboard, 25 built-in games, save states, quartet of USB ports (controllers, storage, power), and HDMI connectivity. THE 800XL’s pre-order price is a rather steep $219, and it isn’t going to ship until April 23, 2027. “Real keys, real cartridges, a proper joystick, BASIC programming, games, secrets and discovery.”