The Atari 800XL is back as a $220 retro machine with a real keyboard, HDMI, and a working cartridge slot

What happened

Atari's latest foray into retro gaming is The 800XL, a "faithful" recreation of the original 800XL 8-bit computer first released in November 1983. Atari's latest foray into retro gaming is The 800XL , a "faithful" recreation of the original 800XL 8-bit computer first released in November 1983.

Available now for pre-order, The 800XL costs $220 and is expected to ship in late April next year. The 25 built-in games should provide enough thrills for Atari aficionados.

The machine also offers wider compatibility and expansion options for both commercial and homebrew Atari software. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust .

Atari keeps recreating the brand's iconic consoles and home computers with modern technology. This time it's going back more than 40 years with the 800XL, with the French holding company vowing to provide full support for both classic and modern 8-bit gaming experiences.

It contains a "full-size" mechanical keyboard like the original 8-bit machine, while the HDMI output handles TV compatibility in either PAL (50Hz) or NTSC (60Hz) mode. The slot should work with most cartridges meant for Atari 400, 800, XL, and XE machines.