| The Atari 600XL was introduced in 1983 as part of Atari’s XL series of 8-bit home computers, designed to replace the earlier 400 and 800 models. It featured 16 KB of RAM, a full-stroke keyboard, and an attractively redesigned case with a more modern appearance compared to its predecessors. The 600XL retained many of the hardware capabilities of the original Atari 800, including the use of the same custom co-processors: ANTIC for display processing, GTIA for graphics handling, and POKEY for sound and I/O. The system used the same MOS Technology 6502C CPU running at 1.79 MHz. A key addition in the XL series, including the 600XL, was the Parallel Bus Interface (PBI) on the back of the machine. This expansion port allowed for hardware add-ons, such as external memory expansions and disk interfaces, although few peripherals were ultimately released to use it. Unlike the older 400, which had a membrane keyboard, the 600XL came with a proper full-travel keyboard, making it much more usable for serious applications. The 600XL also included built-in BASIC in ROM, enabling users to begin programming immediately after power-on. Despite its low RAM capacity, the 600XL was compatible with most Atari 400/800 software, and it was well-supported during its time on the market. Later users could expand the memory to 64 KB to match the capabilities of its sibling, the Atari 800XL. |
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