| The Atari 65XE was released in 1985 as part of Atari’s XE (XL-compatible) series of 8-bit home computers. It was functionally similar to the earlier Atari 800XL but featured a redesigned case in line with the aesthetics of the new Atari ST series. The “65” in the name indicated 64 KB of RAM, which made it compatible with most Atari 8-bit software and peripherals. The 65XE retained the ANTIC and GTIA graphics chips from earlier models, offering multiple display modes and color capabilities. It used the same custom POKEY sound chip and the same BASIC built into ROM. Most units shipped with Atari BASIC Rev. C and the operating system in ROM. It supported the standard SIO (Serial I/O) port for peripherals like disk drives and printers. In North America and parts of Europe, the 65XE replaced the 800XL as Atari’s mainstream 8-bit offering. However, it lacked the parallel bus (PBI) found on the 800XL, limiting certain expansion capabilities. In Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, the 65XE became popular well into the 1990s, especially among demo scene and hobbyist communities. |
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