Amiga vs. Atari ST: A rivalry that defined 16-bit home computing
13 days ago
- #16-bit-era
- #retro-computing
- #tech-rivalry
- The rivalry between Commodore’s Amiga and Atari’s ST defined 16-bit home computing in the mid-1980s, sparking intense loyalties.
- Origins of the rivalry trace back to personnel moves, with ex-Commodore talent leading Atari’s ST development and ex-Atari engineers working on the Amiga.
- The Amiga focused on a custom chipset for advanced graphics and audio, while the ST prioritized simplicity and affordability.
- Amiga excelled in multimedia with fluid animation and multitasking, becoming popular for games and video production.
- Atari ST became a music-production powerhouse with built-in MIDI ports, widely used in studios.
- The rivalry extended into culture, with flame wars and a vibrant demoscene pushing hardware limits.
- Legacy: Amiga influenced multimedia and animation, while the ST left a mark on digital music production.
- The rivalry highlighted how accessible machines could enable serious creative work at home.