Atari TT: The affordable workstation – by Paul Lefebvre
14 hours ago
- #Atari
- #RetroComputing
- #TechHistory
- The Atari 520ST was introduced in January 1985, available for purchase in the US by July 1985.
- In 1986, Atari released the 1040ST with 1MB of RAM, priced at $999, becoming the most popular ST model.
- Rumors of a next-gen 32-bit Atari computer, dubbed the TT, began circulating in 1986.
- The TT was initially designed around the 68020 CPU but faced prolonged development delays.
- Atari released the Mega ST in 1987, featuring a business-friendly design but no significant performance boost.
- The TT was officially announced in 1989 as the Atari TT030, targeting businesses and power users.
- The TT featured a 32 MHz 68030 CPU, updated TOS 3 OS, and an improved desktop interface called NewDesk.
- The TT introduced a unique 'wedding cake' case design, colored white, and included an internal hard drive.
- New graphics modes were added, including 320x480 with 256 colors and 640x480 with 16 colors.
- The TT used a standard VGA monitor port and included additional ports like SCSI and audio outputs.
- Despite its advancements, the TT's performance was limited by a 16 MHz system bus.
- The TT competed with the Amiga 3000 and Macintosh II, offering better value but still expensive.
- Atari's brand image as a low-cost gaming company hindered its ambitions in the high-end computer market.
- The TT's legacy includes its unique design and advancements, though it never achieved widespread success.