Atari ST

Atari ST
TypePersonal computer
Release dateJune 1985; 39 years ago (1985-06)
Introductory price
  • US$799.99 (monochrome)
  • US$999.99 (color monitor)
Discontinued1993; 31 years ago (1993)
Units sold2.1 million[1]
Operating systemDigital Research's GEM on Atari TOS
CPU68000 @ 8+ MHz
Memory512 KB to 4 MB
Graphics320 × 200 (16 colors)
640 × 200 (4 colors)
640 × 400 (monochrome)
SoundYM2149F
PredecessorAtari 8-bit computers

Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the company's 8-bit home computers. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985, and was widely available in July.[2][3] It was the first personal computer with a bitmapped color graphical user interface,[4] using a version of Digital Research's GEM interface / operating system from February 1985.[5][better source needed] The Atari 1040ST, released in 1986 with 1 MB of memory, was the first home computer with a cost per kilobyte of RAM under US$1/KB.[6]

After Jack Tramiel purchased the assets of the Atari, Inc. consumer division in 1984 to create Atari Corporation, the 520ST was designed in five months by a small team led by Shiraz Shivji.[7] Alongside the Macintosh, Amiga, Apple IIGS and Acorn Archimedes, the ST is part of a mid-1980s generation of computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, and mouse-controlled graphical user interfaces. "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two",[8] referring to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals.

The ST was sold with either Atari's color monitor or less expensive monochrome monitor. Color graphics modes are available only on the former while the highest-resolution mode requires the monochrome monitor. Some models can display the color modes on a TV. In Germany and some other markets, the ST gained a foothold for CAD and desktop publishing. With built-in MIDI ports, it was popular for music sequencing and as a controller of musical instruments among amateur and professional musicians. The Atari ST's primary competitor was the Amiga from Commodore.[9]

The 520ST and 1040ST were followed by the Mega series, the STE, and the portable STacy. In the early 1990s, Atari released three final evolutions of the ST with significant technical differences from the original models: TT030 (1990), Mega STE (1991), and Falcon (1992). Atari discontinued the entire ST computer line in 1993, shifting the company's focus to the Jaguar video game console.

  1. ^ Reimer, Jeremy (2005-12-15). "Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 2012-06-07. Retrieved 2021-11-27.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference maremaa19850603 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Atari Is Shipping 520 ST Computer". The New York Times. 1985-07-10.
  4. ^ "GUI Timeline". media.arstechnica.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-30. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  5. ^ "ANALOG TCS #1 001 03/20/85 DRI SHIPS GEM". Google Groups. Newsgroup: net.micro.atari. 1985-03-11. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference byte198603 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference 3years was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "The Future of Atari Computing". STart Magazine. December 1989. Retrieved 2006-06-23.
  9. ^ "Clunky". Next Generation (4). Imagine Media: 39. April 1995.