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The long-awaited Atari VCS doesn't know if it wants to be a PC game console or anything in between.Like all leading brands, the new Atari VCS has a complicated history. It was originally a crowd-funded project that has now been overdue for years, eventually starting to deliver to fundraising supporters and soon to the public, just like the original Atari company trying to find out. It's a console maker, game, software publisher, computer maker, or just a cultural icon. Atari VCS also feel similarly controversial. It could be a game console Probably a DIY-friendly mini desktop PC, it doesn't get the full satisfaction,
even for just $ 399 (which includes a wireless gamepad and a wireless retro joystick).I first tried these systems two years ago when I was intrigued by the idea of a console that could be a Windows or Linux PC.The idea of leaning towards the classic Atari game is probably the least interesting part. Finally, for me, especially as these games are available in a ton of other places, if I want to play Asteroids, Crystal Castles or Centipede, even on home consoles and arcade replays, that's easy enough to do. On other platforms
That said, there is a real vintage vibe for both the hardware and the software.
Confused identity
At the time of slotxo its implementation, it was evident that Atari VCS suffered from an identity crisis. One field for it is game consoles. There's a lot of competition in that area, from the PS5 and Xbox Series X to the Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series S. The Series S is $ 299, while the Switch Lite is $ 199, and both are more capable gaming machines. If retro games are your thing, systems like the SNES Classic and Sega Genesis Mini cost under $ 100 and do a great job of making classic games easy to play on modern TVs.
The Atari VCS is much better as a small form factor desktop with heavy DIY components.It runs an AMD SoC (system on chip) called the Ryzen R1606G, with enough graphics muscle for gaming. Gently and some expansion options, like a key internal M.2 slot, you can skip the built-in Atari OS (basically the Linux-based game catalog and web browser) and run Linux, Chrome OS. Or Windows 10 is full, technically it supports semi-deserted SteamOS too, but I wouldn't recommend that.
But there is a catch.The system comes with its own Atari OS and a tiny 32GB SSD.To switch to a true mini desktop, you need to install your preferred operating system on an external drive. (Connecting via USB) or by adding an internal M.2 hard drive is a big ask, and the whole project would be more suitable to ship as Windows or dual-boot machines.I followed this procedure, installed Windows 10 on an external drive and after a few fixes it worked fine. You can compare it to the Mac Mini, although the new M1-based Mac Mini is more powerful and more expensive.
When I was using Windows 10, I installed some Steam games.Since they were built on the classic Atari games, I thought it would be difficult to ask them to play modern games. The latest indie darling Hades won't work, and neither does the standard 3D Mark, but my favorite low-powered Deep Sky Derelicts perform just as well as Skyrim at 1080p and medium settings.I also tried the Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming version. New beta, which works fine as it is streamed from the cloud.I saw myself using the Atari VCS, connected to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse as a fun little desktop. (And in fact, that's what I've been doing for a few days), but you can still find more powerful hardware in a similar compact package.
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