I remember coming home from school in the 80s, sitting in front of my little cream-colored black & white TV set with its rotary tuning dial and metal coat-hanger aerial, and painstakingly typing BASIC programs into my Sinclair ZX81. I wasn't yet ten years old, and I didn't really understand what I was doing, I just wanted to play the games. There was nobody to ask when things went wrong, either, which they inevitably did.

For all the talk about those early home computers teaching a generation to program, my experience was rather different. I never became a programmer. But they did introduce me to the idea that a computer could do something I'd helped create, even if I didn't understand quite how.

Which is perhaps why the inclusion of Atari BASIC interests me more than another collection of retro games. THE 800XL, as the new machine is officially called, promises to recreate not just the appearance of Atari's 1983 computer, but something of the experience of owning one.

Designed by Retro Games Ltd. and manufactured and distributed by PLAION REPLAI under license from Atari, the recreation is available to pre-order for US219.99(AU349.99, £199.99 or €219.99), with shipping scheduled to begin on April 23, 2027.

More than a games console

The original Atari 800XL arrived in 1983 with 64 KB of memory, a full-sized keyboard and dedicated graphics and sound chips. Like many home computers of its generation, it occupied an interesting middle ground between a games machine and a tool for learning about computing.

The new version preserves the familiar low-profile design, complete with a 57-key mechanical keyboard and working cartridge slot, but replaces the inconvenience of connecting old hardware to modern displays with an HDMI output.

It supports both 50-Hz PAL and 60-Hz NTSC output, with 4:3 and pixel-perfect display options, along with optional CRT filters for those who prefer their 1980s graphics with a little less digital perfection.

Four USB-A ports accommodate controllers and USB storage, while a USB-C connection supplies power. An HDMI cable and USB-C power cable are included, although as seems to be the trend, you'll need to provide a suitable power adapter.

Atari has also included an updated version of its classic joystick, called THECXSTICK, which retains the familiar appearance while incorporating eight buttons for additional functions. The pad of my thumb is wincing just looking at it.