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Atari VCS preorders open now on Indiegogo, will ship in July 2019

You'll have to wait a bit longer for your nostalgia fix.

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories
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Lori Grunin

You can preorder the Atari VCS retro console now on Indiegogo, but it looks like the first batch won't ship until July 2019.

The wood-grain Collector's Edition, which is only available until July 11, is $300 (about £200 or AU$400) with the joystick or $340 with the joystick and controller. The classic joystick is just $30. 

If you don't need a wood-grain console, you can get the Onyx version for $250 (about £190 or AU$330), $280 with the joystick or $320 for the complete bundle. 

The specs

  • 14.5 by 5.3 by 1.6 inches (37 by 13.5 by 4.0 cm)
  • Linux OS 
  • HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2), dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, gigabit Ethernet, four USB 3.0 ports and a mic jack 
  • 32GB solid state storage, SD card slot, external hard drive support and 4GB DDR4 SDRAM
  • AMD Bristol Ridge A1 APU with Radeon R7-class graphics
  • Optional cloud storage
  • Discord support, voice commands and Twitch livestreaming

The controllers connect wirelessly via Bluetooth, and while they have USB-C connections, it's not clear whether that's for wired operation or just for charging. The console supports third-party peripherals.

Atari had said it would announce in April when preorders for its early anticipated Atari VCS retro console would start shipping, and sure enough, the announcement made it just under the wire: May 30. 

Up close with the Atari VCS (formerly Ataribox)

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