Atari 400

 Home > Browse Our Collection > Computers > Atari > Atari 400
 

The Atari 400 Personal Computer was Atari's entry level computer. Designed for younger children with its clean simple design and more importantly its tactile membrane keyboard to prevent damage from food and small objects. Also the keys could not be removed and swallowed by small children.

The Atari 400 during is design conception originally was to have only 4K of memory which is how its number designation was determined: 400 (Also it was nicknamed Candy). When it began to ship it then came with 8K, finally Atari offered it with a base memory of 16K which allowed it to run almost all cartridge and cassette based software.

Due to its low memory range, using a disk drive was not practical, so the Atari 400 was teamed up with its own peripheral, the Atari 410 cassette recorder. Also the Atari 400 did not have a composite monitor port and could only be connected to a standard TV via its RF modulator cord. Atari later offered an Authorized Service Center 48K upgrade for the Atari 400 and so did many 3rd party memory expansion companies. Also hardware hackers soon learned how to install composite output back to the Atari 400. Alternative keyboards and even a detachable keyboard were sold for the Atari 400 making it nearly as powerful as its big sister Colleen (the Atari 800). The Atari 400 lacked the RIGHT hand cartridge slot which was almost never used on the Atari 800 and getting into the inside of the Atari 400 was not nearly as easy as the Atari 800 with its pop-top design. The Atari 400's unique wedge shape is very eye catching. No other computer company ever cloned the look of the Atari 400, it holds a style all its own.

Serial number: BY 109712

Manufacturer: Atari
Date: November 1979



Comment on This Page

Other Systems Related To Atari 400:

Item Manufacturer Date
Atari 800 with Programmer Kit Atari Inc 1st January 1979
Atari 400 with Aftermarket Keyboard Atari November 1979
Atari 800 Atari November 1979
Centipede Arcade Cabinet Atari 1980
Atari 1200XL Atari 1982
Atari 800XL Atari 1983
Atari 600XL Atari June 1983
Atari 520 STFM Atari 1985
Atari 65XE Atari 1985
Atari 520ST (boxed) + External hard drive + software Atari 1985
Atari 520 STM Atari 1st January 1985
Atari 1040 STE Atari 1986
Atari 520 STM Atari 12th September 1986
Atari Mega ST 2 Atari 1987
Atari ST Mega 1040 Tower Power Atari 1988
Atari 1040STFM Atari 1989
Atari 1040STFM (David Arnold) Atari 1989
Atari 520 STE Atari 1989
Atari 1040STF Atari 1989
Atari Portfolio Atari 1989
Atari Stacy 2 Atari 9th December 1989
Atari Mega 4 Atari 1990
Atari TT030 Atari 1990
Atari Falcon Atari 1990
Atari Mega/STE Atari 1991

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH461. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

 

Atari 400

  Book Archive   [12]
  Games Archive   [188]
  Software Archive   [32]
  Peripherals   [11]
  Promotional Items   [2]

Click on the Image(s) For Detail


Articles

Help support the museum by buying from the museum shop

View all items

Founding Sponsors
redgate Google ARM Real VNC Microsoft Research
Heritage Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Fund
Accredited Museum