The NEW Atari VCS: The Ultimate Retro Gaming Console?
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- Опубліковано 28 тра 2024
- The first 200 people to sign up with Brilliant using my link will get 20% off your annual subscription: brilliant.org/DanWood/
The new Atari VCS is a retro legend reimagined, bringing modern hardware specs to the classic look of the Atari 2600. This PC/console hybrid is set to go on general release very soon, but how well does it perform for retro gaming, modern games and emulation? Let's have a look!
Atari VCS: atarivcs.com/
Thanks to Paul Keward for supplying me with this console for review.
▬ Contents of this video ▬
0:00 - Intro & Project Overview
2:21 - Brilliant Sponsor Message
4:01 - Console Unboxing
6:34 - Controller Unboxing
9:00 - Atari VCS Console Inspection
11:35 - Console Set-Up & Install
15:11 - Atari VCS Dashboard & Games
23:18 - PC Mode
26:24 - 4K Video Test
27:13 - Conclusion
My retro gaming podcast: theretrohour.com
My Twitter: / danwood_uk
My Facebook: / danwooduk
Sources used in this video (under fair use or with permission):
Atari Adverts UK. Atari 2600 and 8-bit Family Computers: • Atari Adverts UK. Atar...
#AtariVCS #RetroGaming #Atari - Наука та технологія
The first 200 people to sign up with Brilliant using my link will get 20% off your annual subscription: brilliant.org/DanWood/
Thanks Paul!.. I'm dying to get my hands on this!..Atari holds so much nostalgia for me!..gotta buy
Thanks dude
get bent u shill
@@Technoviking-wc7ks thanks for adding that enlightened comment!.. Must have took you a while to figure all the different letters out!..you're a very well educated child!..you should thank your elementary teacher
I guess Im kind of randomly asking but does anyone know a good site to stream newly released movies online?
@Hayden Brett try FlixZone. You can find it by googling :)
Wow, they looked at all the controllers that ever came out, and picked up the CD32 one and said "Let's use THIS D-Pad"
Well they were low on cash so they had limited time.
@@techedits3314 ermmm dont make excuses for them
Yeah it's exactly the same dpad🤣
Sega Master System..
I believe that the cross d-pad requires a royalty payment to Nintendo for each unit sold.
Well, I wasn't expecting _anything_ to ever come out of the Ataribox project, so to see that it has been made and that it actually has some good things to say for it surprises me! Nice. :)
The new joystick not only moves direction but can rotate, so is better for games like Pong and Tempest (but you didn't get that with the donation).
Ahh interesting, I'll have to get hold of one.
Aaah that's pretty cool, and clever!
Heh, this seems like a feature that should become standard in modern controllers. If it was there, I can imagine a lot of games would find uses for it. (Much like how I think gyro in controllers should be standard now as well, do not understand why Microsoft hasn't adapted it yet.)
@@KarlHamilton pretty cool, and clever from the joystick makers, pretty dumb for the system not to come with at least one.
The stick on the joystick controller rotates and *is* a paddle controller as well as a joystick. It is much easier to play those games if you use the joystick instead of the modern controller.
Very true, I do believe the Classic Joystick would definitely be the best choice.
I thought so while watching this. how does this guy not know this? or at least do some reserch before the video.
It's a great system, but yes could use some more indie titles in the store. The really good ones I recommend are Thrustlander, ATO, the new Jetboard Joust, and once it's finished, Unsung Warriors is going to be awesome.
I’m really enjoying my VCS , more than I thought I would too be honest.
I have been very curious where I am a game programmer I am especially curious if it requires a specialized kit or if it is just the store bought hardware. But I like the look of it so far. If I get one it would have to be the woodgrain, I mean come on the best look of a console ever :)
Are you still playing it on the regular?
I for one appreciate the simple first impression. I mean you'll get used to it eventually and you won't be constantly inundated with new advertising, etc. that some algorithm thinks you should be seeing. Fill up the shelves and just see your stuff when you turn it on. I wish more things worked this way.
The $399 price includes both controllers and 8 g RAM. Also the joystick turns to work like a paddle.
$800 in Australia
@@jarreds602 blame Australia
Omg give a shit about a paddle controller. is the system any good
The price of this thing is beyond outrageous.
hmmm I don`t think so all the other official and chinese retro consoles that we see out there are powered by the cheaper end of Android boards whereas this is a mini PC which is way more expensive than a $30 Android board inside. Granted it is overpriced but not by that much
@@noiselabproject9659 Think about it though. This thing cost the same as a PS5 digital, and $100 more than a Series S.
It looks like the $400 model is actually the better deal of the two, as it seems to come with more RAM and two controllers (which retail for about $60 individually), while the lower priced model seems to have no controllers included (though standard USB game controllers will work, like XBox One controllers). The more expensive model also gives you a choice of front panel color, though that might be considered almost incidental.
However, there have been reports that you can significantly increase the performance of the system by substituting faster RAM than what comes with it.
@@CFWhitman every model has 8gb. System alone 299. The 4gb was dropped half-day through the project when they upgraded chipset. The system supports 32gb.
@@noiselabproject9659 A 32GB internal storage PC with Atari Vault built in (£10 on Steam) does NOT cost £400!
Cheers for the review. It's actually better than I thought, but lack of content is gonna kill this, even though it doesn't deserve to die.
Awesome video Dan. Made me chuckle all the way through too!
Great video, fellow Dan! Love the Retro Hour!
I have a $50 Mac Mini. Upgraded ram, installed a SSD, installed fan control. Perfect machine light gaming, ive played N64 games on it and they run pretty good i must say. The controller i got was $15 (WIREless usb). In total i have $125 ? ish into it and im good to go. This Atari unit is $400 + Controllers. Im sure the Atari can do more than my old Mac Mini, but at the current moment im not seeing a reason to buy this system. I love Atari, i want a reason to like it.
most any old computer or raspberry pi can do what this does for a fraction of the price. its a huge waste of money tbh
To be fair, this is well beyond a mac mini or a raspberry pi.
Great video. It answered a lot of questions.
Great video 👍🏻and good review 😉watching it till the finish line 👌🏻
I would love to get my grubby little hands of this bit of kit.
One the best brand logos of all time!!
Interesting look at this, Dan. I hadn't heard much since it lost...it's interesting to see what's been done..or hasn't been done...in time since it was released.
Nicely done review.
I'm glad I went with the woodgrain collector's edition. I haven't actually powered it on in so long. It's very pretty tho.
I just really find it odd they opted for a 2 core Apu, just seems like a missed opportunity to have at least a 4 core. Especially since this was supposed to be a modern console.
Definitely. The Passmark score is quite similar to an i5 3450 from like 2013. Granted the integrated graphics are significantly better almost for sure, but still...
Yeah, though at least it's multi-threaded, so it could be worse. I really think the graphics are a bigger issue at this point, but if it had better graphics, it would probably have a better CPU as well. This is partly a product of when they designed it, and partly limited development budget, I would imagine.
thats because of the concept. Modern just means "not only retro" in this case. This console seems to mainly target at casual gamers, nostalgic for 2 D and likewise content. If you want your Call off Duty cheap and working, you go for a xbox or ps4, which you can have for under 200 now. A two Core is optimized for 2d or simple polygonal Games and still is good enough for simpler 3d 360 Games, 4 + cores are mostly utilized by complex 3d operations, games with physics etc, and by that again met by sony and microsoft to an unbeatable price.
This Console gives you a PC and a Retro Gaming console in a unique design and a famous brand name. You can build a pc with used parts for 250-300 Bugs that is as powerful or try to jailbrake a ps4 and got a little more out of it but all of that needs more know how and is more complicated to archive. So it targeets aat people skeptic of the current gaming marked that want it handy, quick set up and stop wondering. i guess.
@@BilisNegra pass mark isnt great but yeah a 2 core processor in 2021 is so weak
Nice work, Dan!
Nice in depth review
Good review :)
Even after the nightmare setup I had to go through, to me the biggest letdown was that they did not manage to secure licensing rights, so if you were expecting to play epic games like Pac-Man, Pitfall, or River Raid, they are not there. Dan, can you please make a video of a step by step tutorial in how do download emulators and how to use them? That would really help a lot of us to have a better game library than Atari offers. Which is the only let-down so far. Thanks for making this video!
Kind of like the steamboxes of many years ago....I kind of wish valve would have another go at that.
A Steam Link app on here would be a great feature actually.
@@danwood_uk Can definitely be done, considering it's just a Linux PC, I'm wondering how easy it will be to just add shortcuts to the home screen for things like that.
@@danwood_uk you installed windows on it so you can just stream from another PC using that
Thank you for the review. I've pre-ordered one, and the main concern I have is the amount of software available. I'll be happy to purchase what's available on the store, but a killer game or two would have helped raise the profile of the console.
Thanks Dan! Great review Bro!
I was just admiring your clock. Could you tell me what type it is please?
All the best, Rich.
Thanks Rich. It’s an Amazon Echo Spot, mine has developed a screen flicker problem though which seems to be a common problem with them.
@@danwood_uk Thanks Dan! I did see some flickering later on in the video but I assumed it was a UA-cam thing! Keep up the good work Bro.
Atari should just sell that vcs vault app and a paddle controler for Android. The Nvidia shield got nice angles on the case!
Well you can get about a billion Atari Game bundles on almost any platform. I have the Atari Bundle for the Switch, and it is great.
I'm fairly sure the atari vault is already on android lol and the controller they sell is just a regular bluetooth controller so it should work on any phone.
Surprisingly I play mine more then my PS4. I was sceptical, but it's actually really awesome
Im getting one im happy i can play almost every xbox and ps1 game on steam now i can play with my cousin who has a ps4
You should be able to edit the fan curves on the BIOS
Hi Dan,
Nice vid as usual!
I do wish it was cartridge based rather than online. Even if it was multi carts.
Then it would truly retro!
Atari has also licensed their name to the "Fight Stick" sold by Microcenter....which can be purchased with just a USB connection for PC use (which includes mounting posts inside for a Rasberry PI) or purchase the unit WITH a Rasberry Pi and licensed emulation SD card included. It is 2 joysticks, 6 buttons per person and start-selection buttons which are all arcade quality hardware, contained in a solid wood cabinet. I installed a dual flush mount USB connector on the front, and a flush mount USB/HDMI connector on the rear to prevent having to open the cabinet every time you want to connect additional joysticks to the Pi.
11:26 makes me smile :) my 2016 French market Dyson vacuum cleaner has a plug like that, and my 1999 US market Toshiba subnotebook's power brick has one of those off-white "Duraplug" plugs on it :P
Looks pretty good for a compact living room PC, I'd love to see some benchmarks and some high end games to stress test it.
High end... 🤔
more reviews of products your opinions are good
thankss dan, just signed up to dev with atari.
The shiny plastic on the front looks like a peelable protective layer, at least in the way the camera picks it up in the video. It might be worth taking a closer look.
Had this launched in 2015 fantastic.. Now meh... price drop to $99 would sell it.. Great video...
There are a solid amount of really good and good looking games for the VCS, you should purchase a few from the store they look and play great! That being said, I’d much rather see the price tag @ $299, that’s my main gripe.
asteroids arcade game was controlled digitally as it had only buttons not a paddle or roller ball or joystick. thats why it only controls with the digital cross pad
Exactly! I don't know why he wanted to use analog controls.
At $250 and doing some ram upgrades myself it seems like it makes a decent price point for a new lower end computer.
Its also worth noting Linux is lighter on the ram then Windows so thats less of a deal breaker.
Lets see if they install the ram sockets for upgrades in all models and just how large the ram sticks can be supported.
Yeah, this seems like a perfectly fine piece of kit to run retro games and everyday office work.
Cool video
Its not a bad system, just way too expensive for what it is.
For half the money it would be fine. But for 399??? Naa, you can get better, more modern and supported stuff for that money...
Pandora 11 cost only $130
@@paulwilson9281 not comparable.
This is foot in the water in bringing back micro computers, the trend from the 80s where a medium to low end PC was hybridized with a game console.
Unfortunately Atari is learning the hard way that the need to up the GPU specs and make some cost cuttings if they go that route
Ehhh. $399 includes two controllers (host got it wrong) don't get me wrong the controllers despite being very well thought out and nice are too expensive just like. Well. Sony Nintendo and Xbox
and is the early adopter fee.
Atari has $249 for the base release model.
At $250, its not bad.
Keep in mind you're paying probably a good $50 to $100 for the nice case the brand name the Atari operating system is based on Linux,
To me $50 to $100 for just the neat Factor of running an Atari microcomputer again is way past worth it at $250, and I am curious to see what the community will develop as this machine allows you to program new games for it, and on it, you are literally getting a development console and the computer you need to develop with.... although I would use a more powerful machine if I were going to be doing any pre-rendering.
also keep in mind that the windows drivers for the Atari VCS are hacked together, not official.
whereas the Linux drivers are official. So you're not going to get good performance in Windows you'll do better in Ubuntu or another Linux OS and just use WINE, it limits the library a little bit but as long as openGL is supported you'll be running smoothly.
@@allhumansarejusthuman.5776 XBox Series S is 299, PS4 is 279€, the PS5 Digital MSRP is 399...
sorry, even 250 bucks is too much for it.
13:26 it was a glitch on the Matrix, the clock on top of the Xbox said it so 😆
If I were going to get an Atari VCS I would choose to use the actual Atari type joystick controller rather than the XBox type controller. My favorite Atari video game consoles are the 2600, the 5200, the 7800 and the 8-Bit computer systems.
Awesome review Dan! Well, at the time being it looks like an overpriced, low spec PC with a pretty exterior. I know you have apps like RyzenController where you can change the TDP profiling on the SoC, you can probably find 3rd party software to change the fan curve as well. (MSI Afterburner is often used for GPUs monitoring and fan curve editing, perhaps there's something out there for the VCS fan controller? or perhaps you can get into the bios and change it?) But yeah, it seems very much like an expensive low-spec PC for made for tinkering.
It would be so cool if Atari would sell the case on it's own. It would be awesome for a MiSTer FPGA or Raspberry Pi.
Looks like you can get the same functionality from a raspberry pi.
pi4 8GB with windows 10 and x86_64 emulation.. although it has no 3d accell so no modern anything.
@@JasonStevens I assume he's joking.
@@JasonStevens it has no 3D acceleration., how does it run quake 3 and half life , that looks like 3D acceleration to me , is it a software mode?
Excellent review. Some enterprising third party company out there definitely should come out with a spinner/paddle controller that has some weight to it, like we had with the Tempest Arcade.
I’ll wait till closer to the holidays maybe they will have it on sale
Just in case anyone happens to be in the comments around this time, Best Buy total tech members can get the console (made with real wood) plus a modern controller for only $90. I'm not sure how long the sale lasts though.
I wish SEGA would make one of these retro-style AMD Ryzen Consoles
Looks sick to me
do they not realize you can get a next gen console for $400? or a raspberry pi and a case and a controller for like $100? there is no way this can be worth the price.
I think assigning a value to the "included 100+ atari classics" is very tricky. The sellers have obviously assigned some of the $400 price towards that. I forgot how I got watching this video, so I can't say whether or not the viewers of this video are more technical than the probably target market for this thing. Oh like $15-16 on steam. Way better than nintendo trying to nickel and dime per game.
Tip: Play Tempest with a mouse. Also, the trackball games like Centipede and Millipede are good with a mouse.
You can also play stadia on the VCS and that works great and also geforce now should work too but not tried that yet.
A super silent Offline ST Mode with a beefed up,up to date, Proper writing Software etc. would be awesome. So that you can seriously Work with the machine without one finger on youtube without any fan activity(unless toggle the ambient st sound button). But maybe that will be the "Atari Falcon", a machine maxed for music Production (in coalition with Roland) and the Graphic force of a ps4 Pro (Upgradable) for 700 Bugs + super Stable TOS
I wish they could more affordably sell this unit with no storage, API or ram permitting more choice in what we wish to add such as a more capable and apu. Like you said, the case is attractive and it is nice to once again see an Atari logo.
Referring to the recharged series as Indy clones is hilarious. 😂
You know I love Atari I just could not pull a trigger on this thing ...
I was in the same boat.
The Atari fan in me wants to pull the trigger sooo bad! But the father/responsible guy knows money doesn’t grow on trees and their are much more compelling ways to spend my gamer money. SteamDeck, SeriesX, PS5. Although I question wether or not I would actually enjoy it more if this thing came with some good old style arcade games that were remastered or reimagined .
I readed the description ,But the question remains, when will it be officially released ,what’s very soon,2 month’s ,3 month’s?
Not that i wanna buy it perse but it has been already delayed several times before, thing is it’s cool for atari fans but that’s it.
The VCS may have turned out better than I thought it would. But, that isn't saying much. ...Basically, it exists, it can do retro gaming, a few PC things, and it doesn't explode (afaik).
$400 for that yeah no tanks, Atari must be out of their damn minds.I could get a digital ps5 for that $400,or I could get a xbox series s for $300 and have access to gamepass .Both are much better deals
You still can’t even find a PS5 or Series S or X for that price anywhere… Atari VCS can play steam games and is free to play online. You don’t have to pay extra for crappy PSN or Xbox Live.
@@MicklowFilms I'd even take PS3 or Xbox 360 over this. It's a really crappy console.
@@Darkest_Soul_187 Nice try but you can play Xbox 360, PS3, or any console games via emulation on the VCS.
@@MicklowFilms - I doubt the people who bought this know what steam or emulation is.
@@sloebone7399 Obviously the people that bought this are Atari fans and knew what they were buying. So what’s it to you?
No ET? Outrageous!
They definitely should have at least 6 (preferably 8) usb3 ports on the back instead of just 2 (although SATA would be nice). You'd be ble to run btrfs (or zfs) for storage which is not the boot-os drive, as it is linux with multiple 2.5 inch HDD's _(e.g. 6 or 8 as 1TB HDD in a partly wood box below)._ That was a big thing missing from the wii-u, and this could toally fill that gap. This is because the good sort of game for this system would be content-creation games _(thereby allowing vast amount of storage to be used, like say 4 or 6 TB and 2 of the 1TB HDD are for index)._ Those can be music creation games (like on psone), and map creation games like pariah or tonyhawks-skater park maps, and eye-toy video creation games _(including karoake and guitarhero style),_ and games like "The Movies" thereby also saving a movie as a movie file like in ogg theora vorbis. Then IPFS could share it all with a DHT. It even has a rj45 port and 8GB RAM. Perfect for it. It being a linux gaming console with an OK graphics standard is good niche like the above, especially in a GPU mining 'price-problem' time.
Nice review. Listening to what you've had to say has made my mind up to just stick with my Atari 800XL and s-drive max.
From my experience Power-A controllers are a bit pot luck; I've had some that work fine, but I've also had some that have terrible stick drift or just flat out stop working - their officially licensed Xbox One controller is particularly prone to problems. They're nice when they're working, but I've given up on them now.
I mean, it looks super cool and I would love to have one, but for that price, it's going to get overlooked by a ton of people.
It's very similar to the size and shape of a Atari 2600 Jr but with the rib look of the original 2600.
I really hope they start releasing more games as it's essentially as upgrade to the OUYA at the moment which is pretty disappointing.
9:25 I have this issue with my computer, that uses glass on it's case (all sides except for back). Just use a felt wipe that's lightly wet (not soaking, otherwise you will destroy electronics, just slightly wet) to clean it from fingerprints.
@Jason S I really didn't have a say in the matter as I bought the computer prebuilt. Not only I have two left hands when it comes to PC building, but this was the only way I was getting a 3070 (if I wasn't too late, it'd be 3080) in January 2021.
Looks nice, but those loud fans put me right off. As a package it doesn't seem quite there yet, so maybe if they throw in a controller as standard and improve the online stuff it'll be decent. The internal issue at the company don't sound appealing either (that stuff matters to me), but it has potential to be a good retro system.
Were the fans loud in the emulation, or just when running windows? Default fancurve on windows might be for a larger heatsink, so the software is SHOCKED that it gets so dang hot so fast.
The UK 3-pin Plug is the most retro & charming of all. It really looks like it came from the time of the real Atari!
It would be even better if someone made a PC that looked like an Amiga 500. Now that would tempt me.
I've wanted to build this for ages so I've decided I'll build one made from wood
Isn’t the cellophane still on the front fascia?
Lol, well spotted - yes it was. Without it, it attracts even MORE finger prints.
@@danwood_uk you touched it afterwards?! 😝
"Odd frame drop here and there but it was watchable"
"fans going to overdrive"
Doesn't sound like a good experience.
like why spend all that money on a 4k tv just to have dropped frames.
Steam with oldies and all Atari games plus emulator. You could have this with standard pc haha but I like it. Likely will buy it
Seems like sacrilege to call that thing VCS lol. A fun emulator, perhaps, but I think I could do as well with a regular PC or RetroPie. Thanks for the great video, though! Definitely solidified my opinion on the project.
Is there progress on content for the Atari?
It’s 57% off . I’m considering this.
5:38 same :D
Target Fun rocked the world.
Is River Raid game included in the vault games list?
Would be worth it if the entire Atari library and some arcade games were included
what was that game playing at the end? was it double dragon??
Streets of rage 4
The unfavorable comparisons to the Ouya were a big red flag for me. $400 is way too much for something that a NVIDIA Shield TV could do for half the price
Precisely accurate though.
There is the caveat, though, that being standard PC hardware under the hood makes this a bit more useful and flexible than the Ouya ever was beyond its original purpose.
Personally, as a game console, this thing is not impressive. As a set top box style computer, it's a bit more compelling, though still not a sure thing.
I really, really like the basic concept. I truely believe there is a gap in the market for a digital purchase indie/AA box that doesn't cost PC money. Especially as the big console makers are moving ever more along the streaming/subscriptions model and mobile is stuck on microtransactions.
Alas its a question of price, support, and the reputation of the company doing this. This version of Atari just have none of that!
Atari haven't been the company we remember since the Tremiels bought it in 84/5, and its been going down hill with each subsequent change of ownership.
And there's this wierd insistance on focusing on playing games from the 1970s.
Its a lot of money but I am not sure what it offers. As noted, you can already get access to many of the games.I used to have an inexpensive Atari App on my phone that did missile command, lunar lander, battle zone etc etc. I already have a box to stream content on tv. There is a big chance that this gadget wont be supported or well supported.
Releasing in stores on 15 june
Remove the thermal pad off the cooler and replace with artic silver thermal paste on the chipset it doesn’t spin up hardly at all
An Nvidia Shield or Xbox Series S with a dev mode license both blow this away for retro gaming and both for far less money.
I could get an Xbox Series S for $299, buy a new game or 2, have access to all my previous Xbox libraries and STILL save more money than if i were to buy this.
Thank God for all the people that created articles calling Atar's legitimacy into question. Thank you to all the You tubers it said it was a scam because if you guys hadn’t done that there is virtually no chance that this new “Atari” would’ve released this product.
BS
It deserves more than what it is.
It seems like they’ve learned absolutely nothing from the Ouya story and released something very similar with even less content. I’m really struggling to see the point. I’d be very surprised if in 12 months time we never hear about this console again.
No they did not. The Atari runs Linux and can run anything you can run on Linux.
Yes Linux is limited in the games it supports without some messing around with W.I.N.E., but the games Linux support are actual full games, and when they do run without software conflicts they tend to get more out of the hardware because Linux can be configured to use far less system resources then windows or MacOS.
You can even run cyberpunk 2077
@@allhumansarejusthuman.5776 - The Ouya sold well over10 times as many units and is still considered a failure and a complete joke.
12 months? That’s pretty generous.
It's not just Linux... it's basically a PC, so you can install Windows 10 and run PC games too.
I agree 100% just another failed system only doomed to fail, HTH do u do that in these times.
The main thing I was disappointed in is that all the apps seem to just be Chrome links (that open in full screen) and not real apps tailored to the system. They really need to figure out some controller interface for Chrome. And the PC Mode is a bit too problematic for installing Windows 10 (I resorted to taking a VM clean install disk image and restoring it to the M.2 SATA drive), though Linux installs fine w/o special steps. I was expecting it to be more of a niche product that wasn't totally polished for normal consumer use, so wasn't really bothered by some of the other stuff.
with limited storage why would you want a native app when the web app provides the same service and have the updates done on the backend? Makes no sense to have a native app.
@@Boswd Then they shouldn't call them apps.
@@xnonsuchx but they are. They're web apps. Web apps are going to more and more common now. This pandemic has fast forwarded Cloud Computing. Native apps only makes sense in a limited input device such as a phone or tablet, other wise web apps are the easy to go everytime.
There was a Atari arcade app for mobile as well
About time Atari got a upgrade
cool!