Editing Atari PC1

{{Infobox computer
| name         = Atari PC1
| image        = 
| caption      = Atari PC1
| manufacturer = [[Atari Corporation]]
| type         = IBM PC Compatible
| release date = January 1987
| discontinued = 1990
| price        = US$699
| cpu          = Intel 8088-2 @ 8 MHz (switchable to 4.77 MHz)
| memory       = 512 KB RAM (expandable to 640 KB)
| storage      = 1× Chinon FZ-502 5.25" 360 KB floppy drive
| display      = Onboard EGA graphics (NSI Logic EVC315-S), supporting EGA (640×350, 16 colours), CGA (640×200), and Hercules (720×348) modes
| sound        = PC Speaker
| os           = MS-DOS 3.21, GW-BASIC 3.2
| predecessor  = 
| successor    = [[Atari PC2]]
}}
The '''Atari PC1''' was Atari Corporation's first [[IBM PC compatible]] computer. First unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 1987 as simply the "Atari PC", it was later retroactively designated the PC1 following the release of subsequent models. Priced at US$699, it was positioned as an affordable entry-level IBM-compatible system.

== Overview ==
The Atari PC1 was part of Atari's strategy under [[Jack Tramiel]] to enter the lucrative IBM PC-compatible market alongside its established [[Atari ST]] line. Atari aimed to leverage its existing manufacturing to undercut competitors on price while maintaining compatibility with the growing MS-DOS software ecosystem.

The PC1 uniquely reused the chassis of the Atari Megafile 44, giving it a compact form factor distinct from most XT-class machines of the era. While this design kept costs down, it came at the expense of expandability — the system had no internal ISA expansion slots, a significant limitation compared to competing IBM-compatible systems.

== Specifications ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Component !! Details
|-
| Processor || Intel 8088-2, switchable between 8 MHz and 4.77 MHz
|-
| Co-processor socket || Intel 8087
|-
| RAM || 512 KB (expandable to 640 KB)
|-
| Graphics || Onboard NSI Logic EVC315-S EGA controller, supporting EGA (640×350, 16 colours from 64-colour palette), CGA (640×200, 4 colours), and Hercules (720×348, monochrome) modes
|-
| Storage || 1× Chinon FZ-502 5.25" 360 KB floppy drive
|-
| Expansion || None (no internal ISA slots)
|-
| Ports || Mouse port (Atari ST compatible), external floppy drive port (Atari ST compatible), monitor port, RS-232 serial port, Centronics parallel port
|-
| Keyboard || Atari 83-key XT keyboard
|-
| Mouse || Atari PCM1 (relabelled Atari STM1)
|-
| Sound || PC Speaker
|}

== Bundled Software ==
The PC1 shipped with:
* Microsoft MS-DOS 3.21
* GW-BASIC 3.2
* Digital Research GEM Desktop EGA v2.1
* GEM Write v1.0
* GEM Paint v2.0

The inclusion of [[GEM (desktop environment)|GEM]] provided a graphical user interface similar to that found on the Atari ST, offering a familiar environment for existing Atari users transitioning to MS-DOS.

== Compatible Peripherals ==
* Atari PCM-124 — 12" EGA monochrome monitor
* Atari PCH204 — 20 MB external hard drive
* External floppy disk drive (Atari ST compatible)

== Upgrades ==
Due to the compact Megafile 44 chassis, upgrade options were limited:
* RAM upgrade from 512 KB to 640 KB
* Intel 8087 co-processor (socket provided)
* NEC V20 CPU upgrade (requires desoldering the original 8088 processor)
* Atari PCH204 20 MB external hard drive
* External floppy disk drive via the Atari ST-compatible port

== Reception and Legacy ==
While the PC1's US$699 price point was competitive for 1987, the system faced criticism for its lack of expansion slots and single floppy drive configuration. In an era where most PC software required two floppy drives, buyers needed to purchase an external drive, negating much of the cost advantage. The absence of expansion slots also meant the system could not be upgraded with newer VGA graphics cards or, later, sound cards.

The PC1's limitations quickly earned it a reputation for being non-expandable, which unfortunately carried over to subsequent, more capable models in the Atari PC line. Despite its shortcomings, the PC1 represents an interesting footnote in both Atari's history and the broader IBM PC clone market of the late 1980s.

== See Also ==
* [[Atari PC2]]
* [[Atari PC3]]
* [[Atari PC4]]
* [[Atari PC5]]

== External Links ==
* [https://www.ataripc.net/pc1-8088/ AtariPC.net — Atari PC1 8088]
* [https://binaryvalue.com/index.php/ibm-pc/atari-pcs BinaryValue — Atari PCs]

[[Category:Atari Systems]]
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