The Atari ST was a home computer released by Atari in June 1985. The letter “S” and “T” were short for “Sixteen/Thirty-Two,” a reference to its 16-bit bus and 32-bit CPU; the Motorola 68000.

The Atari ST was designed to compete with the Macintosh and Commodore Amiga computers. The ST ran a version of the CP/M operating system and had 512 KB of random access memory, expandable to 4 MB. It is notable for being the first home computer to feature built-in support for MIDI audio.

Today, the Atari ST is mostly remembered for its video games. It was a relatively low-cost machine (about $1000) and featured vibrant color graphics, making it a popular home gaming computer. Atari ST versions of games like Bubble Bobble, Crystal Castles, and Dungeon Master are still considered classics of their time. The ST also found success in the small business world, especially in the fields of computer-aided design and desktop publishing.

16-bit, 32-bit, Atari, Hardware terms, Operating system, Video game

  • Computer History