First impressions of the 1200XL

[Gunstar]

Well, it's an Atari 8-bit, so of course I love it! Just continuing an 18 year love affair with 8-bits. I really like the size, look and lay-out of the computer. I love having the cartridge port on the left side and how the cartridges go all the way inside so nothing is sticking out the top or back, the design is as good, if different, as the 800 in this respect. I really like the placement of the joystick ports too and the fact that they are at an angle which makes controllers slightly easier to plug and unplug. The power switch on the sice is another plus. I love the feel of the keyboard, although I haven't decided yet if I think it's really any better or worse than the 800 and 800XL keyboards; definately better than the XE and ST keyboards. Love the layout of the function keys and the option, select, start, help and reset, I like how the reset key is seperated from the rest, but I like the fact that they are all at the top of the keyboard like the XE instead of on the side like the 800XL. I love how the function keys move the cursor around in basic, so I don't have to hold the control key and use the keyboard arrow keys to move around, this is much more convenient than all the other 8-bit models.

Now for the bad; the color sucks compared to the 800 and XE, but no worse than the 800XL. It only has 64k, and there are several extended memory programs that I like to use, or programs that can use more than 64k, even if only 64k is required. But both of these problems can be remedied with modifications. It's missing the PBI/ECI port the 800XL/130XE have, but I never took advantage of these anyway, so it no loss to me. I could do the mod for it, but I don't think I need to anymore since I use the SIO2PC/APE setup and have all the features through it that the PBI/ECI can give me, and without the high cost of adding black boxes or MIO boards and hardrives that way. Once I upgrade the memory to be 130XE compatible and fix the color, this machine will be my full time machine and my XE will hit the closet with my 800 and 800XL (at least till I have room to set them ALL up... ) Over all I give it a 90%. Funny thing though, I was reading an old Antic archive review of "first impressions" of the 1200XL when it was released, and they praised the video output over the 800...I just don't see it, the 800's video output is much cleaner in my opinion...strange...maybe the reviewer only ever had the 800/1200 hooked up via RF? That's even lousier though...

[+Sauron]

I'll definitely have to agree about the video output. My old 130XE had better video output via RF than my 800XL does through composite. However, I much prefer having the cartridge slot on top of the system, instead of in the back or on the side. Just makes things easier, IMO. But that was definitely a good review of the 1200XL. Thanks!