Exceeds Expectations: New Atari VCS Tear-Down & Ryzen-Powered Console
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Date: 2021-01-26
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Comments and reviews: 10
acrid
The controller probably wobbles because the stick doubles as a spinner; only mentioning it because it doesn't seem like you recognized that. It's meant for playing games like Tempest which used a spinner for control and feels incredibly wrong on anything else. Having seen the controller in use, it's not too terrible, yeah, just wish the buttons felt better. As for the system, I think the bulk of what's interesting is that it is a bog-standard PC and you could boot into a modern day emulation distribution based on Linux, like Lakka or Batocera or something, and then use that to play just about anything else, seeing as that Ryzen CPU and 8GB of RAM had better get you pretty far! Emulation wise, this could probably run Dreamcast, PSP and PlayStation 2, maybe some PS3. There's also a VCS-styled gamepad with a more modern outfit of inputs so you can have more than one button for the more modern games. All in all, I think it's pretty interesting for someone who is into the aesthetic or just loves Atari , or just as a cool project box. I can think of a few times where I followed through buying something more expensive than I needed to just because I wanted the gimmicky thing more than saving a few bucks. The additional services are pure money grab and this is definitely going to flop, so I'd say anyone who sees this and is inspired to do something with it, you might want to get it sooner rather than later.
EDIT: I bet you could find a similarly sized copper heatsink to get in there, but that intake/exhaust chamber...wow.
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The controller probably wobbles because the stick doubles as a spinner; only mentioning it because it doesn't seem like you recognized that. It's meant for playing games like Tempest which used a spinner for control and feels incredibly wrong on anything else. Having seen the controller in use, it's not too terrible, yeah, just wish the buttons felt better. As for the system, I think the bulk of what's interesting is that it is a bog-standard PC and you could boot into a modern day emulation distribution based on Linux, like Lakka or Batocera or something, and then use that to play just about anything else, seeing as that Ryzen CPU and 8GB of RAM had better get you pretty far! Emulation wise, this could probably run Dreamcast, PSP and PlayStation 2, maybe some PS3. There's also a VCS-styled gamepad with a more modern outfit of inputs so you can have more than one button for the more modern games. All in all, I think it's pretty interesting for someone who is into the aesthetic or just loves Atari , or just as a cool project box. I can think of a few times where I followed through buying something more expensive than I needed to just because I wanted the gimmicky thing more than saving a few bucks. The additional services are pure money grab and this is definitely going to flop, so I'd say anyone who sees this and is inspired to do something with it, you might want to get it sooner rather than later.
EDIT: I bet you could find a similarly sized copper heatsink to get in there, but that intake/exhaust chamber...wow.
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Ross
Was really looking forward to this when was first unveiled a few years back was thinking that it would be a serious contender in console space as idea of it having a zen apu gave it potential to hold its own against ps4 and xbox 1s jaguar apu but it bit under powered and far to late if they had a sstonger even 8 threaded apu and had managed to launch on time would have been up against the ps4 a xbox 1 and could have been grate but instead its lower end soc and so late it's up against the next gen ps5 an xbox series epic fail so disappointed
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Was really looking forward to this when was first unveiled a few years back was thinking that it would be a serious contender in console space as idea of it having a zen apu gave it potential to hold its own against ps4 and xbox 1s jaguar apu but it bit under powered and far to late if they had a sstonger even 8 threaded apu and had managed to launch on time would have been up against the ps4 a xbox 1 and could have been grate but instead its lower end soc and so late it's up against the next gen ps5 an xbox series epic fail so disappointed
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tk72231968
I'm interested in what this VCS can run. Given you can get a micro form cigarette case pc that can run a lot for a couple hundred dollars. I have two of the micro-pc's. One I use for wireless media for a projector and one I use for a security software camera system. Both systems total with wireless keyboard/touchpad less then 250. They can run Win10pro and all the web streaming services and remote desktop to my gaming pc. So, I'm not sure what this Atari VCS is targeting for with it's price.
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I'm interested in what this VCS can run. Given you can get a micro form cigarette case pc that can run a lot for a couple hundred dollars. I have two of the micro-pc's. One I use for wireless media for a projector and one I use for a security software camera system. Both systems total with wireless keyboard/touchpad less then 250. They can run Win10pro and all the web streaming services and remote desktop to my gaming pc. So, I'm not sure what this Atari VCS is targeting for with it's price.
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Maks
I feel embarrassed watching steve not knowing which direction radial Fans work and taking out parts with his incredibly clumsy hands. Maybe this video needed more Cut shots and some googling in between and would not be as embarrassing to watch then!
And no, these are not probe points, these are generic PCB Vias. You need them for crossing layers
magnet will not work to tell apart Aluminium and nickel plates copper.
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I feel embarrassed watching steve not knowing which direction radial Fans work and taking out parts with his incredibly clumsy hands. Maybe this video needed more Cut shots and some googling in between and would not be as embarrassing to watch then!
And no, these are not probe points, these are generic PCB Vias. You need them for crossing layers
magnet will not work to tell apart Aluminium and nickel plates copper.
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Georg
16:00 Sometimes you just have these moments. Moments that make me doubt your competence to do ANY tech reviewing. This is a standard blower fan (or radial fan). It has one and only one way it works. Air in along the hub in the center and out the side (though the duct in this case). Every laptop fan from the last eternity works like this. Forgive my harsh words but this was just painful to watch.
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16:00 Sometimes you just have these moments. Moments that make me doubt your competence to do ANY tech reviewing. This is a standard blower fan (or radial fan). It has one and only one way it works. Air in along the hub in the center and out the side (though the duct in this case). Every laptop fan from the last eternity works like this. Forgive my harsh words but this was just painful to watch.
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thingi
I think you over dissed it, the design is cool. Cooling is clearly one way, in from the right vent out from the left vent, nice that it's got an nvme slot and upgradable wireless and memory slots. Yes it's basically a laptop minus the battery & screen in a VCS type case, I'd actually like to own one great for a media PC capable of light gaming. Overall I'm more impressed than I expected.
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I think you over dissed it, the design is cool. Cooling is clearly one way, in from the right vent out from the left vent, nice that it's got an nvme slot and upgradable wireless and memory slots. Yes it's basically a laptop minus the battery & screen in a VCS type case, I'd actually like to own one great for a media PC capable of light gaming. Overall I'm more impressed than I expected.
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tarfeef
This looks cool, and I'm definitely interested in follow-up content, including:
- does improving the TIM impact performance/noise?
- how does the ryzen silicon perform in the third-party OS mode alluded to (ie linux/windows)?
- is that m.2 nvme or sata?
- how does stock performance compare to a typical rpi emulator setup?
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This looks cool, and I'm definitely interested in follow-up content, including:
- does improving the TIM impact performance/noise?
- how does the ryzen silicon perform in the third-party OS mode alluded to (ie linux/windows)?
- is that m.2 nvme or sata?
- how does stock performance compare to a typical rpi emulator setup?
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ZiGa:S
26:16 Underneath that plastic blob is silicon die of custom chip Atari or somebody else designed. I still remember how popular these chips were in early electronic days in consumer devices. I guess it does not make sense to use it today as much as microcontrollers became really cheap. And you cannot fix the board if the chip fails :P
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26:16 Underneath that plastic blob is silicon die of custom chip Atari or somebody else designed. I still remember how popular these chips were in early electronic days in consumer devices. I guess it does not make sense to use it today as much as microcontrollers became really cheap. And you cannot fix the board if the chip fails :P
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GenoKay
I am a bit disappointed that Steve didn't quickly figure out how the airflow path works in this case. The radial fan works like in the PS5 and any other electronic device with a radial fan. It pulls air from holes in the chassis and exhausts it through the tunnel they attached on top of the heatsink. It's pretty efficient really.
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I am a bit disappointed that Steve didn't quickly figure out how the airflow path works in this case. The radial fan works like in the PS5 and any other electronic device with a radial fan. It pulls air from holes in the chassis and exhausts it through the tunnel they attached on top of the heatsink. It's pretty efficient really.
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wildbilltexas
It's amazing that the original VCS was designed to play basic Pong style games and not arcade games like Space Invaders, Asteroids and Pac Man. What the programmers at Atariage and Champ Games have been doing with the old console is mindblowing, like making it play Galaga and Scramble. Thanks for the teardown Steve.
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It's amazing that the original VCS was designed to play basic Pong style games and not arcade games like Space Invaders, Asteroids and Pac Man. What the programmers at Atariage and Champ Games have been doing with the old console is mindblowing, like making it play Galaga and Scramble. Thanks for the teardown Steve.
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