Atari VCS review | TechRadar

One-minute review

The Atari VCS is a PC/console hybrid that comes pre-loaded with a ton of classic Atari games, its own storefront, 4K content streaming, and the ability to boot into Windows or another operating system from an external drive. It does what it sets out to do – as a retro machine with a strong focus on Atari emulation, it ticks boxes adequately, and with the addition of the Antstream Arcade app – still missing on Xbox Series X and PS5– there’s every possibility that retro game fanatics of a certain vintage will have a good time with the VCS. 

Aside from some critical user-experience hiccups, such as the inability to multitask in the device’s bespoke user interface, the Atari VCS does mostly what it promises. The value proposition is a struggle though: by way of comparison, the VCS console with controllers bundled-in costs the same as the base model Valve’s newly announced Steam Deck in the United States ($399.99), which promises compatibility with the vast majority of existing PC games, as well as the ability to boot into any operating system you like with all the emulation opportunities that entails.