Atari 1040STF

The Atari 1040STF placed 1MB of RAM, a double-sided 720KB floppy drive and the power supply inside the computer’s keyboard enclosure. Announced at a complete monochrome-system price below US$1,000, it delivered an unusually low cost per kilobyte for a 1986 personal computer.

The extra memory made the 1040STF better suited to serious graphics, desktop publishing, music and development software than 512KB models. It omitted an RF modulator, so colour use required a suitable dedicated monitor rather than a direct television connection.

Notable Features

• Included 1MB of RAM, an internal power supply and a double-sided 720KB floppy drive.
• Offered the ST’s MIDI ports, high-resolution monochrome display and GEM desktop in a self-contained system.

Historical Significance

• Its US$999 monochrome-system price was promoted as bringing the cost of RAM below one dollar per kilobyte.
• The 1040STF helped move the ST beyond entry-level home use into music, graphics and productivity work.

Collector’s Notes

• The STF does not include an RF modulator, unlike the STFM.
• Original systems are often found with the SM124 monochrome monitor, a pairing favoured for productivity and music software.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Atari 1040STF
Manufacturer	Atari
Launched	Saturday, March 1, 1986
Discontinued	1989
Launch Price	US$999 with monochrome monitor
Country	United States
CPU	Motorola MC68000 at 8 MHz
Units Sold
Operating System	Atari TOS with GEM desktop
I/O	MIDI In/Out, RS-232 serial, Centronics parallel, ACSI hard-disk, cartridge, floppy, monitor and two joystick/mouse ports
Keyboard	Integrated 95-key keyboard with numeric keypad and function keys
Storage	Internal double-sided 3.5-inch 720KB floppy drive; ACSI hard-disk support
Sound	Yamaha YM2149 three-channel programmable sound generator
Colour Palette	512 colours
Display	320x200 in 16 colours, 640x200 in 4 colours, or 640x400 monochrome
ROM	192KB TOS ROM
RAM	1MB
CPU Speed	8 MHz