A handheld Atari 2600 with a real CRT screen now exists, and it’s every bit as wonderfully daft as it sounds, maker Nick Bild has built the µTari Go.
It’s a portable 2600 that runs original cartridges on the actual Atari chips, no emulation and no FPGA, and pipes the picture to a tiny 4-inch tube television built into the case.
It’s not a product you can buy, it’s a homebrew project with open-source files, but it’s one of the most delightfully impractical bits of retro hardware to pop up in ages. So how does it work, and could you build one? Let me explain.
Wait, a Handheld Atari 2600 With a CRT?
Yes, really, as Hackaday reports, the µTari Go (that’s “Microtari”) is built on Bild’s earlier µTari board, which squeezes the original 2600 circuit into a much smaller space, and then wraps it in a 3D-printed shell with Game Boy-style buttons and a cartridge slot on top.
According to the project’s GitHub page, which is released under the MIT licence, here’s what’s inside:
- Chips: the real 6507 CPU, TIA for graphics and sound, and 6532 RIOT for RAM, I/O and timing
- Screen: a 4-inch flat CRT fed composite video directly, with no digital conversion
- Video: the RF modulator is gone, replaced by a transistor and two resistors for composite output
- Controls: seven buttons, four under a 3D-printed D-pad, plus Fire, Select and Start
- Audio: a PAM8302 amplifier driving an 8-ohm speaker
- Cartridges: a proper edge connector, so it takes real 2600 carts
- Power: a 12V DC jack, stepped down to 9V for the Atari board
That’s genuine Atari silicon talking to a real cathode ray tube, which is about as authentic as a handheld Atari 2600 could possibly get, isn’t it?
Worth NotingThere’s no built-in battery, Hackaday notes that power comes in through that external 12V jack, though a suitable power bank should let you play on the go. So “portable” here means “portable, with a little bit of cable admin”!
Why Bother Using a CRT in 2026?
Bild’s reasoning, per the GitHub page, is that a CRT is much closer to the kind of screen an Atari was actually designed for, and since the 2600 was made with tube TVs in mind, feeding its signal straight into a tube skips the scaling and conversion that modern displays need.
The trade-off is size, CRTs are chunky, power-hungry and not exactly pocket-friendly, so the µTari Go is never going to be as slim as a modern retro handheld that runs on a very shiny phone chip. But that’s not really the point, this is about authenticity, and honestly, there’s something brilliant about a project that chooses the most awkward option on purpose!
Can You Build Your Own µTari Go?
In theory, yes, the design files and bill of materials are public, and the parts list is mostly off-the-shelf stuff, a small CRT module, an amplifier, a voltage regulator, buttons and a cartridge connector, plus a 3D printer for the case and a handful of M2 screws.
In practice, you’ll need to be comfortable with soldering, sourcing the original Atari chips, and working with a CRT, which carries high voltages internally and really isn’t something to poke around in casually. Builders in the Hackaday comments reckon these small CRT modules are fairly cheap online, but that’s not an official cost, so budget accordingly.
Quick TipIf you just want to play 2600 games on the go without the soldering iron, almost every modern retro handheld runs Atari emulators perfectly well, and you can “legally” source the ROMs from your own cartridges… no CRT, but also no worrying about high voltage in your lap!
So Should You Care About the µTari Go?
If you’re a tinkerer, absolutely, it’s open-source, well documented, and a genuinely fun weekend-to-month-long project depending on your skills. If you just want to play Atari games, a cheap emulation handheld or a plug-and-play console will do the job for far less effort.
Either way, it’s a lovely example of the homebrew scene doing things no company would ever sign off on. And if you’d rather your Atari nostalgia come pre-built, we’ve already looked at whether the Atari 800XL replica is worth £199.99!
FAQ
What is the µTari Go handheld Atari 2600?
The µTari Go is a homebrew handheld Atari 2600 built by Nick Bild, using the original Atari chips and a built-in 4-inch CRT screen.
Does the µTari Go use emulation?
No. It runs real cartridges on the original 6507, TIA and RIOT chips, with no emulation or FPGA.
Can I buy a µTari Go handheld Atari 2600?
It isn’t for sale, but the design is open-source under the MIT licence on GitHub, so you can build your own if you have the skills.
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