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The Atari 1088XEL is an amazing beast which truly brings your Atari 8bit into the modern world. Using the actual, original 8bit chips it provides a modern hardware platform to not only run Atari without emulation but connect and enjoy modern peripherals and upgrades which can transform the 8bit use into a entirely different experience.
The creator of the 1088 best describes it:
This is a complete ground up redesign of the Atari 8-Bit Computer Motherboard still utilizing the standard Atari VLSI chips, but recreated in a Mini-ITX Form Factor (17 cm x 17 cm). The idea behind this project was to take several devices I had been working on (i.e., TK-II, MouseTari, and VGATE), along with the U1MB and UAV upgrades by Lotharek and AtariAge member Bryan, and integrate them into a cohesive package that would fit a plethora of readily available Mini-ITX enclosures.
With the 1088 you can connect to modern displays (using DVI) modern keyboards (PS/2) and modern disks (CompactFlash). And still insert carts and use SIO devices to mix and match the modern with the retro. The inclusion of the Ultimate 1meg expansion allows a completely new way to interact and use the Atari. I’ve only just gotten mine and I’m going to spend time exploring and documenting it’s usage as I learn more about it.
History
There is a good history of the creation of the 1088XEL by mytec over at the Atari8 website in the UK. You can see how the 1088XEL became the platform to integrate a whole slew of Atari 8bit hardware enhancements. They also have documentation and technical specs.
Images in Action
Back of the case
Booting into Atari8 GUI
Boot screen
Running UNO Cart