ST-Computer is a magazine for Atari ST users and was first published in early 1986, shortly after the launch of the Atari ST. It was the first magazine to focus exclusively on the ST. ST owners were provided with news, tests, listings, and DIY instructions. The publisher also expanded into software distribution and launched the S series, one of the largest PD series in the Atari market. At the height of the Atari market, the magazine reached a six-figure circulation.
Over the years, various Atari products were reviewed in the magazine, including the Mega ST, Atari’s CD-ROM drive (both in 1987), the Atari Transputer Workstation, STacy, STE, TT, and finally the Falcon. In the Relax section, ST Computer also tested the latest games. When game manufacturers reduced their support for the ST, Atari Jaguar games were featured.
Thanks to its position in the Atari market, the magazine survived 1993, when many major magazines had to be discontinued. The articles in ST-Computer also reflect the rise of the internet and the brief heyday of the CD-ROM. In 1996, the editorial team finally moved from Maxon to Falke Verlag, which continued the magazine with the dual title “ST-Computer/Atari Inside” and later simply ST-Computer.
The last issue appeared in 2004, and by then it was only a 16-page supplement. Ten years later, the magazine was revived—first as an interactive eBook for the iPad, then finally as a magazine in PDF format, with a small print run. Since there is no advertising or sponsorship in ST-Computer, the magazine is printed exclusively for pre-order customers. So far, 17 issues and one special issue have been published in this way. Each issue has 44 to 48 pages and covers topics such as the Atari ST family, the Lynx, the VCS consoles, and the Jaguar. Selected articles from ST-Computer have also appeared in RETURN magazine.