Atari Lynx II
Atari · Released Jul 1991 · Lynx II (1991)
The redesigned Lynx: smaller, lighter, with stereo sound and a power-saving backlight — the better way to enjoy Atari's colour handheld.
Pros
- +Smaller and lighter than the original Lynx
- +Power-saving backlight toggle
- +Stereo headphone sound
- +Same colour, hardware-scaling capabilities
Cons
- −Still large and battery-hungry
- −Small game library
- −Overshadowed by the Game Boy
What can it play?
Emulation performance by platform, based on real-world testing.
Full specifications
Hardware
- Chipset (SoC)
- MOS 65C02 + custom (Mikey / Suzy)
- CPU
- 8-bit 65C02 @ up to 4 MHz
- GPU
- Suzy custom blitter (hardware scaling)
- RAM
- 64 KB
- Storage
- Cartridge Lynx ROM cartridge
- Weight
- 280 g
- Dimensions
- 210 x 105 x 35 mm
- Cooling
- Passive
Display
- Size
- 3.5″
- Resolution
- 160x102
- Panel
- Backlit colour LCD
- Refresh rate
- 60 Hz
- Touchscreen
- No
Battery & Connectivity
- Battery
- 2000 mAh
- Real-world life
- ~5 hours
- Wi-Fi
- None
- Bluetooth
- None
- Ports
- ComLynx cable, 3.5mm stereo headphone, DC in
- Expandable storage
- No
Controls
- Analog sticks
- 0
- D-pad
- Yes
- Face buttons
- Yes
- Analog triggers
- No
- Gyroscope
- No
- Hall effect sticks
- No
Software & custom firmware
Ships with: None (cartridge-booted)
Also plays natively: Atari Lynx cartridges
No third-party custom firmware tracked for this device.
Our verdict
The Lynx II refined Atari's ambitious colour handheld with a slimmer shell, stereo headphone output, and a backlight that could be switched off to save its hungry batteries. The impressive hardware scaling and colour visuals carried over. It is still a big, power-thirsty device with a modest library, but it is the more practical and collectible version of the world's first colour backlit handheld.