The Astra 2001 is another legendary dual-drive system from California-based Astra Systems, which largely set the standard for high-end peripherals for 8-bit Atari consoles in the early 1980s. It is very similar to the 1620, but had its own unique positioning and technical design.

Like the 1620, the Astra 2001 contained two 5.25" drives in a single wide case. The computer saw them as devices D1: and D2:. Officially, it supported 180 KB per drive. This was critical, as the standard Atari 810 at the time only supported 90 KB. A control board inside efficiently distributed requests from the SIO bus between the two drives, ensuring stable operation without lag.

The 2001 model more often used Teac drives, while the 1620 more often featured Tandon drives. Teac drives were considered slightly quieter and faster. The Astra 2001 was the flagship of the line, targeted at home users and small businesses, while the 1620 was often sold through OEM channels or as part of pre-built workstations.