The Commodore 64x is a replica PC based on the original

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

, powered by

x86 x86 (also known as 80x86 or the 8086 family) is a family of complex instruction set computer (CISC) instruction set architectures initially developed by Intel, based on the 8086 microprocessor and its 8-bit-external-bus variant, the 8088. Th ...

Intel Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and Delaware General Corporation Law, incorporated in Delaware. Intel designs, manufactures, and sells computer compo ...

processors ranging from the

Intel Atom Intel Atom is a line of IA-32 and x86-64 instruction set ultra-low-voltage processors by Intel Corporation designed to reduce electric consumption and power dissipation in comparison with ordinary processors of the Intel Core series. Atom is m ...

to the

Intel Core i7 Intel Core is a line of multi-core (with the exception of Core Solo and Core 2 Solo) central processing units (CPUs) for midrange, embedded, workstation, high-end and enthusiast computer markets marketed by Intel Corporation. These processors ...

. It was sold by Commodore USA starting in April 2011. Because Commodore USA went out of business after the death of its founder, Barry Altman, this machine, as originally intended to be configured with Extreme and Ultimate models, was not readily available with Commodore branding for a period of several years until it was publicly relaunched in June 2022. The Kickstarter was hit with a cease and desist letter from Italian Commodore Engineering who have since apologized with the result being the crowdfunding campaign going back online and achieving Kickstarter's Project We Love status.

History

The case of the C64x was designed to resemble the popular

in response to "overwhelming demand" from Commodore USA's customer base. Volume production started in May 2011, with machines being released on to the market in June 2011 at a starting price of

US $ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...

595 for the ''Basic'' model and up to

895 for an Ultimate model, and as of August 13, an Extreme version fitted with an

chip with 8 GB

DDR3 Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DDR3 SDRAM) is a type of synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM) with a high Bandwidth (computing), bandwidth ("double data rate") interface, and has been in use since 2007. ...

RAM and 3 TB hard drive for US $1499. There was a case-only version of the C64x called the Barebones available for US $295. The Barebones is currently available for £129 from UK-based My Retro Computer which purchased the injection molds from the Altman estate. A VIC20 colorway C64x, never previously available, is now an option using those molds. In the intervening years in which it was largely out of public view, original hardware accessories were developed for the C64x case such as a fan grill, internal exhaust pipe, Raspberry Pi 4 mounting kit, and vent plate. PC Gamer which reported on how to build in the Barebones case after Commodore USA had already folded announced the official return of the Commodore 64x from My Retro Computer in 2022. It shipped initially with Ubuntu 10.10 Desktop Edition, and in November 2011, Commodore USA released their own Linux derivative called Commodore OS.

Software

The C64x is said to come bundled with

Ubuntu Ubuntu ( ) is a Linux distribution based on Debian and composed primarily of free and open-source software. Developed by the British company Canonical (company), Canonical and a community of contributors under a Meritocracy, meritocratic gover ...

10.10. There is no hardware compatibility with the original C64, with software compatibility provided through the use of an emulator. Ubuntu is able to run VICE, an open source program which emulates 8-bit computers, such as the Commodore 64. VICE is available for free for almost all operating systems currently in use. As of 18 August 2011, Commodore USA announced it would be providing international keyboards and keys for its customers worldwide for the C64x, with new keyboards made with additional keys for countries/languages if it is needed. For customers outside of its main US support area, keys and keycap pullers will be provided for easy self-installation.

References

Future models, planned for 2011
{{refend Comm5 Computer-related introductions in 2011 X

History

Software

See also

References