Commodore 64 Ultimate Review

The Commodore 64 Ultimate is the astir astonishing retro merchandise I person ever reviewed. I was expecting it to beryllium a straightforward, modern instrumentality connected the all-time best-selling idiosyncratic computer. I imagined it would beryllium a newer mentation of the C64 Mini oregon C64 "Maxi," with a enactment of games and bundle built successful and accessible done a bespoke paper system. Seriously, I would person been wholly good with a modern C64 that hooks to modern 4K displays and televisions and fto maine acquisition the C64 ecosystem connected the large screen. And it does that, highly well.

But it besides does truthful overmuch more, much than I could person ever imagined it would. Better still, it does each those things amazingly well. From the spot-on plan of the packaging down to the perfection of the keyboard successful each way, the Commodore 64 Ultimate is the benignant of modern instrumentality connected retro hardware that each aboriginal endeavors successful the abstraction should aspire to. They won't. But they should.

What's In the Box

The Commodore 64 Ultimate packaging looks the portion of its predecessor, though dimensionally they differ. The archetypal C64 container is simply a small taller and a small little wide, but different the modern instrumentality evokes the nonstop aforesaid feeling arsenic the archetypal close from the packaging. It's an fantabulous operation of some aged and new, listing the modern capabilities of the instrumentality portion utilizing old-school images of radical utilizing the archetypal connected CRT displays.

Right connected the transcript printed connected the box, the Commodore 64 Ultimate positions itself arsenic an antidote to the modern computing experience, which I'm wholly into. As idiosyncratic who's been utilizing the Internet since earlier Netscape was adjacent a thing, I often deliberation backmost wistfully to however overmuch simpler it was erstwhile a machine was a instrumentality you utilized to make things, not a instrumentality that serves you ads. The tagline connected the backmost says "Classic Form. Ultimate Function. Distraction Free."

For those of you who weren’t calved earlier 1980, the archetypal Commodore 64 was not lone the astir palmy 8-bit machine of the 1980s, it's the best-selling idiosyncratic machine of each time. So galore Gen-Xers grew up with a Commodore 64 arsenic their archetypal location computer, and if they didn't person 1 (like me), they knew idiosyncratic who did. It debuted astatine $595 successful 1982, but wrong a year, contention had chopped the terms successful half. In the 1984 Sears Holiday Wishbook catalog it's listed astatine $229.99, portion the Coleco Adam conscionable a fewer pages aboriginal is $700.

The C64 was affordable, good supported, handled concern and productivity applications portion besides having a immense room of games. You could load bundle from 5.25" floppies, cassette tapes, oregon cartridges. It was versatile, compact, highly affordable and disposable everywhere. It besides had a customized dependable spot that fto the C64 sing, literally, giving it a immense edge. The C64 produced an iconic dependable modern chiptune artists similar 8-bit Weapon inactive use.

Inside the container is the Commodore 64 Ultimate itself, which is really disposable successful 3 antithetic versions. There's the classical beige, a afloat transparent and LED-lit model, and a peculiar variation golden translucent mentation lone disposable for those who backed the instrumentality aboriginal on. I'm going to get into the plan later, but arsenic soon arsenic I opened the container I was struck by conscionable however cleanable this is successful presumption of replicating the look of the original.

There's besides not one, but two, small, double-sided sheets of Commodore-branded vinyl stickers. The stickers are great. They're high-quality, not garbage insubstantial ones similar I would person expected, and it's conscionable different delightful portion of the experience. There are a fewer for the logo, 1 for the classical "READY" prompt, a tiny portion thrust and floppy thrust sticker, and more. It's great. I'm going to instrumentality these things everyplace (except for the C64 Ultimate itself, of course).

There's a transparent integrative AC adapter with antithetic interchangeable plug styles for your region, and a generous 2.5 metre HDMI cablegram successful a Commodore branded bag. The cablegram itself is not branded, however, which is possibly the lone happening I tin constituent to with the C64 Ultimate and accidental "I privation this were different." The cablegram itself supports Ethernet implicit HDMI, for reasons I don't understand, arsenic good arsenic 4K resolution.

Underneath it all, nestled successful a protective cocoon of bubble wrap, is astir apt my favourite summation to the C64 Ultimate box: an honest-to-goodness spiral-bound acquisition manual conscionable similar the original. And it's an ACTUAL acquisition manual, too. It's not conscionable a 4-page speedy commencement usher translated into 16 antithetic languages to pad it out. This is an astir 250-page tome of goodness we conscionable don't spot anymore. It's much than conscionable a passing resemblance betwixt the caller and the old. Yes, there's a speedy commencement guide, but beyond that, the manual teaches you however to usage the Commodore 64 Ultimate successful the aforesaid mode the archetypal manual taught you to usage the C64. There's a conception connected BASIC, the machine programming connection truthful galore oldheads similar maine archetypal learned, arsenic good arsenic Advanced BASIC.

This is astir apt my favourite happening astir the C64 Ultimate: the information it's a modern mentation of the aged hardware connected which I emotion penning BASIC programs. If you're not acquainted with the language, its superior intent was to marque machine programming easier for beginners. In fact, the sanction BASIC is an acronym for "Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code." No 1 uses it anymore, not for thing serious. Ask anyone present and they'll archer you to commencement with Python.

Well I'm present to accidental those radical are wrong, and BASIC is the cleanable spot to start. One of the top things astir having a hardware-indentical mentation of the archetypal Commodore 64 is each those aged magazines and books with leafage upon leafage of BASIC codification volition inactive enactment precisely arsenic they were intended. You've astir apt seen engagement-farming societal media accounts talking astir however "back successful the day" radical would transcript programs from magazines, by hand, into their computers enactment by line. Can confirm, we truly did. And with the C64 Ultimate we tin usage those aforesaid programs, oregon conscionable transcript and paste them and load them successful via USB. I deliberation that's cheating but I'm besides not supra it.

I haven't delved profoundly into the satellite of programming the C64 Ultimate, astatine slightest not yet, truthful I can't talk authoritatively connected whether oregon not there's immoderate drawstring of codification determination that won't enactment connected the Ultimate. Knowing what small I cognize astir FPGA, I don't deliberation that volition ever beryllium a occupation I'll travel across. The quality of FPGA versus bundle emulation is the hardware works precisely similar the original. Sure, idiosyncratic retired determination penning successful assembly mightiness find immoderate peculiarity with the strategy that wasn't contiguous successful the original, but for me? Hell nah, let's get immoderate BASIC codification going baby!

The information you're taught BASIC successful the manual, and past taught precocious BASIC, arsenic good arsenic sprite and dependable manipulation, makes the manual adjacent much of a invaluable resource. This is precisely the benignant of happening I love, and precisely the mode computers utilized to be. You didn't conscionable bargain a machine to passively entertain yourself, you bought 1 to bash rudimentary spreadsheets, play immoderate games, and make your ain experiences. I emotion it. The champion happening astir learning immoderate machine connection is the fundamentals are each beauteous overmuch the same. Once you recognize if-then statements, oregon "for" loops successful BASIC, you'll recognize them successful JavaScript, oregon C#, oregon beauteous overmuch immoderate different language.

Peripherals, Modern and Classic

What was possibly the astir astonishing revelation to maine astir the Commodore 64 Ultimate was its enactment for the archetypal Commodore peripherals. Things similar the cassette platform and iconic 1501 floppy disc thrust volition enactment with the C64. I don't person the cassette deck, unfortunately, and portion I person the floppy thrust I don't really person immoderate floppies with which to trial it. The large batch of floppies I picked up earlier this twelvemonth were each unreadable, truthful sadly I can't talk to that, astatine slightest until I luck my mode into different cache, 1 that hopefully works.

What I tin accidental is the C64 Ultimate volition enactment with a classical CRT monitor, and that conscionable makes maine each kinds of delighted. Is it much convenient to usage it connected a modern display? Yes, a 1000 percent. Is it much fun? Not adjacent close. Thankfully I person respective CRT monitors compatible with the Commodore, including an archetypal Commodore CM-141 show I drove 2 hours into the wilderness of Maine's seashore to acquire. Weirdly, the default settings were successful PAL and truthful I had to spell successful to alteration them, but erstwhile I did, I was perfectly delighted by the CRT-goodness. I don't person the close cablegram to usage the CM-141, but I bash person 1 that fto maine hook it to an aged Magnavox show that has a mounting to output successful a faux phosphor-green. Can't kick astir that!

I privation much retro-revival hardware had the enactment for analog video. I'm definite the radical who privation specified a happening marque up a precise tiny percent of the population, but for thing arsenic specialized arsenic the Commodore 64 Ultimate, it is simply a cleanable fit. The modern Commodore institution sells the due cables connected its website, truthful I'm astir apt going to bargain immoderate conscionable truthful I tin plink distant astatine my adjacent BASIC programme successful beforehand of the lukewarm glow of a humming, 13" colour CRT TV.

Another unusual peripheral I person is simply a Commodore 1670 modem, though the Commodore 64 Ultimate lacks the User Port from the archetypal wherever it hooks up. Instead, the Ultimate has modern connectivity similar Wi-Fi and an Ethernet jack. It’s astir apt for the champion anyhow – I've messed astir with slow, retro modems connected aged hardware earlier and it's fun, but 1200 baud makes adjacent BBSes dilatory to use. And besides, if I bash privation that old-school experience, there's modem emulation built into the strategy anyway.

While having Wi-Fi rules, astatine archetypal I couldn't get the Wi-Fi to work. I entered successful my Wi-Fi password and waited for a while, tried it again, rebooted and tried 1 much clip and it ne'er showed the "Link Up" connection connected the Wi-Fi configuration page. It wasn't until aft I hooked it to a wired transportation that it decided to travel to life, aft which I was capable to disconnect from the Ethernet cablegram and person it support its wireless connection. Not definite if that was conscionable a coincidence oregon a weird bug, but it gave maine a little jolt of disappointment.

I'm besides sadly lacking successful C64 crippled cartridges, which is simply a bummer since the Commodore 64 Ultimate tin play those, natively, done the enlargement larboard successful the backmost of the computer. But since it tin tally those carts, it tin easy tally ROM files, ones that you of people ain legally oregon are provided from reputable, ineligible sources.

Spot-On Design

The Commodore 64 Ultimate is indistinguishable from the archetypal astatine archetypal glance. Everything astir it looks and feels precisely the aforesaid arsenic the original. The beige lawsuit and brownish keyboard is fantastically reproduced from the original, for amended oregon for worse. It's not until you instrumentality a person look bash you commencement to announcement the differences, with the modern ports, a transparent model connected the broadside and a overmuch smaller larboard for the AC adapter.

The Commodore 64 logo badge connected the top? Perfect. The reddish LED powerfulness light? Flawless. The keyboard? OK, similar I said before, implicit perfection – for amended oregon for worse. Let maine explicate myself.

Typing connected the Commodore 64 Ultimate gives you the nonstop aforesaid tactile consciousness of the original. The cardinal question is perfect, the "clunk" of the switches, adjacent the subtle texture of the integrative feels precisely similar the original. It's conscionable fantastic. I deliberation my emotion of modern mechanical keyboards tin beryllium straight traced backmost to this epoch of computing, and the consciousness is wonderful.

Keeping with the archetypal successful each imaginable way, however, is going to necessitate you to unlearn immoderate of the modern keyboard placements you've been utilizing since things settled down to a modular layout. This isn't a responsibility with the design, it's unluckily a byproduct of keeping things truthful perfectly retro. I find myself struggling with immoderate of the cardinal placement, similar wherever the double-quotes are (they're implicit the 2-key, by the way).

If the C64 is the machine you grew up on, your musculus representation mightiness travel backmost to you easily. But otherwise, there's a small much hunting-and-pecking present than I've done successful years. It's not a responsibility of the plan astatine all, and it can't beryllium avoided, but it's conscionable thing that you'll decidedly acquisition erstwhile you displacement from the modern keyboard layout burned into your brain. And I wouldn't privation it immoderate different way.

One major, affirmative plan alteration is the powerfulness supply. The archetypal C64 powerfulness proviso was a ceramic astir literally, and beauteous overmuch each archetypal C64 powerfulness proviso is waiting to someday blast the archetypal hardware with an overvoltage that volition tally it. The caller 1 is cased successful transparent integrative and doesn't instrumentality up fractional your table similar the archetypal monster.

It plugs successful close adjacent to the multifunction button, a rocker-style power that turns the Commodore 64 Ultimate connected and disconnected and lets you power to the peculiar configuration menu. It took a small much effort than I was expecting, and it's conscionable a interaction excessively tiny for my ample hands. Turning disconnected the Commodore 64 Ultimate requires you to propulsion down and clasp for 4 seconds, and I don't similar that. More than once, I thought I'd activated the button, but was alternatively lasting determination similar an idiot with the fastener 90% pressed for 10 seconds. Given the alteration of configuration of slots and peripherals, I would person liked a two-position power for powerfulness and a momentary power to spell betwixt C64 and configuration modes.

Software

In keeping with the retro-modernity of the Commodore 64 Ultimate, there's a USB instrumentality successful the signifier of a cassette tape, implicit with cassette case, included successful each box. You plug it into a precise modern USB larboard successful the backmost and past entree it via the configuration paper successful a precise aged school, hierarchical record strategy benignant of way.

The bundle connected the thrust is generous, to accidental the least. There is truthful overmuch here, it's overwhelming. Rather than spell done each azygous included portion of bundle (which I wouldn't caput doing, honestly), I'm going to interaction connected immoderate of the much notable programs.

But earlier I bash that, I'm going to outcry retired a diagnostic they didn't request to include, but they did anyway: erstwhile you commencement up a programme from the record browser, the Commodore 64 Ultimate starts whirring and clicking, with the occasional buzz for bully measure. It's making the sounds you would expect from a programme loading from a floppy disc and it's perfectly wonderful. When I was a kid utilizing computers, I loved the feedback of those mechanical drives. I ever felt similar I was listening to the machine "think." This small diagnostic adds truthful overmuch to the experience, successful a mode I didn't expect astatine all.

Back to the software, determination are dozens of demos connected the USB drive, and not the ones we're each utilized to. The demo scene, portion inactive around, is simply a airy reflection of its erstwhile self. Basically, programmers and hackers would flex their skills by creating demonstrations of their programming prowess. They would propulsion machines to bash things that didn't look imaginable with customized animations and music, and you tin spot immoderate of them here. One of the astir notable and well-known demos is Bad Apple, presented present arsenic Bad Apple 64. The Commodore 64 Christmas Demo is besides connected the USB, which is delightful. I'm thing if not afloat of vacation cheer.

There's besides a immense enactment of games connected the USB, but possibly my favourite summation present is GEOS, a graphical idiosyncratic interface designed specifically for the Commodore 64. While I don't spot myself switching from macOS to GEOS immoderate clip soon, it's truthful chill to spot this rudimentary GUI moving connected archetypal hardware. Unfortunately I can't find my compatible Commodore 64 mouse, but determination are inactive dedicated hobbyists retired determination making them successful our modern times, and Commodore sells compatible devices connected its ain site.

I'm a small amazed you can't usage a modern USB mouse, which would person been overmuch easier for the end-user. I don't deliberation it would person taken thing distant from the experience, either. In information I'd reason it would heighten it, fixed astir radical ain astatine slightest 1 USB rodent but precise fewer radical ain compatible Commodore mice. I dug done the assorted menus and didn't find immoderate options, but if there's a way, delight fto maine know.

I'm mildly obsessed with antithetic GUIs, and volition instrumentality immoderate accidental to effort them out, truthful I'll astir apt scour eBay for a mouse, particularly due to the fact that it besides has a full suite of GEOS software. If I truly wanted to (and I do), I person the enactment to hook up a Commodore printer and people disconnected my ain beauteous GEOSPaint creations, oregon I tin usage the Virtual Printer and prevention generated files to the USB arsenic .pngs. From determination I tin conscionable unfastened it connected a modern machine and people it from there. And friends, champion judge I'm going to beryllium doing that erstwhile I get a compatible mouse.