C64 Ultimate: almost like the original
The C64 Ultimate blends technology from 1982 and 2026 almost perfectly. By allowing the connection of original peripherals, it comes very close to a real Commodore 64. For most people, however, a much cheaper alternative should also suffice.
There has never been a better time for retro gaming. The selection is getting bigger and better; at the same time, modern game consoles and gaming PCs are becoming expensive and thus unattractive due to the AI hype.
The Commodore 64 Ultimate is a relatively new replica of the 1982 Commodore 64. It is available in the original beige look, as a transparent RGB variant, or as a golden Founders version. The three variants can also be pre-ordered in the later C64C design with a flatter case.
Source: Commodore
We don't have any of these in our shop. I had to order my copy from the USA – it took five months from order to delivery. However, you can buy a different C64 replica from us: The C64 Maxi, sometimes just called "The C64". In this article, you will learn about the pros and cons of both models.
Why a replica at all?
Anyone who wants to play a C64 game again or write a BASIC program has several options. The easiest and free way is to use a software emulator like Vice. However, the ultimate feeling of nostalgia doesn't come with that: the unique keyboard, old joysticks, a flickering CRT monitor, and a cassette player for loading and saving software are missing. Only a real Commodore C64 offers the original experience.
Hardware replicas, however, come quite close to the original and have advantages over a real C64 that make them much easier to use: they can be connected directly to modern devices, such as a monitor via HDMI. You don't need to hunt down a CRT screen from the 80s. Loading and saving software is also much easier. All you need is a USB stick.
Two different concepts: software emulation and FPGA
The two hardware replicas follow different concepts. The C64 uses a standard ARM chip and runs an emulator on it. Only the case is more or less true to the original. The C64 Ultimate, on the other hand, uses a chip that replicates the logic circuits of the C64 using an FPGA.
The main advantage of this approach: you can connect original accessories such as a monitor, floppy disk drive, joystick, or printer. The C64 Ultimate has both joystick ports, but also a serial interface, a video output, and an audio output. Even the connection for a Datasette and the memory expansion slot are present. All of this is missing from The C64.
In principle, the C64 Ultimate can replace an original C64 one-to-one. The user port – another interface of the original – is not visible from the outside but is present on the motherboard. It becomes accessible from the outside with an adapter.
Important to know: A USB joystick does not work on the C64 Ultimate. You need a joystick with the original 9-pin connector. Commodore offers one. Alternatively, joystick emulation can be activated. You then control games that actually require a joystick with the keyboard. This emulation didn't work for me at first. The reason for this was a slight change to the FPGA board that Commodore apparently hadn't noticed. However, Commodore has good support and sent me a patch that fixed the problem.
Games, music, and other software
To turn it on, I flip the toggle switch on the side upwards. Just like a "real" C64, the Ultimate starts up with the BASIC screen. Pressing the switch a second time takes me to a special menu that only exists on the C64 Ultimate. It offers access to settings and a file browser that I can use to start software. In this case, the device switches back to the BASIC environment, automatically loads the software there, and starts it. I can also switch between C64 operation and the Ultimate menu at any time later.
A USB stick with software, demos, and music is included. It has the shape and size of a cassette and even comes in a cassette case. I find the gimmick only half successful, as the stick is unwieldy because of it – this can be a problem with the closely spaced USB slots. An easily solvable problem: just copy the data to another stick.
The games on it are mostly from more recent times. Which doesn't have to be a bad thing – modern games for old computers are often better. A few games from the 80s are present, but the big classics are missing. It's different with The C64: there you will find very well-known games like Summer and Winter Games. I can copy the content on the USB stick to my computer and use it on an emulator; it is not copy-protected. With The C64, on the other hand, the games are stored on the computer itself and can at most be transferred to another computer with a hack.
Unlike The C64, the Ultimate can also be connected to the Internet, both via Wi-Fi and Ethernet. With the built-in CommoServe, I can browse a software catalog and download things. Here, too, the selection is limited. Apparently, only games for which Commodore has official permission are listed on the server. Firmware updates for the Ultimate must be installed via a USB stick despite the Internet connection.
On the cassette, in addition to games, there is a collection of electronic music in the form of SID chiptunes and demos. And then there is Geos, a graphical user interface with windows, menus, a trash can – and a mouse pointer. With its black-and-white look, it is somewhat reminiscent of the first Macintosh systems. I didn't manage to get a USB mouse to work with it. It worked with the other graphical interface, GUI64, but I can't do anything there.
For geeks and those who want to become one
I find myself scratching my head in bewilderment at the C64 Ultimate every now and then, which never happens to me with The C64. There is a detailed manual (only in English) that also introduces programming with BASIC. Fortunately, this is also available as a download and is therefore searchable. However, many things are not explained in it. For example, I see an option called "Ultimate Audio", but have no clue what it does. I have the feeling that I have only just scratched the surface and would have to spend a long time intensively dealing with the device to understand everything.
For those who want to dive deep, the C64 Ultimate is just the thing. To stay on the subject of audio: the internal speaker plays noises that would be audible on a real C64 when loading and saving. For sound in games, it remains silent by default – but this can be changed in the options. This is useful, for example, if the screen has no speakers. It doesn't sound particularly good, but an external sound system can also be connected via the line-out jack. In the options, you can define the volume not only for the various output channels but also for each individual sound chip.
For comparison: with The C64, the sound is only output via HDMI, and if you connect an office monitor without sound output, everything remains silent.
Furthermore, the C64 Ultimate offers a mechanical keyboard. The typing feel is better, but the keyboard is also much louder than on The C64. The mechanical keyboard with Gateron Pro 3.0 switches is so heavy that the Ultimate comes quite close to the weight of the original. With The C64, a metal block had to be installed under the keyboard so that the case wouldn't feel too light. Because it is largely hollow inside.
The C64 also has advantages
The two most obvious advantages of The C64 are the faster delivery times and the lower price. Note that with the C64 Ultimate, quite a bit is added to the stated price: shipping fees were 61 US dollars for me, and sales tax was 33.29 dollars (at the then net price of 349 dollars). A joystick is included with The C64; with the Ultimate, you pay extra for it. All in all, the price difference is hefty.
With The C64, there is – because a modern processor works inside – a modern user interface for selecting games. 64 games are integrated, and the collection includes more well-known games. Four save slots are available for each game. The game state can be saved at any time.
Not only joysticks but also common game controllers of today work with The C64. Of course, only via cable, but at least.
Furthermore, The C64 can also emulate a Commodore VIC-20. That is the predecessor of the C64, which looks about the same on the outside. So you get two computers in one.
In a nutshell
Close to the original yet modern
The C64 Ultimate is a sophisticated and luxurious C64 replica. It can completely replace a real Commodore 64 while still offering modern conveniences.
The big advantage of the C64 Ultimate is that you can connect old peripherals. At the same time, the replica also offers modern connections: you load software or games via USB and connect a flat screen via HDMI. However, it does not support USB joysticks or controllers.
In terms of hardware, the C64 Ultimate is a better device than The C64 – but the advantages offer little practical benefit to the average user. The mechanical keyboard is nice (and loud), but who needs that on a C64? Especially since you can connect external keyboards to both replicas. The situation is similar with the internet connection: in theory, a cool feature, but in its current form, it offers little. CommoServe, the only way to use the internet, only offers a meager software catalog. Not even Commodore's own firmware updates can be obtained through it.
However, this is complaining at a very high level. If you want to connect old peripherals, this is the perfect replica. It is also the right device for those who really want to delve deep into the matter. For everyone else, the much cheaper The C64 will do. This one also has its advantages with the well-known integrated games, support for USB controllers, and the easy option to save game states.
Pro
- Connecting old peripherals possible
- luxurious sound options
- mechanical keyboard
- also available in the modern C64C design
Contra
- no support for USB joysticks
- much more expensive than The C64
- lean game catalog (especially online)
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
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