 | |
| Manufacturer | Commodore Business Machines (CBM) |
|---|---|
| Type | Home computer |
| Release date | 1985 |
| Introductory price | US$299 (equivalent to $850 in 2023)[1] |
| Discontinued | 1989 |
| Units sold | 2.5 million worldwide |
| Operating system | Commodore BASIC 7.0 Digital Research CP/M 3.0 GEOS |
| CPU | MOS 8502 @ 1–2 MHz Zilog Z80A, or Zilog Z80B @ 4 MHz |
| Memory | 128 KB (standard), 640 KB (with 512 KB REU expansion RAM) |
| Graphics | VIC-II E (320×200, 16 colors, sprites, raster interrupt), MOS 8563 (RGBI 640×200 16 colors, blitter) |
| Sound | SID 6581/8580 (3× Osc, 4× Wave, Filter, ADSR, Ring) |
| Predecessor | Commodore 64 |
The Commodore 128, also known as the C128, C-128, or C= 128 (the "C=" representing the graphical part of the logo), is the last 8-bit home computer that was commercially released by Commodore Business Machines (CBM). Introduced in January 1985 at the CES in Las Vegas, it appeared three years after its predecessor, the Commodore 64, the bestselling computer of the 1980s. Approximately 2.5 million C128s were sold during its four year production run.
The C128 is a significantly expanded successor to the C64, with nearly full compatibility. It is housed in a redesigned case with an improved keyboard including a numeric keypad and function keys. Memory was enlarged to 128 KB of RAM in two 64 KB banks. A separate graphics chip provided 80-column color video output in addition to the original C64 modes. It also included a Zilog Z80 CPU which allows the C128 to run CP/M, as an alternative to the usual Commodore BASIC environment. The huge CP/M software library, coupled with the C64's software library, gave the C128 one of the broadest ranges of available software among its competitors.
The primary hardware designer of the C128 was Bil Herd, who had worked on the Plus/4. Other hardware engineers were Dave Haynie and Frank Palaia, while the IC design work was done by Dave DiOrio. The main Commodore system software was developed by Fred Bowen and Terry Ryan, while the CP/M subsystem was developed by Von Ertwine.