Commodore brings back original 1986 molds for new, but pricey 'Slimline' C64C retro lineup
After an unexpected resurgence in recent years, Commodore is expanding its lineup with the ‘Slimline’ C64C Ultimate, which is poised to be a sleeker, fresher sibling to its popular FPGA-powered Commodore 64 reproduction that brought back the retro 1984 PC.
The Slimline C64C Ultimate switches things up with a case that closely resembles the Amiga computers of the era, albeit with a somewhat more modern and slimmer profile and footprint than the original breadbin-style C64 Ultimate, which hit store shelves last year.
For the most part, it packs essentially the same hardware under the hood but features a new coat of paint and a redesigned shell that pays homage to Commodore Amiga computers of the era.
What’s interesting is that the new shell for the C64C Ultimate is being recreated using the original injection-molding tooling from 1986. For context, the tooling itself has had quite the journey: it was discovered at an auction in 2014 by collector Dallas Moore, survived a factory fire, and was later kept in good hands at Individual Computers before Commodore reacquired it.
Commodore isn’t cutting any corners here when it comes to the company’s legacy and the authenticity of its craftsmanship. Peri Fractic, Commodore’s new CEO and a renowned retro YouTuber, explained:
“The C64C molding was created using a two-point flow pattern that resulted in the plastic cooling unevenly in the original production run, creating faint, semi-circular flow marks that have largely gone unnoticed.”
He continued, “By using the original tooling, we’re even bringing these back. Today, these newly formed marks are a seal of authenticity, the unmistakable signature of genuine Commodore parts born from original molds.”
Under the housing, the C64C Ultimate features the same “cycle-accurate” FPGA reproduction of the original Commodore 64 as the breadbin board. As a result, it supports thousands of classic applications, games, cartridges, and peripherals dating back to the mid-’80s and early ’90s, and features an HDMI output, extra RAM, a turbo mode, multiple SID sound chips, and a Wi-Fi chip.
However, retro enthusiasts can still connect it to a CRT monitor for the authentic fuzzy glow. Pre-orders for the C64C Ultimate are currently live, and it comes in three flavors: BASIC beige for $299.99, the translucent Starlight edition with reactive RGB for $349.00, and an Ultimate: Founder’s Edition with gold accents for $499.99.
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