More than four decades after its debut, the Commodore 64 is coming back again. This time, it's not just another replica or software emulator. It's a full-fledged reboot of the classic 1980s computer, rebuilt from the inside out with new hardware, expanded features, and some flashy collector’s editions to go along with it.

Now officially called the Commodore 64 Ultimate, the new version is the first piece of hardware to come from the brand in more than 30 years. It’s all happening under the leadership of Christian Simpson, a YouTuber known as Perifractic, who recently acquired the Commodore name and assets. Since then, he's pulled together a team of enthusiasts to relaunch the machine that helped define home computing for a generation.

The new C64 Ultimate doesn’t look all that different from the machine you might remember from 1982. The base model is even called Basic Beige, and yes—it’s beige. But under that familiar shell, everything’s been overhauled.

Instead of old-school chips, the new machine runs on a modern AMD Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA. This allows it to recreate the original C64’s behavior down to the hardware level, without relying on software emulation. What that means for users: you can run more than 10,000 original C64 games, cartridges, and peripherals—and they should work just like they did decades ago.

And it’s not stuck in the past. You’ve got HDMI for 1080p video, built-in Wi-Fi, Ethernet, three USB-A ports, one USB-C, and a microSD card slot. You can even hook it up to an old CRT TV if you really want that vintage experience.

While the default speed matches the original C64, there’s a new Turbo Mode that boosts performance up to 48MHz. That’s nearly 50 times faster than the original. It’s a handy feature if you want to run newer software or just get things done a bit quicker.

The system also includes 128MB of RAM and dual sound chips for beefed-up audio. Storage-wise, you’ll find 16MB of NOR flash onboard, plus a 64GB USB drive shaped like a cassette—preloaded with 50+ games, demos, and some bonus content like music and stickers. One of those games is Jupiter Lander: Ascension, a sequel to Commodore’s very first game.

You can load more games from USB or microSD, or even dust off your old cartridges and floppy drives if you still have them.

The Commodore 64 Ultimate comes in three versions, and they’re all functionally the same. The differences are in the design and extras:

• Basic Beige ($299.99): Looks like the original C64, no frills. Just the essentials.
• Starlight Edition ($349.99): Has a clear case with customizable LED lighting, plus a translucent mechanical keyboard PCB that lights up with your games or music.
• Founders Edition ($499.99): For the collectors. Limited to 6,400 units, it comes with satin gold keys, a translucent amber case, 24k gold-plated badges, a “share certificate,” holographic serial number sticker, dog tag necklace, and even a T-shirt that says “I Rebooted C=.”

All models ship with a power supply (with worldwide adapters), an HDMI cable, a spiral-bound user guide, and the classic retro-style box.

Preorders are live now on Commodore.net, and early bird pricing is still available—$299 for the Basic Beige if you’re quick. The first batch of units is expected to ship in October or November. If you change your mind, there’s a no-questions-asked refund policy up until the point it ships. Once you have it, there’s a one-year limited warranty.

The company is handling preorders through its own site instead of using Kickstarter or Indiegogo, in part to save on platform fees and maintain more control over the launch.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a modern take on the Commodore 64. There’ve been other recreations—like THEC64—but this is the first official hardware from the brand since the original production ended in 1994.

The new Ultimate model seems to strike a balance between honoring the legacy and offering enough modern convenience to actually use it today. If you're a longtime fan with boxes of old disks or someone just curious about the early days of home computing, this reboot gives you a way to explore (or re-explore) one of the most iconic machines of the 20th century.

It’s part nostalgia trip, part hobby platform, and now officially part of 2025.