Colby has been appointed Commodore’s exclusive distribution partner for the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The agreement significantly expands Colby’s regional distribution role and establishes a new business unit dedicated to supporting brand partners across a wider international market.
The first product introduced through the partnership will be the Commodore 64 Ultimate. The newly manufactured computer combines the recognisable design and keyboard layout of the original Commodore 64 with modern FPGA-based hardware and current connectivity.
Three editions will be available through Colby and its retail partner network during the holiday season: BASIC Beige, Starlight Edition and Founders Edition.
Retailers and trade partners can contact c64@colby.eu for product and distribution enquiries.
Commodore 64 returns with FPGA hardware
The original Commodore 64 is recognised by Guinness World Records as the best-selling desktop computer model. The Commodore 64 Ultimate revisits that platform with an AMD Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA designed to recreate the original system at chip level instead of relying exclusively on software emulation.
Commodore states that the new computer is more than 99.9% compatible with original software and peripherals. It supports Commodore cartridges, joysticks, datasettes and disk drives, allowing existing collections to be used with newly manufactured hardware.
The system adds HDMI output at up to 1080p, built-in Wi-Fi, 100 Mbps Ethernet, USB connectivity and an internal microSD card slot. Analog video output is retained for compatible legacy displays.
A 66-key mechanical keyboard follows the original Commodore 64 layout. Two SID sockets support compatible 6581 and 8580 sound chips, while additional audio capabilities are provided through the FPGA.
BASIC Beige, Starlight and Founders editions
BASIC Beige uses the familiar classic brown-and-caramel colour scheme. It offers the core Commodore 64 Ultimate hardware without the integrated case and keyboard lighting fitted to the other editions.
Starlight Edition combines a translucent black-and-red case with 154 RGB LEDs. The lighting can react to audio from games, music and demos, adding a visual element while retaining the same underlying computer platform.
Founders Edition features a PVD gold finish and additional collector-focused presentation items. Commodore lists commemorative accessories for this edition alongside its distinctive materials.
All three editions include 128 MB of DDR2 memory and integrated Ultimate-II+ functionality. The system supports established Commodore disk, tape and cartridge formats and includes a cassette-shaped USB drive containing games, demos, music and creative software.