Commodore 64 returns with a gold-plated and translucent Founders Edition and Starlight Edition

The new Commodore 64 Ultimate is a legitimate modern version of the classic computer, and the first release since enthusiasts and retro PC hardware aficionados acquired the iconic company. With production underway on the "first official Commodore 64 in over 30 years" and shipping expected to commence in November 2025, the Commodore 64 Ultimate is also set to arrive in a couple of stylish options.

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On the high end, there's the Gold Founders Edition priced at $499.99 USD, inspired by the one millionth C64 gold PC that was created back in the day. For the Commodore 64 Ultimate, this includes 24k gold-plated badges, satin gold-colored keys, a translucent amber case, and a few additional goodies, such as a 24k gold 'dog tag' necklace.

On the more wallet-friendly side, there's the translucent Starlight Edition, priced at $349.99 USD, which includes a "game sound-reactive hidden-LED color-changing case" alongside the "world's first translucent mechanical keyboard PCB." For the purists, there's also a standard, old-school beige edition available for $299.99 USD.

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The Commodore 64 Ultimate is a modern take on the classic hardware, utilizing an AMD Artix 7 FPGA to replicate the original hardware accurately. It features 128MB of DDR2 memory, 16MB of flash storage, and an included 64GB USB stick with over 50 licensed games. According to the new Commodore team, it delivers authentic and era-correct performance in over 10,000 titles, and even includes the C64's original SID sound chips. It's even compatible with C64 peripherals from the 1980s, physical cartridges, cassette and disk drives, and 8-pin DIN analog video port displays.

However, there are a few other modern touches, including HDMI output, WiFi, USB, 3.5mm audio, S/PDIF audio, and 100 Mbps Ethernet. As far as retro hardware goes, the Commodore 64 Ultimate sounds like the perfect companion for those who want to rekindle the classic era of early home computing.