Amiga 500: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:59, 2 September 2025

The Amiga 500 (A500) is a 16-bit home computer developed by Commodore and released in 1987 as a cost-reduced version of the original Amiga 1000. Designed to bring the Amiga platform to the mass market, the A500 quickly became the most popular model in the Amiga line, selling millions of units worldwide.

Equipped with the same Motorola 68000 CPU as the A1000, the Amiga 500 offered advanced multimedia capabilities for its era, including hardware-assisted graphics and four-channel stereo sound. It was bundled with the custom chipset (OCS) that allowed for smooth scrolling, sprites, and impressive colour displays well beyond competing systems such as the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Amstrad CPC 464.

The A500 was marketed primarily as a home computer and games machine, but it also gained a following in creative fields for music, graphics, and early desktop publishing. With a competitive price point and a large software library, it became the defining Amiga model for a generation of users and cemented Commodore’s place in the late 1980s home computer market.

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-The Amiga 500, also known as the A500, was the first popular version of the Amiga home computer. It contains the same Motorola 68000 as the Amiga 1000, as well as the same graphics and sound coprocessors, but is in a smaller case similar to that of the Commodore 128. Released in 1987, the Amiga 500 was the first computer for the home market capable of multitasking. As well, it featured rich color graphics at a time when most high-end computer systems like the Personal Computer and the original Macintosh either had limited color or were entirely monochrome.
+The '''Amiga 500''' (A500) is a 16-bit home computer developed by [[Commodore]] and released in 1987 as a cost-reduced version of the original [[Amiga 1000]]. Designed to bring the Amiga platform to the mass market, the A500 quickly became the most popular model in the Amiga line, selling millions of units worldwide.
+Equipped with the same Motorola 68000 CPU as the A1000, the Amiga 500 offered advanced multimedia capabilities for its era, including hardware-assisted graphics and four-channel stereo sound. It was bundled with the custom chipset (OCS) that allowed for smooth scrolling, sprites, and impressive colour displays well beyond competing systems such as the [[Commodore 64]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[BBC Micro]], and [[Amstrad CPC 464]].
+The A500 was marketed primarily as a home computer and games machine, but it also gained a following in creative fields for music, graphics, and early desktop publishing. With a competitive price point and a large software library, it became the defining Amiga model for a generation of users and cemented Commodore’s place in the late 1980s home computer market.
-Commodore announced the Amiga 500 at the January 1987 winter Consumer Electronics Show – at the same time as the high-end Amiga 2000. It was initially available in the Netherlands in April 1987, then the rest of Europe in May. In North America and the UK it was released in October 1987 with a US$699/£499 list price. It competed directly against models in the Atari ST line.
 == Specifications & Revisions ==

Amiga 500: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:59, 2 September 2025

Specifications & Revisions

Buying Guide

Common Issues & Repairs

Mods & Upgrades

Game Storage & Preservation

Useful Reference