Systems

Acorn Archimedes

The ARM's birthplace

The Acorn Archimedes was the most powerful home computer of its era, introducing the ARM processor that now powers most smartphones.

home-computersbritish32-bit 1987–1994

Overview

The Acorn Archimedes arrived in 1987 with astonishing power. While competitors ran 8-bit and 16-bit processors, the Archimedes used a 32-bit ARM chip that Acorn designed themselves. The machine was years ahead technically—and commercially struggled because of it. But the ARM processor inside would eventually power billions of devices.

Fast facts

  • Manufacturer: Acorn Computers.
  • Released: June 1987.
  • CPU: ARM2 at 8 MHz (32-bit RISC).
  • RAM: 512KB to 4MB depending on model.
  • Graphics: Up to 640×512 with 256 colours.
  • Sound: 8-channel stereo.
  • OS: Arthur, then RISC OS.
  • Price: £799-£1,399 depending on model.

ARM: Acorn RISC Machine

Acorn designed their own processor:

  • RISC architecture: Simpler instructions, faster execution.
  • 32-bit: When competitors used 8 and 16 bits.
  • Low power: Efficient design from the start.
  • In-house: Acorn controlled their destiny.

The ARM would outlive Acorn itself by decades.

Raw performance

The Archimedes was staggeringly fast:

  • MIPS rating: 4+ MIPS versus 1 MIPS for 68000 machines.
  • Graphics: Hardware could outperform Amiga in many tasks.
  • Sound: 8-channel DMA-driven audio.
  • I/O: Fast disc access, networking support.

Educational market

Like the BBC Micro before it, schools adopted Archimedes:

  • UK government education contracts.
  • RISC OS’s desktop interface suited classrooms.
  • Acorn’s educational software expertise.
  • Installed base in British schools.

Gaming potential

The hardware enabled impressive games:

  • Zarch/Virus: David Braben’s 3D landscape game.
  • Chocks Away: Flight combat.
  • Star Fighter 3000: Fast 3D action.
  • Cannon Fodder: Born on Archimedes.

Yet the small market limited commercial development.

Why it struggled commercially

Despite technical superiority:

  • Price: Expensive versus Amiga and ST.
  • Software library: Smaller than competitors.
  • Business market: PC compatibles dominated.
  • Timing: Arrived as 16-bit market peaked.

ARM’s independence

The processor’s importance grew:

  • ARM spun off as separate company (1990).
  • Licensed to other manufacturers.
  • Apple Newton used ARM (1993).
  • Mobile phones adopted ARM architecture.
  • Now powers most smartphones worldwide.

The Acorn legacy

Acorn faded, but ARM thrived:

  • Company restructured, renamed, eventually dissolved.
  • RISC OS continues via enthusiasts.
  • ARM Holdings became tech giant.
  • Acquired by SoftBank (2016), Nvidia bid failed (2022).

Legacy

The Archimedes proved British engineering could lead the world—even if British marketing couldn’t sell it. The ARM processor born in Cambridge now powers billions of devices. Every smartphone, most tablets, countless embedded systems run on Acorn’s architecture.

See also