Systems

Commodore VIC-20

The friendly computer

The first computer to sell a million units, the VIC-20 brought colour computing to the masses and paved the way for the C64.

C64 home-computer8-bitcommodore 1980–1985

Overview

The VIC-20 was Commodore’s masterstroke of accessibility. Launched in 1980 at under $300, it was the first computer to sell a million units. With colour graphics, sound, and a real keyboard—all cheaper than competitors—it proved Jack Tramiel’s philosophy: computers could be for everyone.

Fast facts

  • Launch: 1980 (Japan), 1981 (US/Europe).
  • Price: $299.95 at launch; dropped rapidly.
  • CPU: MOS 6502 at 1 MHz.
  • RAM: 5KB (3.5KB usable for BASIC).
  • Graphics: VIC chip—176×184 pixels, 16 colours.
  • Sound: 3 voices plus noise.
  • Sales: over 2.5 million units.
  • Marketing: William Shatner as spokesman—“The Wonder Computer of the 1980s.”

Technical specifications

Despite its low price, the VIC-20 was capable:

VIC Chip (6560/6561)

  • 22×23 character display (176×184 pixels)
  • 16 colours (8 base + 8 luminance variants)
  • Custom character graphics
  • Three square wave channels plus noise

Memory

  • 5KB RAM total (expanded via cartridge)
  • 16KB ROM (BASIC, KERNAL)
  • Expansion port accepting up to 32KB additional RAM

Expansion options

The VIC-20’s cartridge port enabled growth:

  • RAM packs: 3KB, 8KB, 16KB, 32KB expansions.
  • Cartridge games: instant-loading software.
  • Peripherals: disk drives, modems, printers.

Many VIC-20 owners learned that 3.5KB wasn’t enough, bought RAM expansions, and eventually upgraded to the C64.

Software library

The VIC-20 accumulated substantial software:

  • Type-in listings: magazines published programs monthly.
  • Commercial games: Scott Adams adventures, arcade ports, original titles.
  • Educational software: targeting schools and parents.
  • Productivity: word processors, spreadsheets (within memory limits).

Gateway to the C64

The VIC-20 created the market the C64 dominated:

  • Millions of families owned their first computer.
  • Users learned BASIC, understood memory limits, wanted more.
  • When the C64 launched at $595, VIC-20 owners knew what they were getting.

Many C64 programmers started on VIC-20s. The limitations taught efficiency; the upgrade felt revolutionary.

Legacy

The VIC-20 proved the mass market existed. Its success funded Commodore’s expansion and validated Tramiel’s aggressive pricing strategy. Without the VIC-20’s proof of concept, the C64 might never have been as ambitious or as cheap.

See also