Commodore 64 Ultimate vs. TheC64 Maxi – Comparison

Since I wrote my article about the newly official Commodore 64 Ultimate, I have received a number of interesting and valuable comments thanks to my followers, from which I have now selected a question that others may later ask.

Hardware Architecture

Commodore 64 Ultimate

• The internal logic is implemented on an AMD Artix 7 FPGA, providing cycle-accurate emulation of the VIC-II, SID and CIA chips.
• 128 MB DDR2 RAM and 16 MB of flash storage (firmware) replace the original 64 KB.
• Physical ports: HDMI/DVI output, 8-pin analog video DIN, three USB-A 2.0, 3.5 mm jack, S/PDIF, Wi-Fi, 100 Mbps Ethernet, and a MicroSD slot.

TheC64 Maxi

• A quad-core ARM processor runs the VICE emulator, software-simulating the C64 hardware.
• Ports: HDMI (720p), four USB, micro-USB power input. No analog video or original C64 ports.
• No native support for original joysticks, disk drives or Datasette—everything must connect via USB.
• Can be set to have RAM expansion.

Software Approach and Emulation

• The Ultimate’s FPGA-based core aims for 100% hardware fidelity, so most software runs at the original timing.
• The Maxi uses VICE 2.4; its SID emulation is serviceable but doesn’t support a second SID chip, so audio is mono rather than stereo.
• Both units accept firmware updates from USB flash drives; however, switching PAL/NTSC on the Maxi resets all settings to factory defaults.

Emulation and Latency

The C64 Maxi runs a VICE emulator on an ARM CPU that isn’t cycle-accurate, so audio (no stereo SID) and timing can be off, and menu navigation sometimes stutters. Controller input lag measures around 1–2 ms – but if your display adds lag, it stacks up. In contrast, the Ultimate’s FPGA-based, cycle-accurate core delivers virtually zero emulation glitches and imperceptible input delay.

Peripheral Support

• Commodore 64 Ultimate
  • Two DB-9 joystick ports
  • Cartridge and Datasette connectors
  • Native support for original 1541/1530 drives and any IEC-bus CBM/C64 peripheral
• TheC64 Maxi
  • USB-only joystick and storage support
  • The included joystick is often criticized for cheap feel and sticky buttons—third-party USB controllers are recommended
  • Since using the new firmware you can swap the joystick ports by pressing a combination of buttons on the joystick or game controller.

User Experience

• Keyboard
  • Ultimate: authentic C64 layout with deep, firm keystrokes
  • Maxi: retro styling with PETSCII legends and a softer press
• Menu/UI
  • Ultimate: minimalist, direct BASIC prompt
  • Maxi: “carousel” game-selection menu—intuitive but adds slight menu lag, you can also set TheC64 to boot to the classic direct Basic prompt.
• Input Lag
  • The Maxi measures about 1–2 ms of lag, usually imperceptible in games; extra display lag can accumulate.
• Saving/Transfer
  • Ultimate: via MicroSD or USB
  • Maxi: USB-only (.d64/.crt files), no built-in file manager

Price-to-Performance

Annoying Physical Differences on TheC64 Maxi

• Only USB joystick support—no original DB-9 ports, so you need adapters.
• The stock controller feels cheap and prone to sticky buttons.
• No analog video output (HDMI-only at 720p), so you can’t hook it to CRTs or RGB mods.
• Power via micro-USB means you need a dedicated cable/adapter; it won’t boot from generic USB hubs.
• Switching PAL/NTSC resets to factory defaults—there’s no quick-select option in the menu.

Original storage peripherals compatibility

The Commodore 64 Ultimate hardware natively supports the following original C64 storage peripherals:

• Datasette port (6-pin edge connector) • Compatible with original tape drives such as the Commodore 1530 (C2N) and 1531
• IEC (disk drive) port (6-pin DIN) • Works with all stock floppy drives: 1541/1541-II, 1571, 1581 • Also supports any IEC-bus CBM/C64-compatible unit (e.g. 2040/4040, CMD series)
• Cartridge port • Runs all original cartridges (games, FastLoad, Action Replay, etc.) with 99%+ compatibility

The TheC64 (Mini/Maxi) in its stock form does not offer IEC or Datasette ports, so original disk and tape drives cannot be connected directly.

• USB mass storage
  • USB flash drives or external HDDs: load .d64, .tap, .crt files into the VICE emulator
• USB floppy drive (as a FAT device)
  • Physical 3.5″ PC floppies can be read, but only as FAT partitions — it won’t handle the GCR encoding used by original 1541 disks

Not supported:

• Original IEC-bus 1541/1571/1581 floppy drives
• Commodore 1530/1531 Datasette
• Any other CBM/C64-compatible analog storage peripheral

In summary, TheC64 only accepts USB-based image files (or FAT-based floppy media); it cannot natively read real disks or tapes.

You can decide but if you’re interested in the new Commodore 64 Ultimate and haven’t ordered it yet, you can do so here and now with some discounts: