In the latest video from The 8 Bit Theory channel, the host dives deep into two of the most talked-about 8-bit retro computer projects in the Commodore community: the Commander X16 and the MEGA65 Core. Both systems aim to capture the magic of classic computing while embracing modern technology, but how do they really stack up against each other?
To break it all down, the video compares them across six key categories:
- Hardware – What’s under the hood?
- Software – What can you actually run on these machines?
- How Modern Are They? – Do they stay true to the 8-bit spirit or lean toward modern computing?
- Nostalgia – Which one feels more like stepping back into the golden age of computing?
- Price – What’s the cost of embracing retro computing?
- For the Gamer, the Programmer, and the Tinkerer – Who gets the most out of each system?
One key aspect left out of the discussion is the FPGA side of things. Rather than focusing on the general flexibility of FPGA-based systems, The 8 Bit Theory keeps the spotlight on how each project fulfills the original vision of the Commodore 65—a machine that never officially made it to market but left behind a dream that developers and enthusiasts continue to chase.
