Acorn Archimedes
Archimedes 400/1 | |
| Developer | Acorn Computers |
|---|---|
| Type | Personal computer |
| Release date | June 1987 |
| Introductory price | £799–£2299 (circa £2800–£8200 today) |
| Discontinued | Mid-1990s |
| Operating system | RISC OS or RISC iX |
| CPU | ARM |
| Memory | 512 KB–16 MB |
| Display | 1152x864 monochrome, 640x512 in 16 colors, 640x256 in 256 colors |
| Graphics | VIDC1 |
| Sound | VIDC1 8 channels, 8-bit, stereo |
| Predecessor | BBC Micro |
| Successor | A7000, Risc PC |
The Acorn Archimedes is a family of personal computers designed by Acorn Computers of Cambridge, England. The systems in this family use Acorn's own ARM architecture processors and initially ran the Arthur operating system, with later models introducing RISC OS and, in a separate workstation range, RISC iX. The first Archimedes models were introduced in 1987, and systems in the Archimedes family were sold until the mid-1990s alongside Acorn's newer Risc PC and A7000 models.
The first Archimedes models, featuring a 32-bit ARM2 RISC CPU running at 8 MHz, provided a significant upgrade from Acorn's previous machines and 8-bit home computers in general. Acorn's publicity claimed a performance rating of 4 MIPS. Later models featured the ARM3 CPU, delivering a substantial performance improvement, and the first ARM system-on-a-chip, the ARM250.
The Archimedes preserves a degree of compatibility with Acorn's earlier machines, offering BBC BASIC, support for running 8-bit applications, and display modes compatible with those earlier machines. Following on from Acorn's involvement with the BBC Micro, two of the first models—the A305 and A310—were given the BBC branding.
The name "Acorn Archimedes" is commonly used to describe any of Acorn's contemporary designs based on the same architecture. This architecture can be broadly characterised as involving the ARM CPU and the first generation chipset consisting of MEMC (MEMory Controller), VIDC (VIDeo and sound Controller) and IOC (Input Output Controller).