VIC-20
| Manufacturer | Commodore Business Machines |
|---|---|
| Type | Home computer |
| Release date | Japan: 1980, Worldwide: 1981 |
| Lifespan | 5 years |
| Introductory price | US$299.95 (equivalent to $1,040 in 2024) |
| Discontinued | January 1985 |
| Units sold | 2.5 million |
| Operating system | Commodore KERNAL Commodore BASIC 2.0 |
| CPU | MOS Technology 6502 @ 1.108 MHz (PAL) @ 1.02 MHz (NTSC) |
| Memory | 20 KB ROM + 5 KB (3.5 KB free) RAM (expandable to 32 KB) 3.5 KB for BASIC (expandable to 27.5 KB) |
| Storage | Compact Cassette, floppy disk |
| Display | Commodore 1701; 176 × 184, 16-color composite palette |
| Graphics | MOS Technology VIC |
| Sound | MOS Technology VIC; 1 noise and 3 square channels |
| Successor | Commodore 64, MAX Machine |
The VIC-20 (known as the VC-20 in Germany and the VIC-1001 in Japan) is an 8-bit entry level home computer that was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET. The VIC-20 was the first computer of any description to sell one million units, eventually reaching 2.5 million. It was described as "one of the first anti-spectatorial, non-esoteric computers by design...no longer relegated to hobbyist/enthusiasts or those with money, the computer Commodore developed was the computer of the future."