Which would you buy

[Jim Pez]

if you didn't own a commodore and wanted one would you get the vic 20 or c 64?

[carlsson]

Counted by size of games library, hardware capacities and overall documentation, the C64 obviously wins. But if I already got a 1983 era system and wanted to try something earlier, I would probably go with the VIC-20. While it was my first computer, it took nearly 10 years after I sold it that I realized I wanted one again.

 

It really is a difficult question to answer, since you have to weigh in how much one knows about each, what other systems one got, what would be the reasons to get either or ideally both.

[+OLD CS1]

I would go for the Commodore 64. BITD I got started with the VIC-20 but it did not satisfy my wants and needs and it was going "out of style" in the way my TI-99/4A had gone: limited main-stream support and commercial development. The VIC-20 had been supplanted by the technically superior Commodore 64 and I could still walk into a retail store up until around 1992 and buy C64 software off-the-shelf.

 

These days things have changed quite a bit. There is no major commercial development for either platform, stuff is not impossible to find, and pretty much all of the software that was available back then for purchase can be found on-line.

 

Though what is even more exciting is, lacking the pressures of a commercial environment and the march of progress, people are able to focus on squeezing even more from each platform, building upon decades of work of others in some cases.

 

While I appreciate the technically amazing things and cool things which have been done with the VIC-20, I find the complexity of the C64 still continues to yield far more interesting results.

[+save2600]

C64 for sure, no contest. Would go with a TI before a Vic-20 as well.

[Laner]

C64, hands down

[AMenard]

C64 also. The Vic was just an entry level machine anyway.

[BassGuitari]

Commodore 64. Kinda feel like that should be obvious for, like, a litany of reasons.

 

That's not a knock on the VIC-20, however. It's also a very fun and interesting system, and great to collect for (love those giant cartridges! ), with quite a number of unique or otherwise exclusive games. But comparing the two, you can clearly see it was a stepping stone. The VIC-20 is the Z95 Headhunter to the C64's X-Wing.

[Mr SQL]

Both are great machines, I have a C64 but I started out with a 4K machine bitd so I think the 5K VIC is pretty cool and I like the large text display you can read from across the room.

[norm8332]

Why not just get both? Both fun machines. The VIC can be expanded to 32K and some of the newest games are amazing. But of course the C64 is way more advanced in every way since it's newer and was more popular.

[danny_galaga]

I would say VIC 20 because that is what I coveted as a kid, but the C64 just has so much more scope for me (not that I have touched it much lately!)

[Zippy Zapp]

I started with a VIC and for us it was a learning machine and we bumped into the limits eventually and it was replaced in our house by a C64 less then 2 years later. So I would go for the C64 all the way. I can live without the VIC but not the 64.

[Bill Loguidice]

I recently got rid of 99% of my collection. Among the few systems I kept were two C-64s, one PAL, one NTSC, as well as a Commodore 128DCR. I let my VIC-20s go. I consider the C-64, along with a good Apple II and Atari 8-bit or two, absolute core systems for most vintage computer enthusiasts. They're just the right amount of power and versatility, as well as have phenomenal ecosystems around them that persist to this day.

[+OLD CS1]

I recently got rid of 99% of my collection. Among the few systems I kept were two C-64s, one PAL, one NTSC, as well as a Commodore 128DCR. I let my VIC-20s go. I consider the C-64, along with a good Apple II and Atari 8-bit or two, absolute core systems for most vintage computer enthusiasts. They're just the right amount of power and versatility, as well as have phenomenal ecosystems around them that persist to this day.

 

 

AMIIIIIIIIIGA!!!

[carlsson]

Bill: Wow on that you have trimmed down your collection so dramatically. Personally I would've gotten rid of the C128DCR and kept something else, probably a VIC-20 but that is how we differ.

[Bill Loguidice]

I will have a blog post on Armchair Arcade probably late this weekend detailing exactly what I kept and why, as well as before/after of the basement.

 

Basically, I wanted to focus on 8-bits. I didn't keep anything 16-bit+. Since I wanted to keep only a few platforms, something like the VIC-20 really didn't make the cut. The 128DCR had a few advantages to why I kept it, including its ability to run CP/M software. Versatility and minimalism is prized in my new setup.

[Nebulon]

C64 for sure.

[carlsson]

My VIC-20 can do this. It is enough for me to consider it a keeper.

 

(using a 40/80 column cartridge and plugging in both video outputs at the same time)

Edited January 11, 2018 by carlsson

[danny_galaga]

I recently got rid of 99% of my collection. Among the few systems I kept were two C-64s, one PAL, one NTSC, as well as a Commodore 128DCR. I let my VIC-20s go. I consider the C-64, along with a good Apple II and Atari 8-bit or two, absolute core systems for most vintage computer enthusiasts. They're just the right amount of power and versatility, as well as have phenomenal ecosystems around them that persist to this day.

 

Damn, that would have been hard to do! I can't imagine how I would go getting rid of all or most of my systems (all the rest are consoles), but I have decided lately that if I were to keep one system, it would be the C64 for much the same reasons. I haven't touched ANY of my systems lately due to other expensive distractions, but hopefully soon