Commodore 128D

Commodore's desktop revision of the C128, released with a built-in 1571 drive and a detached keyboard, officially announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 1987

The Commodore 128D was introduced as a repackaged, business-oriented variant of the C128, featuring a detached keyboard and a console integrating a built-in 5¼" disk drive¹⁶. Marketed as "one of the best performing, most versatile microcomputers available at any price," it retained the tri-mode functionality of its predecessor: native C128 mode, C64 compatibility, and CP/M Plus Version 3.0 operation¹⁴. The machine shipped with 128K of user memory, expandable to 640K¹⁶⁸, and included built-in BASIC 7.0 alongside advanced sound capabilities¹⁴. Its display supported both 40- and 80-column output, with the latter requiring an RGBI or monochrome monitor¹⁴⁶⁸, and it delivered 16-color graphics⁴.

The 128D integrated a FAST 1571-compatible 5¼" disk drive directly into the system unit, a consolidation intended to streamline setup and reduce cable clutter¹⁶⁹. This configuration, known in German documentation as the "Blechversion" (sheet metal version), reportedly included numerous electronic modifications compared to earlier C128 and 1571 designs³. However, these changes introduced complications: the earlier revision of the 128D was described in contemporary reports as "ein Problemkind," a problem child, due to software compatibility issues³. A later hardware revision, labeled "128D (Blech)," was distinguished from the "old" 128D in software support listings, suggesting non-trivial differences in system behavior¹³.

Priced at a suggested retail of $599.95 in the U.S., with a promotional price of $459.95¹⁶⁸, and announced at $550 during its January 1987 CES unveiling¹⁶, the 128D targeted users seeking an all-in-one productivity machine. In the UK, it listed at £399.95⁷, though some retailers advertised it at £439.00⁵ or £379.00 as a "Desktop (NEW)" model⁷; a bundle with monitor reached £489.00⁵. Danish pricing appeared as 6495 DKK¹⁵. Accessories included specific covers: part 78839 for the keyboard and 78849 for the CPU¹², alongside the general C128 cover (part 66275)¹².

Software support reflected its hybrid ambitions. The desktop publishing package NEWS MAKER 128 explicitly supported the 128D in its native 80-column mode, requiring a mouse and RGB monitor, and optionally leveraging a 1750 REU and 1581 disk drive¹²¹⁰¹². The Das sensationelle Grafiksystem suite confirmed compatibility across C128 variants, including the "Blech" and older 128D models¹³. Despite these efforts, internal documentation from Commodore Germany reportedly dismissed the new 128D as "ein weiteres Beispiel dafür, wie die Produktpolitik einer Firma nicht aussehen sollte," another example of how a company’s product policy should not look³.

References

1. TheEverythingBookForCommodoreAndAmigaComputerssummer1989 (1989)
2. TheEverythingBookForCommodoreAndAmigaComputersholidayEdition
3. Archive item #64er198803
4. CommodoreBuyersGuideVol3
5. Your Commodore Issue 30 Mar 87
6. TheEverythingBookForCommodoreComputersfall1988 (1988)
7. Your Commodore Issue 38 Nov 87
8. TheEverythingBookForCommodoreComputerswinterspring1989 (1989)
9. TheEverythingBookForCommodore64128summer1988 (1988)
10. TheEverythingBookForCommodoreAmigaComputersholidayEdition1989 (1989)
11. RUN (1986) Nr 03 (Marts) (1986)
12. TheEverythingBookForCommodoreAmigaComputerssummer1991 (1991)
13. 64er.N59.1989.02-archive (1989)
14. 1989 03 BYTE 14-03 Mac Supplement 286 vs 386sx Object Oriented Programming (1989)
15. COMputer (1987) Nr 02 (29 Januar - 25 Februar) (1987)
16. TIBUG-1996-03-04 (1996)