## Chapter 1: Overview

The Commander X16 is a modern home computer in the philosophy of Commodore computers like the VIC-20 and the C64.

Features:

- 8-bit 65C02 CPU at 8 MHz
- 512 KB or 2 MB RAM
- 512 KB ROM
- VERA video controller
  - up to 640x480 resolution
  - 256 colors from a palette of 4096
  - 128 sprites
  - VGA, NTSC and RGB output
- three sound generators
  - Yamaha YM2151: 8 channels, FM synthesis
  - VERA PSG: 16 channels, 4 waveforms
  - VERA PCM: 48 kHz, 16 bit, stereo
- Connectivity:
  - PS/2 keyboard and mouse
  - 4 NES/SNES controllers
  - SD card
  - Commodore Serial Bus ("IEC")
  - many free GPIOs ("user port")

As a modern sibling of the line of Commodore home computers, the Commander X16 is reasonably compatible with computers of that line.

- Pure BASIC programs are fully backwards compatible with the VIC-20 and the C64.
- POKEs for video and audio are not compatible with any Commodore computer. (There are no VIC or SID chips, for example.)
- Pure machine language programs ($FF81+ KERNAL API) are compatible with Commodore computers.