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Chiropractor's Nightmare.

Heralding from a time when mobile phones were monster sized lumps with giant whip aerials and perms were in fashion, there was a little computer you may have heard of selling like hotcakes and Commodore figured they could sell even more by targeting it at the yuppie market.

So what do you get when you take the Commodore 64, wedge it in a box with a tiny colour CRT and a 1541? The SX-64 Executive Computer, the world's first colour portable computer.

Specifications

MOS Technology 6510 @ 1MHz

64KB RAM

170KB 5.25" floppy drive (1541)

MOS Technology 6769 VIC-II

MOS Technology 6581 SID

5" colour CRT display

Commodore BASIC 2.0

Unique features

That 5" CRT. It's small enough you could miss it, big enough it's actually significantly more usable than you'd expect. The cartridge port is on top of the machine, making using cartridge titles easier than a regular Commodore 64.

The keyboard, although technically of the same design, feels better in use than a regular Commodore 64 too. It connects with a D-Sub cable to a port underneath the computer. DO NOT LOSE THIS CABLE.

The handle on the SX-64 has locks allowing it to be used as both a carry handle and as a stand to change the height and angle of the display without it slipping.

Personal history

A unicorn caught. Since first seeing pictures of one in primary school, I'd lusted for the 10kg lump that is the luggable 64. Dreamed of one. Knew it was really just a 64 with funny startup colours and a whacky form factor, desired it anyway.

They come up for sale in NZ from time to time, usually trading for a few thousand dollars.

So many, many years later, while doing a job at a client's house, I look down and notice a weird old silver box leaning against the desk. I recognize the black stripe down the side. "Noooo, no way..."

Yes way. Old mate had an SX-64 casually sitting next to his desk. He referred to it as his 'laptop' and said "Nope I'm never gonna sell it, it's dear to me, it'll go to the grave with me!"

Every time we had a job for that client from then on, I'd always do it myself and grill him about the SX-64, but he wouldn't budge. Then in 2017, not long before I left that job, he came into the shop. "Are you serious about wanting my old laptop? If you are, just come over after work and bring whatever cash you have"

I took it home for 200 NZD. I basically robbed the guy. It wasn't running, it needed a new PLA and a new SID (surprise!) but with those changed, the thing runs good. It gets exercised periodically because as I'm sure anyone reading knows... excessive beers and Commodore 64 games go hand in hand!