Commodore outs Linux-running Amiga Mini desktop

Poor man's Mac Mini?

By Tony Smith, 22nd March 2012

Commodore's Amiga OS was rapidly out-evolved by the Mac OS, and the latest Amiga hardware seems caught behind the Apple curve too.

Enter the Commodore Amiga Mini, a squat, compact desktop PC that owes its looks to the Mac Mini - of three years ago. Like 2009's Mac Mini, its footprint is 197 x 197mm square, and it's 75mm tall.

Amiga Mini...

...and Apple inspiration?

If the design is a tad old fashioned, the spec isn't: this boy packs a 3.5GHz Intel Core i702700K CPU, Nvidia GeForce GT 430 graphics with 1GB of VRam, HDMI and DisplayPort output, SuperSpeed USB 3.0 support, a Blu-ray drive, and 2x2 802.11n Wi-Fi.

300GB and 600GB SSDs are expensive options, or you can settle for a cheaper 1TB hard drive. Commodore USA - the latest of many owners of the brand - wants $345 (£218) for a barebones unit or $2495 (£1579) for a fully kitted out unit. Ouch.

If you want something a bit less Maccy, the Amiga Mini is also available in black. Shipping worldwide is free.

And the OS is… Amiga OS. Actually, no it isn't. It's Commodore OS Vision, a version of Linux tweaked for a retro feel. You can download it separately for a look-see from Commodore USA's website. ®

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Highly Rated

Posted Thursday 22nd March 2012 12:34 GMT

Nuno trancoso

Re: Gave up reading at

Almost same here. Next time reviewer wants to take stabs at iconic things, at least get freaking facts straight.

The last REAL Amiga is the A4000 circa 1992. Apple hardware of said time would have been a Quadra 900.

As far as OS goes, comparing AOS3x to System 7, sigh, you'd have had to use both to understand how vastly inferior Apples junk was...

As far as HW goes, Amiga did get 060's from 3rd party that made the 040's in Quadras look like snails on valium. That's why many a "Mac lover" back then bought Amigas and jammed Shapeshifter/Fusion on them. That was virtualization beeing done back in the days... Also cheaper to buy a fully kitted Amiga and a "dead Mac to nick ROM from" than to buy Apples overpriced stuff.

So, get your facts straight. The junk you're reviewing is some PC of sorts, whether it's good or bad is of no relevance to the Amiga line. Just slapping the brand on a box makes not said box an Amiga...

Posted Thursday 22nd March 2012 12:26 GMT

Lamont Cranston