Amiga 2000

Released: March 1987 Original Price: $1,495

Gallery

Amiga 2000 computer
Amiga 2000 computer The professional Amiga 2000 with its expandable desktop case and Zorro II expansion slots.
A2000 internals
A2000 internals The spacious interior showing the Zorro II expansion slots and CPU expansion area.
Workbench 1.3
Workbench 1.3 The Amiga 2000 running Workbench 1.3 with multiple applications.

Amiga 2000

“The Amiga 2000 was the machine that made professionals take the Amiga seriously. It had the power, the expandability, and the professional look that businesses demanded. It wasn’t just a toy—it was a serious tool that happened to be fun.” - R.J. Mical, Amiga Developer

The Amiga 2000 (A2000) was a high-end, expandable personal computer released by Commodore in 1987. Designed for business and professional use, it offered the same advanced multimedia capabilities as the Amiga 500 but in a desktop case with expansion slots, making it suitable for serious applications in video production, desktop publishing, and software development. The A2000 became particularly popular in the video production industry, especially when paired with the Video Toaster.

The Professional’s Amiga

The A2000 was developed alongside the A500 to provide an expandable, professional alternative to the all-in-one A500. It was the first Amiga to feature the Zorro II expansion bus, which allowed for a wide range of third-party expansions.

Key Features

  • Zorro II Expansion: Seven 16-bit expansion slots
  • Processor Slot: For CPU upgrades
  • PC Bridgeboard: Optional 8088/80286/80386 expansion
  • Larger Case: Room for multiple drives and expansions
  • Professional I/O: SCSI, serial, parallel, and RGB outputs

Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications

CPU
Motorola 68000 @ 7.16 MHz (NTSC) / 7.09 MHz (PAL)
Memory
1 MB Chip RAM (expandable to 8MB), 512 KB ROM (Kickstart 1.2/1.3/2.04)
Graphics
OCS/ECS (Original/Chip Set) - 320×256 to 640×512, 12-bit color (4096 colors), 6-bit RGB output
Sound
Paula - 4 channels (2 stereo), 8-bit resolution, 28.9 kHz maximum sample rate
Storage
3.5" DD floppy drive (880 KB), internal hard drive bay
Ports
RGB, composite, RF, 2× mouse/joystick, parallel, serial, floppy, audio, SCSI (with expansion), PC expansion
Operating System
AmigaOS 1.2/1.3/2.04 (Kickstart/Workbench)

Design and Expansion

Case and Form Factor

  • Desktop Design: Professional beige case
  • Drive Bays: Two 5.25” and one 3.5” external
  • Expansion Slots: Seven Zorro II, one video slot, one processor slot
  • Power Supply: 135W with international voltage support

Zorro II Expansion

  • Auto-configuration: Plug-and-play expansion cards
  • Bandwidth: Up to 7 MB/s
  • Cards Available: SCSI controllers, network cards, graphics cards, sound cards

CPU Upgrades

  • Processor Slot: For 68020/68030/68040/68060 accelerators
  • FPU Support: Optional floating-point unit
  • MMU: Memory management unit for Unix-like OSes

The A2000 Experience

For Video Production

  • Video Toaster: Professional video editing
  • LightWave 3D: 3D modeling and animation
  • NewTek Digi-View: Frame grabbing
  • Video Titler: Professional titling

For Graphic Design

  • Deluxe Paint IV: Professional graphics
  • Art Department: Desktop publishing
  • ImageFX: Advanced image editing
  • Photogenics: Photo retouching

For Business

  • WordPerfect: Word processing
  • Final Calc: Spreadsheet
  • Final Writer: Word processor
  • Datastore: Database

Technical Deep Dive

Motherboard Revisions

  1. Rev 4.x: Original release (1987)
  2. Rev 6.x: Minor updates (1988)
  3. Rev 6.2: Enhanced Chip Set (ECS) (1990)
  4. Rev 8.x: Final revision with 2MB Chip RAM

Memory Architecture

  • Chip RAM: Up to 2MB (8MB with expansion)
  • Fast RAM: Up to 8MB on CPU card
  • ROM: 256KB or 512KB Kickstart
  • Auto-config RAM: For expansion cards

Video System

  • Resolutions: 320×200 to 640×512
  • Color Depth: 12-bit (4096 colors)
  • Display Modes: Lores, Hires, SuperHires, HAM
  • Outputs: RGB, composite, RF (with modulator)

The A2000 Legacy

Commercial Success

  • Markets: Strong in video production and education
  • Longevity: In production until 1991
  • Successor: Amiga 3000 (1990)

Why It Stood Out

  • Expandability: Zorro II bus
  • Professional Use: Video and graphics
  • Reliability: Industrial-grade components
  • Community: Strong developer support

Collector’s Item

  • Desirability: High among professionals
  • Price Range: $300-$2000+
  • Rarity: Some expansion cards are rare

Notable Software

Video Production

  • Video Toaster
  • LightWave 3D
  • NewTek Digi-View
  • Aegis VideoScape 3D

Graphics

  • Deluxe Paint IV
  • ImageFX
  • Photogenics
  • TV Paint

Productivity

  • WordPerfect
  • Final Writer
  • Final Calc
  • Datastore

Technical Notes for Enthusiasts

Common Issues

  • Battery Leakage: On clock battery
  • Capacitors: May need replacement
  • Floppy Drive: Mechanical issues
  • Power Supply: Can fail after decades

Modern Upgrades

  • Accelerators: 68030/68040/68060
  • RAM: Up to 128MB Fast RAM
  • Storage: CF/SD cards
  • Video: RTG graphics cards
  • Networking: Ethernet adapters

The A2000 Today

Emulation

  • WinUAE: Most accurate emulation
  • FS-UAE: Cross-platform
  • Amiga Forever: Commercial package

Collecting

  • Price Range: $500-$3000+
  • Sought-After: A2000 with Video Toaster
  • Rarity: Some expansions are rare

Community

  • Forums: Amiga.org, EAB
  • Events: Amiga34, Amiga Ireland
  • Development: New hardware/software

Did You Know?

  • The A2000 was used to create the special effects for “Babylon 5”
  • NASA used A2000s for real-time 3D graphics
  • The A2000 was popular in TV stations for character generation
  • Some A2000s are still in professional use today
  • The A2000’s case was designed to match the Commodore 128D
  • Featured in the movie “The Dead Pool” (1988)
  • Used by artist Andy Warhol
  • Appeared in “Max Headroom” TV series
  • Used for weather graphics on CNN