Amiga 4000

Released: October 1992 Original Price: $3,699

Gallery

Amiga 4000 desktop computer The powerful Amiga 4000 with its distinctive desktop case and built-in keyboard tray.

A4000 motherboard The A4000's advanced motherboard with 68040 CPU and Zorro III expansion slots.

A4000 running Workbench Workbench 3.0 on the Amiga 4000, showing the advanced multitasking environment.

Amiga 4000 (A4000)

“The A4000 was Commodore’s answer to the growing power of PCs and Macs. It combined the raw power of the 68040 with the Amiga’s custom chipset, creating a machine that was years ahead of its time in multimedia capabilities. It was the ultimate Amiga, and for many of us, it represented the pinnacle of what Commodore could achieve.” - Dave Haynie, Commodore Engineer

The Amiga 4000 (A4000) was a high-end personal computer and workstation released by Commodore in October 1992. As the successor to the Amiga 3000, the A4000 was the most powerful Amiga model in the desktop form factor, featuring the Motorola 68040 processor, the Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA) chipset, and the AmigaOS 3.0 operating system. It was designed for professional users in fields such as video production, graphic design, and 3D rendering, offering performance that often surpassed contemporary PCs and Macs in multimedia applications.

The Ultimate Amiga Desktop

The A4000 represented the culmination of Commodore’s Amiga line, combining raw processing power with the Amiga’s legendary multimedia capabilities. It was designed to compete with high-end workstations while maintaining compatibility with the vast library of Amiga software.

Key Features

Motorola 68040 CPU: 25 MHz with FPU and MMU
AmigaOS 3.0: Enhanced operating system with Workbench 3.0
AGA Chipset: Advanced Graphics Architecture with 24-bit color
Zorro III Bus: 32-bit expansion architecture
SCSI-2 Interface: For fast storage devices
Built-in Flicker Fixer: For VGA monitors

Technical Specifications

CPU: Motorola 68040 @ 25 MHz (68030 in A4000/030)
Memory: 2 MB Chip RAM (expandable to 18 MB), 2 MB Fast RAM (expandable to 128 MB), 1 MB ROM
Graphics: AGA (Advanced Graphics Architecture) - 1280×512, 256 colors from 16.8 million (HAM8: 262,144 colors)
Sound: Paula - 4× 8-bit PCM channels, 28 kHz stereo
Storage: 120 MB SCSI-2 hard drive, 3.5" HD floppy drive (1.76 MB)
Ports: SCSI-2, SCSI-1, 2× RS-232, RS-422, Centronics, 2× mouse/joystick, audio in/out, video out, floppy
Operating System: AmigaOS 3.0 (Kickstart 3.0/Workbench 3.0)

Design and Features

Case Design

Form Factor: Desktop with built-in keyboard tray
**Dimensions”: 48.3 × 37.5 × 14.6 cm (19 × 14.75 × 5.75 in)
**Weight”: 13.6 kg (30 lb)
**Color”: Beige with dark gray accents
**Keyboard”: Full-size with numeric keypad

Expansion

**Zorro III Slots”: 4× 32-bit expansion slots
**Processor Slot”: For CPU upgrades
**Video Slot”: For graphics cards
**Memory Slots”: 4× 30-pin SIMM slots (up to 128 MB)
**Internal Bays”: 1× 5.25" and 2× 3.5" drive bays

Storage

**Hard Drive”: 120 MB SCSI-2 (upgradeable)
**Floppy Drive”: 3.5" HD (1.76 MB)
**External SCSI”: For additional drives
**Tape Backup”: Optional SCSI tape drive

The A4000 Experience

For Professionals

**Video Production”: Video Toaster 4000
**Graphic Design”: Professional DTP and CAD
**3D Rendering”: LightWave 3D and Imagine
**Audio Production”: ProTracker and OctaMED

For Enthusiasts

**Gaming”: AGA-enhanced titles
**Demo Scene”: High-end demos
**Collecting”: Ultimate Amiga experience
**Upgrading”: Extensive expansion options

Operating System

**Workbench 3.0”: Improved GUI
**AROS”: Modern open-source alternative
**NetBSD”: Unix-like operating system

Technical Deep Dive

CPU and Memory

**68040 Processor”: 25 MHz with MMU and FPU
**Cache”: 4 KB data, 4 KB instruction
**Memory Bus”: 32-bit, 25 MHz
**Fast RAM”: Up to 128 MB
**Chip RAM”: 2 MB (upgradeable to 18 MB)
**ROM”: 1 MB (Kickstart 3.0)

Graphics System

**Chipset”: Advanced Graphics Architecture (AGA)
**Resolutions”:
- 320×200 to 1280×512 (interlaced)
- 640×400 to 1280×512 (productivity)
**Colors”:
- 256 colors from 16.8 million (8-bit)
- 262,144 colors (HAM8)
- 4,096 colors (Hires Lace)
**Copper”: Programmable video controller
**Blitter”: Fast graphics operations
**Sprite Support”: 8 sprites per line

Audio System

**Paula Chip”: 4× 8-bit PCM channels
**Sample Rate”: Up to 28 kHz
**Stereo Output”: 2× RCA phono
**Input”: Stereo audio in
**Filtering”: Programmable audio filters

The A4000 Legacy

Commercial Performance

**Release”: October 1992
**Discontinuation”: 1994 (Commodore’s bankruptcy)
**Price”: $3,699 (without monitor)
**Successor”: Amiga 4000T

Why It Succeeded

**Professional Build”: High-quality components
**Expandability”: Zorro III bus
**Performance”: Fastest Amiga of its time
**Software”: Professional applications

Collector’s Item

**Rarity”: Becoming increasingly rare
**Price Range”: $1,000-$10,000+
**Sought-After Items”:
- Boxed systems
- Original monitors
- Accelerator cards
- Video Toaster 4000

Notable Software

Professional

**LightWave 3D”: 3D rendering
**Video Toaster 4000”: Video production
**Deluxe Paint IV”: Graphics
**PageStream”: Desktop publishing
**AMOS Professional”: Programming

Games

**Alien Breed 3D”: First-person shooter
**Gloom”: 3D shooter
**Super Stardust”: Space shooter
**Worms”: Strategy game

Demos

**9 Fingers”: By Spaceballs
**State of the Art”: By Spaceballs
**Hardwired”: By Crionics & The Silents

Technical Notes for Enthusiasts

Common Issues

**Battery Leakage”: Damages motherboard
**Capacitors”: May need replacement
**SCSI Termination”: Can cause issues
**Floppy Drive”: May need cleaning

Restoration Tips

**Recap Power Supply”: Replace old capacitors
**Clean Contacts”: On expansion cards
**Battery Removal”: Prevent leakage
**Case Retrobrighting”: Restore yellowed plastic

Modern Upgrades

**CPU Accelerators”: 68060 upgrades
**Graphics Cards”: Picasso IV
**Memory”: SIMM to DIMM adapters
**Storage”: SCSI to SD/CF adapters
**Networking”: Ethernet cards
**RTG”: ReTargetable Graphics

The A4000 Today

Emulation

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

Community

**Forums”: Amiga.org, English Amiga Board
**User Groups”: Local meetups
**Preservation”: Hardware and software

Uses

**Retro Computing”: Classic Amiga experience
**Art”: Demoscene productions
**Education”: Computer history
**Music”: Tracker music

Did You Know?

The A4000 was used to create special effects for “Babylon 5”
Some A4000s were used in television studios for character generation
The A4000’s case was designed by design firm IDEO
A tower version (A4000T) was produced in limited quantities
The A4000 was used by NASA for visualization

The A4000 in Popular Culture

Featured in the movie “The Lawnmower Man”
Appeared in the TV show “Max Headroom”
Mentioned in the book “Commodore: A Company on the Edge”
The subject of YouTube restoration videos