RETRO #002
Apollo A6000 Unicorn: an Amiga with new ambitions
The Amiga as a computer
My interest in Amiga successors goes beyond starting a favorite game. I also want that complete-computer feeling: keyboard, desktop, mouse and room to experiment. The Apollo A6000 Unicorn is an interesting candidate for this side of retrocomputing.
A new heart in a familiar case
Apollo presents an A600-inspired case with a mechanical keyboard in the Amiga layout. Inside are an Apollo 68080 processor core, 2 GB of Fast RAM and SAGA/RTG graphics. The manufacturer lists a preinstalled ApolloOS system and supplied peripherals.
What FPGA means here
The Apollo processor is implemented as a hardware design in a programmable chip. It builds on the 68k instruction set and adds extensions such as AMMX. Software must use those extensions to benefit from them; a familiar architecture alone does not settle every compatibility question.
What makes it interesting to me
The idea of a modern, integrated Amiga-style desktop is the attraction. I’d like to see how everyday Workbench-style use, creative applications and my favorite games fit together on it. For my own comparison, the working A500 remains the familiar reference point. I’m following the A6000 as a project with room to grow; this introduction records the concept and manufacturer specifications.
Manufacturers & project sources
Specifications reflect the information available on the publication date.