New "8-Bit" Machines Arrive on FPGA

It’s not often we see new 8-bit micros appear, especially in 2025, but right now it almost feels like the mid-80s again.

We just had two major FPGA projects land: the Commodore 64 Ultimate and the ZX Spectrum Next Issue 3.

Both machines go far beyond the originals while staying true to them. They come in proper injection-molded cases with decent keyboards, use FPGA to recreate the hardware accurately, and include modern conveniences such as HDMI output, flash storage, and stable power supplies. They are, in many ways, the best possible replacements for the classics they emulate.

The Spectrum Next’s Kickstarter Success

The Spectrum Next has already been through two highly successful Kickstarters.

This third (and final?) campaign broke records again. It passed the first Kickstarter total in three hours and the second’s day-one performance in just five hours.

With over 10,000 units already in circulation, while there are still moneys to be collected, the Issue 3 seems ready to almost double that number. Certainly it will add juice to the third-party market with compatible machines such as the N-GO and the XBerry Pi.

And, yeah, I backed it this time (more on that later)

What’s New in the Issue 3

This revision isn’t just a re-run. There are some interesting updates and upgrades.

• Disk interface support: Earlier models couldn’t connect a disk interface due to missing signals on the expansion port. The Issue 3 restores those signals, which means real disks can now be used. For collectors and enthusiasts who have original media, that’s more of a big deal than you would think.
• Design tweaks: A translucent magenta case option has been added, opening the door for customisation such as internal LED lighting. Not my taste but the community really got on board with this one!
• Expanded cores: While I am sure KS1 compatibility will always be the priority, the upgraded FPGA allows for bigger and more advanced third-party cores. Beyond covering the full Spectrum range, the Issue 3 can also run as a Sinclair QL, a Commodore 64, the Amstrad CPC and the rare Sam Coupé, all thanks to stretch goals.

The C64??

One of the more surprising features is that the Spectrum Next Issue 3 ships with a licensed Commodore 64 core and official ROMs. This means it will run straight out of the box with no ROM file hunting or fiddling.

That said, there are limitations compared to something like Gideon’s Ultimate 64:

• The keyboard layout isn’t well-suited to C64 use. All keys are supported, but many require combos. An external PS2 keyboard is supported if you want a more natural experience.
• Cartridges are limited to 8K and 16K images. That covers much of the early C64 library, but excludes modern larger-format releases such as EasyFlash images up to 1MB.
• Disk images (D64) are supported, but true drive emulation isn’t confirmed. That could mean fast loaders and some copy-protected images may not work correctly.

For most users, it’s a bonus rather than a full replacement for a dedicated C64 solution. I don't think people backing a Speccy are going to mind, though!

Stretch Goals

The Kickstarter stretch goals includes games, cores, and other cool stuff:

---

Why Did I Back It?

I backed "board only", meaning I get a PCB (not even an SD card, I will need to download everything).

For anyone who missed out on earlier runs, the Issue 3 was compelling - it is the most capable version yet.

Even for people who have the first two, there was an upgrade available.

Issue 3 offers everything the Spectrum community could want, including some enhancements over using original hardware or emulation, for people who are not purists.

For me, even though I now have TheSpectrum and original machines, the Next is really interesting as a retro programming target, plus the addition of potentially real hardware support similar to my Ultimate C64 board is nice to have.