KB10002: Amiga 500, 1000, and 2000 Overview

Amiga 1000

The A1000 was the first Amiga, released in 1985. It used a Motorola 68000 CPU and shipped with 256 KB RAM, expandable internally or via slots. The machine ran a preemptive multitasking OS from ROM and featured advanced graphics and sound for its era. The case included a storage area under the keyboard for the mouse. NTSC and PAL variants were produced. Production ended around 1987.

Amiga 500

The A500 launched in 1987 and became Commodore's best-selling Amiga, especially in Europe. It packaged the same 68000 and chipset as the A1000 in a smaller, more affordable case. It offered multitasking and strong color graphics at a time when many competitors were still monochrome. The A500 was widely used for gaming and creative work. The A500 Plus variant followed with updated chips. Production ran into the early 1990s.

Amiga 2000

The A2000 was the desktop model with internal expansion. It introduced the Zorro II bus for add-in cards. Hard drive–equipped versions were sold as A2000HD. The A2000 appealed to users who needed slots for video cards, accelerators, or other upgrades.

Common Restoration Notes

Battery leakage on the A500 and A2000 is a major concern; internal batteries can corrode the board if left unchecked. Chip creep—chips working loose from sockets over time—affects many Amigas; reseating chips often resolves odd behavior. Capacitors age and may need replacement. The floppy drive mechanism requires cleaning and lubrication. Check power supply output before use; some units run hot and can drift out of spec.