Acorn RISC machines

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RISC Machines
Acorn Archimedes A3000 Computer Main Unit.jpg
Developer Acorn
Type Computers
Release date 1987
Predecessor BBC Micro
Emulated

The Acorn Archimedes is a family of personal computers designed by Acorn Computers Ltd in Cambridge, England. The systems are based on Acorn's own ARM architecture processors and proprietary operating system RISC OS. The first model was introduced in 1987, and systems in the Archimedes family were sold until the mid-1990s.

ARM's RISC design, a 32-bit CPU (using 26-bit addressing), running at 8 MHz, was stated as achieving 4.5+ MIPS, which provided a significant upgrade from 8-bit home computers, such as Acorn's previous machines. Claims of being the fastest micro in the world and running at 18 MIPS were also made during tests.

The first models were named "BBC Archimedes", yet the name "Acorn Archimedes" is commonly used to describe any of Acorn's contemporary designs based on the same architecture.

Archimedes

Name Platform(s) Latest Version FLOSS Active Recommended
PC / x86
Arculator Windows Linux 2.0
ArcEm Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD AmigaOS RiscOS 1.50
VirtualRPC Windows macOS ? TBD [N 1]
MAME Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD 0.264
  1. Requires purchase.

RISC PC / A7000

Name Platform(s) Latest Version FLOSS Active Recommended
PC / x86
RPCEmu Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD 0.9.3
VirtualRPC Windows macOS ? TBD [N 1]
MAME Windows Linux macOS FreeBSD 0.264
  1. Requires purchase.