PET 2001-N

First check out the PET 2001 entry for more general information on Commodore PET computers.

The success of the original PET 2001 astounded even Commodore. Resellers were begging to stock them, and it was all Commodore could do to keep up with demand. Commodore answered this demand within the year with a new revision of the PET 2001. These revisions feature a sturdier construction, a full typewriter quality keyboard with a numeric keypad, and newer versions of Commodore BASIC. Internally, Commodore designed a new motherboard with less expensive and more reliable components. The upgrade also allowed Commodore to offer better memory options. The original 2001 only comes 4k, and 8k options. The newer 2001 series offers 8k, 16k, and 32k options. Shown here is a PET 2001N-32. The 'N' refers to the "Normal" graphic keyboard. 'B' models have a "Business" keyboard.

Since the BASIC language was also the main user interface, the computer as a whole improved in usability and power with each upgrade of the BASIC language environment. The bugs found in the original BASIC 1.0 were fixed as version 2.0 eventually gave way to BASIC 3.0 and finally BASIC 4.0. The 8k PET 2001N-8 shown here comes with BASIC 2.0, while the 32k version above has BASIC 4.0.

Like the other Commodore PETs, these machines come with a full-sized QWERTY keyboard, 40 column screen, two Datasette ports for connecting a tape drive, a fully programmable parallel user port, and a IEEE-488 port for connecting disk drives, printers, and modems. Shown here is the 2001N-16.