The Commodore PET is unimpressive by modern standards, even if it was part of the "1977 Trinity" of legendary all-in-one systems that defined modern computing. It's a classic these days, considered quite rare, so when you see it being retrofitted with current-gen (well, relatively) hardware, it might seem sacrilegious. That's what this passionate Redditor has done to bring a Commodore PET 2001 to the 21st century.
Over on the r/pcmasterrace subreddit, user u/Kirkwood1994 posted their new custom PC build — only it wasn’t housed in a typical PC case, but rather a Commodore PET 2001 chassis. Don’t worry, they didn’t destroy a working unit for this; it was found “pre-gutted,” with no internals except for the keyboard, so it was almost asking to be repurposed. The modernized insides don’t look particularly neat, but who cares? They won’t be seen 99% of the time anyway, and more importantly, the keyboard still works.
It’s apparently wired up to a USB microcontroller, which is then connected to the motherboard, allowing it to function like any regular keyboard. Unlike the IBM units hobbyists chase these days, it’s worth noting that the Commodore PET’s chiclet-style keys were one of its clear downsides. Anyhow, the screen is also a repurposed Retina LCD from an old iPad, hooked up via a controller board. Somehow, the pictures show it running macOS, so we’re assuming it also acts as an external monitor.
(Image credit: u/Kirkwood1994 on Reddit)
In terms of hardware, this little Frankenstein is rocking an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, along with an OEM GTX 1060 and a 4 TB WD Black SSD. The modder was a bit light on details, so that’s all the info we have, but the pictures do reveal an EVGA power supply, a Corsair AIO liquid cooler, Noctua fans, and an Asus motherboard. So, it's a decently spec'd system from a few generations ago. Sure, the Commodore might be deserving of truly modern, flagship hardware, but it’s the effort that counts.
For what it’s worth, u/Kirkwood commented that they’ve ordered an open-air chassis that’ll be ground down at the edges to fit inside the Commodore. That should help keep things more organized inside, even though temperatures are already excellent, according to the post. Even if it’s a bit of a rat’s nest in there right now, the exterior appears to be in pristine condition and could easily fool anyone into thinking it’s a classic, retro all-in-one computer.
It’s a clever twist on the “restoration” trend, only here you walk away with an actually usable machine by the end, and not just a showpiece. Clearly, there's still some work to be done, but that's how all great projects evolve. For instance, we noticed that OP's Commodore PET was the model without the integrated tape drive, so perhaps adding that can tie the whole theme together.
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