Acorn Archimedes 305

 Home > Browse Our Collection > Computers > Acorn Computers > Acorn Archimedes 305
 

The Acorn Archimedes was Acorn Computers Ltd's first general purpose home computer based on their own 32-bit ARM RISC CPU. The name is also commonly used to describe computers which were based on the same architecture, even where Acorn did not include 'Archimedes' in the official name.

The first models were released in June 1987, as the 300 and 400 series. The 400 series included 4 expansion slots (although a 2 slot backplane could be added to the 300 series as an official upgrade, and third parties produced their own 4 slot backplanes) and an ST506 controller for an internal hard drive. Both models included the Arthur OS (later replaced by RISC OS as a paid-for upgrade), BBC BASIC and an emulator for Acorn's earlier BBC Micro, and were mounted in two-part cases with a small central unit, monitor on top, and a separate keyboard and three-button mouse. All models featured onboard 8 channel stereo sound and were capable of displaying 256 colours on screen.

Four models were initially released with different amounts of memory, the A305, A310, A410 and A440. The 300 and 400 were followed by a number of machines with minor changes and upgrades:

The Archimedes A305 is the same as the A310, but with only 0.5MB RAM instead of the 1MB RAM in the A310

This model is the 305 (Serial No. 27-AKB10-1002793 which was kindly donated by Derek Tate together with software and manuals

 

 

Manufacturer: Acorn
Date: 1987



Comment on This Page

Magazines RELATED to Acorn Archimedes 305 in our Library

Item Manufacturer Date
Personal Computer World - August 1987 1 Aug 1987
Archive - Vol 1, No 1 - October 1987 Norwich Computer Services Oct 1987
Archive - Vol 1, No 2 - November 1987 Norwich Computer Services Nov 1987
Archive - Vol 1, No 3 - December 1987 Norwich Computer Services Dec 1987
Archive - Vol 1, No 4 - January 1988 Norwich Computer Services Jan 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 5 - February 1988 Norwich Computer Services Jan 1988
Byte January 1988 Jan 1988
Personal Computer World - January 1988 1 Jan 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 6 - March 1988 Norwich Computer Services Mar 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 7 - April 1988 Norwich Computer Services Apr 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 8 - May 1988 Norwich Computer Services May 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 9 - June 1988 Norwich Computer Services Jun 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 10 - July 1988 Norwich Computer Services Jul 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 11 - August 1988 Norwich Computer Services Aug 1988
Archive - Vol 1, No 12 - September 1988 Norwich Computer Services Sep 1988
Personal Computer World - January 1989 1 Jan 1989
PC World Focus March 1989 Number 1 Personal Computer World Mar 1989
Personal Computer World - March 1989 1 Mar 1989
Personal Computer World - April 1989 1 Apr 1989
Acorn - Higher Education News 2 - Summer 1989 Acorn Computers Limited May 1989
Personal Computer World - July 1989 Jul 1989
Personal Computer World - November 1989 1 Nov 1989
Personal Computer World - February 1990 1 Feb 1990

Other Systems Related To Acorn Archimedes 305:

Item Manufacturer Date
Acorn NetStation Proton Xavier Acorn Computers Unknown
Acorn 6502 Microcomputer Board Acorn Computers Ltd 1979
Acorn System 1 Acorn Computers March 1979
Acorn System 1 Acorn Computers Ltd March 1979
Acorn System 1 (Chris Turner) Acorn Computers Ltd March 1979
Acorn System 3 Acorn 1980
Acorn Atom (Blue Box) Acorn 1980
Acorn Atom (White Box) Acorn 1980
Black Acorn Atom Acorn January 1980
Acorn BBC Micro Model A (Issue 2 Board) Acorn Computers Ltd 1981
Acorn BBC Micro Model A - Issue 1 Acorn 1981
Acorn BBC Micro Model B Hong Kong Acorn 1981
Acorn BBC Micro Model A Acorn 1981
Acorn BBC Micro Model B Acorn 1981
Busicomputers Prophet 3 Acorn Computers Ltd 1982
Acorn System 4 Acorn Computers Ltd 1982
German BBC Micro (GNB09) Acorn 1982
Busicomputers Prophet 2 Acorn 1983
Acorn Cambridge Workstation Acorn 1983
Acorn Business Computer (ABC) (Prototype) Acorn Computers 1983
Acorn System 5 Acorn Computers Ltd 1983
Acorn Business Computer (ABC 110) Acorn 1983
Acorn Electron (Trial ROM From Astec) Acorn Computers Ltd May 1983
Acorn Electron with Turbo Board Acorn July 1983
Acorn Electron (Box with Tile Design) Acorn July 1983
Acorn Electron (Production Mock Up) Acorn Computers Ltd July 1983
Acorn Electron (Trial ROM) Acorn Computers Ltd July 1983
Acorn Electron Acorn July 1983
Acorn Electron (German) Acorn July 1983
BBC Micro B+ 128K + 48K ROM Acorn 1984
Acorn BBC Micro Model B+ 64K (Acorn R&D) Acorn 1984
US BBC Micro (UNB09) Acorn October 1984
Acorn BBC Micro Model B+ (128K) Acorn July 1985
Acorn BBC Micro Model B+ (64K) Acorn July 1985
Acorn Econet Terminal Acorn Computers Ltd 1986
BBC Master Used on Microlive Acorn Computers 1986
Acorn BBC Master 512 Acorn 1986
Acorn A500 Acorn 1986
Acorn BBC Domesday System Acorn Computers Ltd 1986
Acorn BBC Master 128 Acorn February 1986
Acorn - BT Merlin M2105 Acorn Computers / British Telecom 13th May 1986
Acorn BBC Master Compact Acorn September 1986
Acorn BBC Master Compact Prototype Acorn Computers September 1986
Acorn Archimedes A410/1 Acorn 1987
Acorn AEH02 Archimedes NSM Acorn Computers Ltd 1987
Acorn Archimedes 310 Acorn 1987
Acorn Archimedes 310 (Arthur 1.2 Installed) Acorn 1987
Acorn Archimedes 440 Acorn Computers July 1987
Acorn A680 Acorn 1988
Acorn Archimedes A500 Acorn 1988
Acorn A3000 Acorn 1989
Acorn Archimedes A440/1 Serial No. 1000001 Acorn Computers May 1989
Acorn Archimedes A440/1 Acorn Computers May 1989
Acorn A3000 (Learning Curve Box) Acorn May 1989
Acorn A3000 (Original Spec) Acorn Computers 1st May 1989
Acorn A3000 Laservision System Acorn 1st May 1989
Acorn R140 Acorn June 1989
Acorn R260 Acorn Computers 1990
Acorn A5000 ALB55 Acorn 1991
Acorn A5000 ALB35 Acorn 1991
Acorn A4000 Acorn January 1991
Acorn A4 Laptop (Prototype 1 of 7) Acorn Computers 1992
Acorn A4 Laptop Acorn 1992
Acorn A3020 Acorn January 1992
Acorn A4000 Acorn September 1992
Acorn A3010 Acorn September 1992
Semerc Acorn A4000S Acorn September 1992
Acorn Risc PC 600 Prototype Motherboard Acorn Computers 1994
Acorn Risc PC 600 Acorn April 1994
Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB25 Acorn April 1994
Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB45 Acorn April 1994
Acorn RISC PC 600 (Proto 6) Acorn 1995
Acorn RISC PC 600 - Prototype Acorn Computers 1995
Acorn A7000+ Acorn 1995
Acorn A7000 Acorn 1995
Acorn SchoolServer Acorn Ltd 1995
Acorn RISC PC700 System Acorn July 1995
Acorn Risc PC 600 ACB60 Acorn July 1995
Acorn StrongARM RiscPC Acorn 1996
Acorn Stork Notebook Acorn Computers Ltd 1996
Acorn Xemplar Matrix NC Acorn 1996
Acorn Fast NC - Serial Number 1 Acorn Computers Ltd 1996
Acorn NetStation NC Acorn November 1996
Acorn Phoebe Acorn Computers 1998
Acorn DeskLite Prototype Acorn Computers June 1998

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH9407. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.

 

Acorn Archimedes 305

  Book Archive   [8]
  Games Archive   [305]
  Software Archive   [534]
  Peripherals   [259]
  Promotional Items   [8]

Click on the Image(s) For Detail


Articles

Related Video

Andrew Hutchings - Interview - Early 3D Games for the Acorn Archimedes
Andrew Hutchings - Interview - Early 3D Games for the Acorn Archimedes

Help support the museum by buying from the museum shop

View all items

Founding Sponsors
redgate Google ARM Real VNC Microsoft Research
Heritage Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Fund
Accredited Museum