Which one is better?
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Breadbin!

It has to be the original. The second one to me looks like it was intimidated by the Amiga and tried to copy its look. Plus, the SID is better on the original, isn't it? It's a bit like the 2600 where aesthetics go out the window: you gotta go for the woodgrain. And with C=, you need some breadbin!

breadbin, its gotta be old skool.
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I have both!

Original is always better! When I was collecting different models back in the 90's I never picked up a 64C.
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If you are in to Sound both units with the 2 different SID's (breadbin 6581) and (newer 64c 8580) are good for the collection.

If you not into all the Breadbin all the way. IMO

Breadbin. Or, to be precise, I prefer a transition motherboard revision which still had the good old 6581 but had newer RAM and PLA (it was included into some earlier C64Cs). And a very clean video output, too.
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Breadbin

C64C ... far easier to use for hours on end.

I usually rip motherboards out of breadbins and put them in C64C cases.

I have both.

I prefer the sound on the breadbin, but the graphics output of the C64C is far better (in fact its better than the output from my C128).

The keyboards on them both are quite frankly rubbish, but the case build quality of the C64C is also slightly superior (my breadbin doesn't even have the sockets labelled).

The breadbin is better looking than the C64C without a doubt. I never liked the back of the C64C being lower than the keyboard, even when I got my first one in the early 90s and didn't know what the breadbin looked like. The breadbin logo is nicer and more individual to the machine.

They both have crappy PSUs that can't handle tasty mods...

I suppose my "Ultimate" C64 would be a C64C mainboard, fitted with Stereo SID so that output from both types of SID are possible in a clean breadbin case, powered by the PSU from a C128. Oh, I have that...

The breadbin all the way.

As others have suggested, there was a big difference with the sound. Load up any game or demo that featured speech, for example: IBall.

On the C64C, the speech channel is half the volume of that on the C64.

When I was a kid, I "upgraded" to a C64C and when my speech demos sounded "funny". I sent the machine into commodore for repair and supplied a disk and instructions. They themselves didn't really know what was wrong.

However, they did pretend on the repair note that something was "fixed". On return, it sounded no different.

I like the style of the breadbin. But i prefer the pale-version with the green-power light, the C64G. It's my favourite Commie to use.
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For looks I'd definitely go with the Bread Bin, that's what a C64 should look like as far as I'm concerned.

As far as internals go The later C64c with more durable IC's is better in my opinion, I seldom had the sound hooked up to notice the difference. (I didn't want my parents knowing I was playing games at 2am.)

More recently I do have sound but I haven't gotten my C64c out in years, and I only use the bread bin my grandfather bought in '83 and gave to us when he bought a 128.
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Although I owned a C64C during the time, I prefer the classic breadbin which I own now. I can't tell the internal differences, but it's more nicely compact for me, and it just looks... well, more classic and nicer
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I have both, prefer the C64C as that was the first model I had, the breadbin looks just like a VIC 20 (with different colors) - and I had that before I got my C64C in 1987...

This one had the large motherboard with the 6581 SID and also the steelcage with those heat sink tongues on some of the chips.


The people who made it probably thinks the later models are the better considering all the improvements made. As far as I know the later revision of the SID was closer to what they wanted from the beginning.


But I guess it's all about the good memories from when you were younger.

I've only ever owned breadbin models. I actually like the look of the C64c, but would choose the breadbin for audio compatibility.

However there are C64C:s that has the same motherboard as later C64:s.

I've only had the breadbin, so I can't compare. But if it was for ergonomics (as alluded to by Moloch), then maybe the C64C. My wrists never got used to typing on a breadbin. How many PC keyboards in the last 20 years have your wrists hovering a couple inches above the desk? Ok, maybe my old blocky clunky 486 laptop from 1992, but that doesn't count.
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