Product number (P/N): 301,
Keywords/Tags: 301
Date of intro: ~1974, Origin: Japan (List),
Power: Rechargeable, Adaptor: COMMODORE_adaptors: 801,
Display: Type = Display (LED) (List),
Number of keys: 17, #Key-Black: 17,
Keyboard Array (Rows x Columns): 04x05, Keyboard Layout: [7] [8] [9] [x] - [4] [5] [6] [(Division)] - [1] [2] [3] [-=] - [C] [CE] [0] [.] [+=],
Miscellaneous switch: [K-(ArrowUp) ON-(Blank)],
Classification: / Pocket,
Featuring: Logic-technology: VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), calculator-on-a-Chip,
Related with: COMMODORE_docu: (Instr.) 301; COMMODORE_parts: (Box) 301,
Main Components: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS: TMS0103NC,
Serie-members: COMMODORE: 301; COMMODORE: 301A,
Known Serial-numbers: 011823 | 013235 | 013429 (List of all S/Ns from COMMODORE)
Collector value: 8.5/10,
Courtesy of: CALCUSEUM (Serge DEVIDTS),
Info: The 301 and 301A type is considered an alternative design because it departs from the conventional appearance of desktop calculators of the early 1970s.
While most calculators of that period featured tall, bulky, wedge-shaped housings,
this model introduced a low-profile, horizontal form with clean, minimalist lines.
Its slim metal enclosure gave it a premium, professional appearance and emphasized simplicity rather than decoration.
The calculator's layout is highly functional, with a clearly organized keyboard and an easy-to-read LED display, reflecting the design principle of ‘form follows function’.
Compared with many competing models, the 301/301A was also more compact,
requiring less desk space while maintaining full desktop functionality.
By breaking away from the dominant calculator design language of its time,
the 301 offered a modern and distinctive aesthetic.
Its combination of minimalist styling, efficient ergonomics, and compact construction makes it an example of an alternative industrial design for the early electronic calculator era.