The commodore CBM 710 is the first in the 700 series and is the same computer as the CBM 610 computer, but with an improved character ROM, that gives the computer 8x14 pixel characters, as opposed to the 8x8 pixel characters of the 610. The 710 also has a detachable keyboard, allowing for a more ergonomic set-up. The Commodore CBM 710 was also known as the B128-80. The CBM 710 used the MOS 6509 processor, an enhanced version of the popular 6502 CPU, running at 2 MHz—twice the speed of earlier Commodore machines.

The CBM 710 came with a high-resolution monochrome display, which provided an 80-column text mode ideal for professional applications like word processing and data management. This 80-column capability was a significant advantage at the time, and a key difference with the CBM 610. This made the CBM 710 a strong competitor in the business market, where readability and screen real estate were crucial for productivity. The display capabilities, combined with Commodore’s BASIC 4.0 and compatibility with third-party software, positioned the CBM 710 as a more sophisticated tool than earlier Commodore models, appealing particularly to businesses and educational institutions.

Despite its capabilities, the CBM 710 struggled commercially, largely due to its high price and competition from IBM's PC line, which quickly became the business standard. Commodore's inconsistent marketing and the CBM-II series' lack of compatibility with the popular VIC-20 and C64 also limited its appeal among existing Commodore users. Nevertheless, the CBM 710 remains a unique part of Commodore’s history—a machine that showcased Commodore's ambition to expand into professional markets with a capable, business-oriented computer, albeit one that was ultimately overshadowed by the rise of IBM-compatible PCs.

The Commodore 700 series was introduced in 1982 and sold under a few different names. In the US they were sold as the B256 and PET 700 series, in Europe as the CBM 700 series, or CBM 256-80 / B256-80.

The hardware is identical to the CBM 600 series. The machines had an integrated monitor, detachable keyboard and two 5.25" disk drives. The BX256 model was capable of supporting an optional 8088 chip. Graphics and sound capabilities were also identical to the CBM series, except that the 700s had a new character generator ROM, and graphics were generated off an 8x14 matrix. The Kernal ROM determined which generator to use based on inputs that were hard-soldered on the main board.

The CBM-II has two incarnations, the P series (P = personal, or, home use) and the B series (B = business use). The B series was available with a built-in monochrome monitor with detached keyboard (hi-profile) but also available as a single unit with built-in keyboard but no monitor (lo-profile). These machines are often referred to as the "Porsche PETs" due to incorrect rumors that the case was designed by Porsche. Though Commodore did initially consult Porsche for a case design, it proved too expensive to produce, so Commodore enlisted designer Ira Velinski to create one based on the original PET prototype