Should I buy a Personal Computer chess game or a dedicated electronic chess set/computer?

Today’s chess player can choose between playing chess on the home PC or buying a dedicated chess computer, so which is better? This brief article presents some merits and drawbacks of each, in order to help you make the best choice to meet your individual needs and preferences.

The choice of purchasing a PC (or Mac) might be right for you if you intend using the computer to run other software, such as the word processor used to compose this article. The selection of PC software applications is practically limitless, with music and video editing and downloads, e-mail, Internet, and a plethora of useful business, self-improvement, or recreational software readily available. The PC can be configured to do the kinds of things you want it to do. It offers the means to help us communicate and be more productive.

Experienced and more advanced chess players who compete in tournaments at the higher levels will need to consider the vast wealth of chess training and chess database software for the PC platform.  However, these players may discover that owning a powerful dedicated chess computer can be a pleasant and handy adjunct to their PC system. 

To some, the idea of using a PC as a chess computer is not an attractive option. The PC can be at risk for a potential invasion of privacy and there is the very real threat of viruses, spy ware, hackers, objectionable e-mail solicitations, and the like, as well as the expense of repairs and upgrades. Even more daunting may be the prospect of having to acquire the computer skills needed to install and run chess software and Windows applications, and to maintain a properly running PC. Some people don’t wish to commit themselves to such a time-consuming and potentially frustrating regimen.

Here at TheChessPiece, we see the PC as a valuable tool for business and learning but are concerned about the attendant risk to younger users when the home PC is employed as a games machine. We encourage our customers to consider the possible downside. For some young users the personal computer may be almost irresistibly seductive, commanding far too much of their time and energy. Some psychologists are expressing concern that there may be permanent adverse emotional, mental, and physical developmental effects in children who are overexposed to the computer. Certainly, the effects of carpal tunnel syndrome and poor posture associated with computer use may pose serious risks to our children’s health in later life.

The low cost, ease of use, and portability of the hand-held chess computer offers an attractive alternative to the PC. The hand-held chess partner can be used to play anywhere, such as in the family room, rather than in a isolated bedroom, thus permitting more social interaction with others. What's more, it may also offer a quiet and absorbing diversion on long trips, or while waiting for a ride.

Chess played on a PC lacks the tactile and three-dimensional spatial presence of a dedicated desk-top chess computer. The sculpted solidity of real chessmen provides much greater differentiation among the men than is obtained on the flat PC screen. Recent testing suggests that as the chess pieces are more distinctly differentiated, the chess player’s performance improves, resulting in fewer oversights and more accurate calculation. Spatial perception is also critical for accurate chess play. Seeing the pieces from all angles and mentally ‘feeling’ the chess pieces as they relate to each other on a physical chess board is essential for developing sound spatial reasoning and skill at chess. Dedicated chess computers offer the significant advantage of a physical chess set.

Most dedicated chess computers offer 3 modes of play: person versus machine, machine versus machine and person versus person with the computer offering hints and tips and many other features during a game.

No matter what your budget or skill level, there is a dedicated chess computer sure to meet your needs. There are entry level machines to start with and more expensive models as interest and budget develops. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, a chess computer can help you attain your full chess potential. It can teach you the game and allow you to vary it’s strength to bring you to near grandmaster level. The Grand Master chess computer from TheChessPiece has an Elo rating of 2200!

For players that may lack the normal dexterity and mobility may wish to take advantage of the new Phantom Force which moves it's own pieces automatically. This is a tremendous asset to chess players who may have vision difficulties or physical disabilities such as osteoperosis.

Excalibur's Phantom Force chess computer, moves its own pieces!

In recent months, CMOS microcontrollers--the "brains" behind these chess computers--have experienced a dramatic drop in price. The most affordable hand-held chess computers, such as Excalibur’s LCD Chess and Checkers, has a remarkably powerful chip that gives this device an ELO rating of 1600. The hand-held computers are highly portable and surprisingly rugged. They have an extensive battery life unlike many notebook computers and their low cost is especially attractive when damage, loss, or theft may be a concern with an expensive and fragile notebook. We have a review on this product here.

Chess computers come in a range of sizes so pick the size that's best for you from the small ergonomically designed hand-held to full size desktop chess computers with ELO rating of 2200 and more. They are broadly categorized as follows:

Hand-Held's

At the low cost end, the hand-held electronic chess games come with an array of buttons and touch screens. If you have big fingers, lack dexterity, or struggle reading small print, then this may not be the best choice for you. Some hand-held displays are hard to see in a car or airplane under less than optimal lighting conditions. However, some are better than others. For this reason, we recommend Saitek’s Maestro which has an integrated LED backlit display. 

Most hand-held travel chess games offer 50 to 100 programmed playing levels to match your skill level. Most will let you play against a live opponent as well as against the computer. If you prefer playing with a real chess set, rather than playing on the small touchpad display, just set up your analysis set or full size chess set and transfer the moves from the hand-held as you play. It’s really not as awkward as it sounds, and can serve well as a handy analysis assistant, when studying from a book or magazine. Some models can be linked to other player's computers via cable or IR ports. There are even models which can connect to the 'net’ via WIFI or Ethernet. Prices range from under $20 to $200 or more. The low cost and true portability of the dedicated hand-held chess games are the primary advantages over PC applications and dedicated desk-top machines.

Portable Hybrids

Bigger than hand-held's, these models come with chessmen that you move during play. You can play against the computer or a human opponent and choose from up to several hundred levels of difficulty. Most of the better models come with "do-over" options and include routines that will analyze your moves and style of play. Prices range from between $50 to around $500. One of our most popular machines is Excalibur’s Chess Station. The Chess Station offers hand-held portability and true table-top ease-of-play on a real sensory chess set when the hand-held unit is attached to the docking station. This is a great combo unit which retails at around $49.95. Here is a review of the Excalibur Chess Station.

Dedicated Desktop Chess Computers

These are the king of the electronic chess computer market. These desktop chess computers typically consist of a full-sized chessboard configured with sensors that detect the magnet within each chess piece.

Whether you are playing against another opponent or the computer, each move is recorded for immediate playback, take-back, or game analysis. Many models offer hundreds of levels of play. They often include and can replay classic games from the great chess masters of the past, and allow you to save your own games for future playback. These machines offer a high degree of interactivity with multiple learning modes and analysis functions. Some can talk and several speak multiple languages. Still others can interact in a more entertaining, and yes, distracting manner.

Prices range from $25 for a board with small pieces to $1,000 or more for sets featuring a 4 inch high King. As a general rule, the larger the size, the higher the price, and more expensive models generally offer greater playing strength. We recommend that our customers try to determine which machine is best for their needs rather than be too concerned with cost. We want you to have the best experience possible with your chess machine, which is why we offer a selection large enough to suit nearly everyone.

Chess is a game of profound depth and beauty which offers a lifetime of enjoyment and satisfaction. A great game of chess is the synergy of two minds exchanging, challenging, and testing ideas face-to-face. It is also a highly social game where the players interact as people beyond the game itself. I have learned more about people over a game of chess than I could have imagined.