Electronic Chess Boards: Comparing the DGT, Millennium, Chessnut and Square Off Models

Electronic Chess Boards: The Models Compared in One Table

This table brings together the models we cover on this site. Each row links to a full page with verified specifications, strengths, limitations and a head-to-head with the closest rival. The Lichess and Chess.com compatibilities are those stated by the manufacturers or by the platforms; our connected board page spells out which ones Lichess has confirmed.

Three Families of Electronic Chess Boards

This distinction is the first thing to clear up before buying. Many disappointments come from a misunderstanding: a DGT Pegasus does not play on its own without a phone, a DGT Centaur does not play online, a Square Off Pro does not move its pieces. Some recent models blur the boundaries: the Chessnut Evo and the ChessUp 2 are both standalone and connected, and a Millennium The King Performance becomes connected with a Bluetooth module.

The Brands Compared

Choosing by Use

The Most Requested Head-to-Heads

DGT or Millennium?

This was the original question behind this site, and it remains relevant. DGT excels at boards that recognise the pieces and link up with computers and gaming sites: it has been the standard for tournament broadcasts since 1998. Millennium excels at standalone chess computers, with two well-regarded engines: ChessGenius, the program by Richard Lang, ten-times world microcomputer chess champion, and The King. If you mainly want to play against the machine, Millennium has the wider range; if you want to play online or broadcast games, choose DGT.

DGT Centaur or The King Performance?

Two tabletop computers for club players. The Centaur adapts to your level by itself and runs on a battery, with no official online connection. The King Performance offers precise Elo levels, Chess960 and online play with the ChessLink module.

DGT Pegasus or Chessnut Go?

Two connected travel boards. The Pegasus offers a 35 cm playing surface and official Lichess integration; the Chessnut Go is lighter and recognises each piece thanks to a chip.

Chessnut Air or Square Off Pro?

A rigid wooden board that recognises the pieces against a flexible roll-up board. The details are in our Chessnut comparison.

The Six Criteria That Separate Two Electronic Chess Boards

Once you have chosen the family, it is often technical details that make the difference day to day. Here are the ones we examine for every model.

1. Square and piece size

Competition boards use squares of about 55 mm: this is the case for the DGT Smart Board, the DGT e-Boards and the Chessnut Pro. The DGT Centaur has 48 mm squares, the DGT Pegasus 40 mm, and the compact Millennium ChessGenius a board of just 20 cm. A club player used to tournaments will be more comfortable on a large board; a child or a traveller will appreciate a compact one.

2. Detecting or recognising the pieces

A board can detect that a square is occupied (pressure or magnetic sensors) or recognise which piece stands on it (chips, RFID, DGT’s patented sensors). Recognition lets you resume a game from any position and forgives clumsy handling; simple detection forces you to start from the initial position and to play tidily. DGT’s tournament boards, the whole Chessnut range and the Millennium Exclusive recognise the pieces; The King Performance and the compact ChessGenius models do not.

3. Power

Rechargeable battery (Centaur, Pegasus, Chessnut), batteries (ChessGenius, Lexibook, DGT clocks) or mains (The King Performance, Exclusive): the choice determines where you will play. A mains-powered device stays near a socket; a battery-powered one follows the player from the living room to the terrace.

4. Connectivity and platforms

Bluetooth, USB or Wi-Fi determine which device you will play online with. More important still: does the platform officially accept your board? Lichess publishes the list of manufacturers that comply with its interface; Chess.com refers you to the manufacturers. Our compatibility matrix sorts it out.

5. Engine and aids

For a standalone computer, maximum strength matters less than the quality of the weaker levels and the aids: adaptive mode (Centaur, The King), hints, take-backs, squares coloured according to the quality of the move (ChessUp). The Elo strengths announced by manufacturers are not measured in the same way from one brand to another: treat them as orders of magnitude.

6. Longevity and support

A connected board depends on an app, so you need to ask whether the manufacturer will maintain it: DGT publishes updates regularly (Chessconnect extension updated in February 2026), whereas Square Off changed owner in 2022. A standalone computer, on the other hand, works without depending on an online service: some Mephistos from the 1980s still play today.

How We Compare Electronic Chess Boards

Each page is based on the manufacturers’ official pages, their manuals and the platforms’ documentation. We invent no ratings, customer reviews or prices: when a price is given, it is a range observed on a specific date, with the note “indicative price observed”. When a specification is not published, we say so instead of guessing. The full method is described on the about page.

This site does not cover the basics (what an electronic chess board is, which general criteria matter): complete guides already exist. For an overview, see the detailed selection of the best electronic chess boards, then come back here to decide between two specific models. And to see which models are offered by a specialist French shop, browse the electronic chess sets available at Le Palais des Échecs.

New or Second-Hand?

The second-hand market is rich for standalone chess computers: DGT Centaur, Millennium, and of course the old masters such as the Saitek Kasparov or the Mephisto. A standalone device ages well because it depends on no online service; above all, check the battery or the battery compartment, that every square works and that all 32 pieces are present. Our page on second-hand chess computers gives a complete checklist.

For a connected board, buying second-hand is trickier: the manufacturer’s app must still work with your phone, and the platform must still accept the board. A recent connected board, still supported by its manufacturer, is often a better bet than an old model sold cheaply.

Price Guide

The prices observed on 18/10/2026 give orders of magnitude (indicative prices observed, subject to change):

• Under €200: Lexibook ChessMan, Millennium ChessGenius Pro (€169 from the manufacturer), DGT Pegasus (about €150 to €190).
• €200 to €450: DGT Smart Board, Chessnut Air and Air+, ChessUp 2, DGT Centaur (about €340 to €425), The King Performance (€399 from the manufacturer).
• Above that: Chessnut Pro and Evo, wooden DGT e-Boards, robotic boards (Square Off/Miko, Chessnut Move, Phantom), Millennium Exclusive.