Are Electronic Chess Boards Worth It? An Honest Guide (2026)

Disclosure: this guide is written by the FEMUEY team, and we make some of the boards below. Specs for other brands come from each maker’s official product page, checked on 10 October 2026; where a maker does not publish something, we say so. Prices change often, so check the store before you buy.

The short answer

An electronic chess board is worth it if you want to play with real pieces whenever you like, without needing someone to play against, or if you want to play online but not on a screen. It is probably not worth it if you play a few games a month on your phone and are happy there; a regular set and a free app cost much less.

What you get over a normal set and an app

• An opponent on demand. The board senses your moves and shows the reply with lights, voice or a display. Chess computers such as the FEMUEY P6 and FEMUEY L6 Pro run the engine on the board, so this works without a phone.
• Help while you learn. Hints, takebacks and move guidance turn every game into a lesson. Built-in puzzles give you something to do between games: 200 on P6, 1,000 on L6 Pro and Y2.
• Less screen time. A screen-free board like P6 lets a child play the computer without a tablet.
• Online games on a real board. Some boards connect to Lichess or Chess.com. FEMUEY L6 Pro and Y2 play Lichess over Wi-Fi from the device itself; others, like Chessnut Air, go through a phone app.

What you give up

• Cost. A good wooden set is far cheaper than most electronic boards.
• Charging. Electronic boards need power. P6, for example, charges over USB-C.
• Size. Many electronic boards are compact. P6 has 28 mm squares; if you want large, club-style squares, the DGT Centaur has 48 mm squares, at a higher price.
• Piece recognition. Of the boards in our comparison, only Chessnut Air, Chessnut Evo and SenseRobot are listed by their makers as identifying each individual piece. FEMUEY P6 and L6 Pro sense moves magnetically.

What each price range gets you

FEMUEY prices at the time of writing; other brands from their official stores on 10 October 2026. For a closer look at the middle range, read the best electronic chess boards under $200, or see every model side by side on our comparison page.

Who gets the most out of one?

• Beginners, who learn faster with an opponent that gives hints and lets them take moves back. Pair a board with our free 78-lesson beginner chess course.
• Children, especially on a screen-free board. See our guide to kids’ electronic chess boards.
• Adults returning to chess, who want a game in the evening without arranging one.
• Online players who would rather move real pieces. See how to play Lichess on a real board without a phone.

Five questions to ask before you buy

1. Does the computer opponent run on the board, or do I need my phone every time?
2. How strong does the engine get, and will that be enough in a year?
3. Do I want a screen, or lights and voice only?
4. Which online platform do I play on: Lichess, Chess.com, or neither?
5. How big are the squares and pieces?

Last updated: October 2026.