Chess Clocks. Which one to get?

I need to get a chess clock I have been looking at the Excallibur Game Timer II and the Saitek Competition Pro III. 

If you have experience with either of these clocks, good or bad, please help me out. The price being under $50 is important. I would also consider any clock in that price range if you feel it is a better option.

I bought the Excaliber clock a number of years ago, and I have no complaints.  There are many settings, and it's pretty straightforward how to select them.  There are many (maybe 50?) quick pre-set times listed on the bottom of the clock itself (so you'll never lose it).  Just select the corresponding number and you're ready to go.  I don't know about the ease of the Saitek clock... like most clocks you don't know how to program yourself, when you see someone set it, it looks terribly complicated (although I'm sure it's not hard once you know how ;)

I've seen the Saitek at tournaments probably just as often, and it's also a good clock.

To me the main difference is the appearance/feel of the clock.  The Saitek clock reminds me of a brick.  It's solid and square... so to me it's not very exciting :p

I like the look and feel of the Excaliber clock better, although because the plungers are fitted a bit loosely, it gives the impression that if you let kids play blitz with it (slamming the clock every time) it may eventually break.

You can see the circular buttons on the picture are maybe an inch or so across?  Well that entire surface area isn't connected to the base of the clock, it's more a mushroom shape if you got down to table level and looked right at it.  With the Seitek clock that entire rectangle is attached.

How much does DGT 2000 cost? I think it's about 50€...

Oh, when you first put batteries in the Excalliber the display may not be visible.  There is a small adjustable brightness wheel on the side that may be set very low (or very high).  So it may also look like the display is always 88:88 if you know what I mean.

I like the look and feel of the DGT clocks.  They're quiet and easy to press.  I see them at tournaments too.  I think they cost $70-80 though.

Oh yes, € to $. :)

Oh, I didn't notice you said € , yes I guess that's right :)

i have the Game Time II, and really like how easy it is to use - to set the time or adjust the time, you don't need an instruction booklet, it is fairly intuitive.

also, stopping the clock (if there is a dispute needing a TD), is easy enough - just level off the buttons and the clock stops.

Thank you everybody. You have been very helpful. I will wait a few more days and hopefully more comments before I order.

Oops, my comment about putting in the batteries I meant to say about the Saitek, I edited it :p  I got the names confused.

Have had an Excalibur for years, great clocks.  They are a little more sleek looking then the Saitek and it seems the display is a bit bigger also.  One nice thing about the Saitek is that its easier to see from across the room who is on move.  There are more reviews of these clocks as well as others here: 

http://www.wholesalechess.com/shop/chess_clocks/digital_chess_clocks

Get DGT XL of course. Then you can buy DGT Board. ! 

I miss the tournaments years ago, when all you could hear was the pieces moving and the clocks ticking.

As soon as they make a digital clock with a ticking sound effect i might get one :)

I think there is more selections with the Game Timers. I have used both and they hold up well. They are not to quite. Stay away from the DGT brand, the one I got was older style DGT 2000 and failed it was $80.0 at the time and it was junk.

Yeah, had a DGT fail also, after being used only a few times at club.

My DGT easy gametimer (i can't recall the exact version now, it's the one with a photo of kramnik on the box) works nicely. If I remember correctly it's also relatively unexpensive.

That said, chess clocks in general are ridicolously overpriced.

I have owned DGT clocks for many years and have never had one fail. IMO they are by far the easiest to set.

That's just nice! :)

What clock did you go with? Going to a USCF event? I still use an analog clock at those events and almost everyone uses a digital clock nowadays. The analog clocks work just fine for non blitz games in my opinion.

The Saitek is OK if you don't mind a clock that's 100% user-unfriendly, but maybe that's just because I'm a bonehead who doesn't use it often enuff to ever remember how to program it.

Analog clocks suck ass when you're playing blitz or in time trouble AND they can't be programmed to do anything at all - zip, zero, zilch. BUT if money was no object I'd own a nice analog clock anyway - IN ADDITION to a Chronos Digital Chess Clock.

http://www.chess.com/equipment/chess+clocks

http://www.chesshouse.com/chess_clocks_s/6.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Saitek-Mephisto-Competition-Game-Clock/product-reviews/B000MR3S64