Millenium Chess Computer vs DGT Electronic Chess Board

I am debating about buying the Millenium Chess Computer or DGT Electronic Chess Board and wanted to post here for opinions.  Until now, I have played nearly exclusively on Chess.com - blitz rating ~1500 tactics ~2400.  I want to learn to play with more depth and have been doing tactic problems, studying each problem until confident of a solution (most of the time). 

I am thinking an electronic board that I can play against without time constraints will encourage me to patiently think through moves.  Also, I had a radio shack chess computer back in the early 80's so maybe a nostalgia factor.  I like wood boards and miss playing on them.  I could play games on the Hiarcs app on my Ipad and move the pieces on a wooden board as a inexpensive alternative but for some reason doesn't seem the same.  Again, could be the memories of playing on the old radio shack unit coloring my thinking.

If I got the DGT board, I would probably want to get the PI chess computer with it.  The DGT wooden board and PI computer are more than double the price of the Millenium unit but it looks nice and from what I have read, has more capabilites.  Any advice will be appreciated!

I went exactly through the same questioning about a year ago and decided to go with the Millennium Chess Genius Exclusive, because you don't have to look at the computer screen to look for the moves (unless you use the speaker mode, which I do not like). The computer module offers a 2300 Elo-like maximum level, which is much more than mine. With the chesslink accessory you can use many different engines (through Chess for Android or Hiarcs on the PC). The DGT board is much more expensive and you'll also need to buy the DGT PI separately. The advantage (to me) of the DGT board is its size (tournament size) since the Millennium is not so big (40mm squares). In fact, Millennium is announcing that a bigger, tournament size (55 mm squares) board, will be available soon and compatible with all Millennium accessories (chesslink, King performance module, etc.). Just my opinion.

What I like about Millennium is their option to update their dedicated chess computers.

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/psa-millennium-king-performance-chess-computer-update

I have the Millennium CGE and am pretty happy with it, and for me, being smaller than DGT was a selling point as it fits better in my playing space. I also have the ChessLink accessory so I can use HIARCS for iPad, and play against people online using the Millennium app. I also like the way Millennium uses lights to indicate moves. It’s nice never having to look away from the board. Certabo uses lights as well, but I like Millennium’s method better as they’re hardly noticeable when not in use.
One downside of Millennium CGE is that you’re stuck with the pieces it comes with. They’re not bad pieces, but for the price I’d have liked something a bit nicer. DGT offers a few different piece options, and with Certabo your options really open up. The other thing I’ll say about Millennium is the weird dichotomy of being well built with cheap materials. Everything is well jointed, smooth, and cleanly cut, but I have to admit I was surprised how light it felt when I opened the package the first time. That being said, if I were to do it all over again I’d probably still get the CGE , but Certabo would definitely be in the running.
As you can see, you’re going to get recommendations for a variety of systems, but regardless of which one you get, I highly recommend the auto recognition feature. Not having to press down on the pieces makes play feel very natural and setting up positions a breeze. I’d much rather have piece recognition than self moving pieces that need pressing.

Thanks for all the helpful replies!  I didn't even know about the Millenium CGE.  It looks nice on the website.  I definitely have a preference for a wood board.  In the long run, sound like getting the Millenium CGE or DGT would be worthwhile vs the pressure sensitive Millenium King.  I will have to mull over the options.  A lot of details to consider and good to know what the issues are.  

I like the Millenium but upgraded the pieces to a better set, which is the advantage of not having to have specialized piece recognition.  And you get used to the pressure touch to move pieces very quickly -- it's certainly not the same push that older sets used to have.  And I like the fact that it can connect to Lichess, and I expect chess.com to be added later.

FYI, Millennium will come out with a tournament size wooden smart board soon.

I have a DGT Smartboard and 3000 Pi. In my opinion, if you have a Windows based PC you don't need the Pi. The online options are simply more robust and your average PC is far faster than a Raspberry Pi. The Pi display and menu options will give you the nostalgia feeling of the early 90's (I don't mean this in a good way). If you have a Pi, enable capital letters and the display is easier to read.. From other posts, I suggest if you go with DGT to get "weighted" pieces. Some of the wooden ones are reportedly fairly light feeling. The DGT has the added advantage of being a tournament size board (55mm square size) compared to most other e-board options.

Now for what they don't tell you... e-boards are supported on many websites, but it definitely has the beta, under-developement feel to it. Chess.com currently, no longer has the option to use your e-board to play the bots. Sync-up can be a bit obtuse and awkward feeling. Games less than 15 minutes are not recommended. Some sights use the Live Chess software and others the Rabbit Plug-in. The latter hasn't been updated since 2012. 

However, with that said, it's a ton of fun, even with the quirks.

All,

I've been having the same debate looking at DGT and the Millennium CGE.  I currently have an old Excalibur Grandmaster stand alone chess computer, which is no longer in production.  I like the full size board and auto-sensory moves.   It's all plastic and has the look and feel of a plastic tournament set. 

 https://www.niggemann.com/en/grandmaster-excalibur.html

I've also got a number of chess computer programs for the PC, with the most recent being Fritz 15.  

I like playing online, but I'm also looking for options to play against a computer offline at slower time controls.  It would be nice to upgrade to w wooden board and pieces.  It seems like the DGT is s very flexible option since you can interface it with Fritz, and it's easy to swap out chess engines in Fritz.   The stories of challenges with online play are discouraging.  It seems these should be past beta stage by now.  But I also mostly play faster time controls online, and it seems the actaul board wouldn't be a great solution for that.

@Hamilton53 is this still the case?  I'm debating getting an electronic chess board, and there's many things I like about the DGT eBoard.  I also have a DGT 3000 and was thinking I'd set up Pico Chess, so probably not the end of the world if I can't play against bots on chess.com I suppose.

Edit: Just saw your post is only 2 months old, so likely still the case.

Wel I have both of them. A DGT usb only board with DGT pi and Millennium Exclusive Luxe Edition board. Both combination has almost the same price. I bought DGT first and than Millennium.

The DGT is big. I dont have enough room. Kinda difficult if i suddenly need play black. DGT does not supply update for DGT pi. Totally depending people to bring new Picochess update. Some time i needed updating the engines manually in the past (before version 3). Kinda hard and time consuming. But i got the wow factor for DGT product. The wood quality is also better than Millennium.

The millennium bord is smaller and i can easly turn the bord. But they also brings the big board soon. The Luxe edition contains Bluetooth module. I can easly connect with other devices. "Chess for Android", "BearChess", "Mac/iPad Hiarcs explorer" and "Millennium android app" are the applications i can easily connect to. I just start the application on my laptop or phone, connect to the board and play without looking on the screen. I can also easily updating the engines.

I play with Millennium board all the time now because the following reasons.

If i play randomly as black, i just turn the board.

Millennium board has LEDs on it. So i can 100% concentrated on the board. No need to watch any screen(laptop, phone or DGT pi screen). No need speaker to listening to engines/opponent moves. Maybe i just a beginner. I play rapid better on Millennium board because i react faster on LEDs than sound when i play with DGT. I almost always run out time when i play with DGT board.

The only thing i cannot do with Millennium is playing online on Chess.com.

Maybe somebody or the company brings the software update in the future.

With Millennium board i can only play on Lichess.com right now.

I dont understand why DGT does not producing the standard board with LEDs. Meanwhile They produced The Revalation 2 board. That model is so expensive!!.

Holy hell, $3450.00 USD ?!

" It's a luxury product for passionate players. Such purchase can not be made using an economic logic. "

http://electronicchess.free.fr/good.html

And here I thought a standard DGT board fit that description... boy was I wrong  

I recently bought the Millennium Exclusive Luxe. I personally did not like that fact that you currently you have no option to buy a Chess computer module for it. The not so old "The King Element" has been discontinued. Even though ironically the Exclusive Luxe has a flyer in the packaging promoting it. Depending on your smartphone, you have to really on some old apps like Chess for Android that has not been updated since dec 2020.

In order to use the PC, you need a long USB cable and it kind of defeats the purpose imo of a closed all battery packed package through the ChessVolt. Oh and on that note, my units failed to operate on the ChessVolt. When running on the battery pack, the battery creates an electro-magnetic field that jams the radio piece detection. Other people online had the same, fixed by adding household aluminum foil underneath the chessboard. Quite the design flaw by Millennium.

So in short; 700+ USD/EUR, no chess computer options, they discontinued the king element quite fast and a major design oversight on the Luxe edition. I sent it back for refund and bought the DGT Rosewood Bluetooth e-board + Royal weighted pieces and never looked back.

Not going to say the Luxe was not nice looking, but the DGT rosewood and especially the Royal pieces are in another league and I do have the option to hook up a chess computer like the DGT Pi and last but not least chess.com support for online.

I just got the DGT Smart Board with the classic wood pieces.  The set-up with my windows PC was straightforward.  I already had Fritz 15 so I'm using that instead of the Fritz 14 that came with the board.  I've only used it to play a few games against Fritz, and it's nice playing on the board vs. a computer screen.  

I have not tried it for online play yet.  

Quick update.  I was able to set up the DGT board to play on Lichess.  I tried on chess.com, but it stopped recognizing the moves a few moves into the game.  Has anyone else had luck setting up the DGT with chess.com?  

The King Element discontinued? That didn't last long. It almost swung me to buying the CGE over the Certabo.

Having two engines in the unit makes sense to me. That's perfect for people who only have the e-boards, and those who have the original ChessGenus Exclusive will only need to carry one CPU instead of two.