V-Tek 300 Chess Clock Review

When I arrived home last night, my beta test version of the V-Tek 300 Chess clock was waiting for me.  Here are my thoughts on the clock.  I am also going to be very honest in my opinion:

This is a picture of my clock.  The clocks they produced for the beta test had a logo and other wording stenciled on the front lower edge and on the back of the clock.  I asked if they had any all black as that is how my Chronos clock is.  I also mentioned to him that I have red buttons on it, so he had some and put them on for me.

At first look, this is a souped up version of my Chronos II clock.  I will compare this clock to the Chronos II throughout this review. 

The finish is exactly the same, a black anodized one.  I understand that they will be coming out with other colors and that's fine. 

The body is larger with more added at the bottom of the clock giving that lower front ledge you see.  Otherwise picking up the clock, and more importantly the feel of the clock on a table when using it is the same as the Chronos excepting the larger size when grabbing it.

In the Chronos it is necessary to unscrew and take off the top completely to change the batteries.  In the V-Tek 300 they have a cut out panel in the bottom of the clock with 4 screws giving access to only the battery area.  Once again the screws are identical in both models, Phillips head screws.

The display on the new clock is also larger than the Chronos, but the Chronos is not too small.  The larger display now affords a second, smaller line at the bottom for information.  This lower line shows all the information about the mode the clock is in and the time control settings.  During a game, it shows the delay time counting down.  When that time is gone, that line goes blank leaving only the time count showing in the display.  That is actually very nice having no clutter when you look at the clock and time.

The buttons are identical.  I believe they are the switches and buttons originally on IBM electric typewriters.  If anyone wants different colored buttons, as I have, samtimer.com sells a lot of different colored ones as well as Chronos clocks.  The price on the buttons is $3.99 a pair.  So the feel and tactile and audio feedback of the buttons is identical to the Chronos.

They are going to provide a manual, but one is not necessary.  From the videos I have watched, it was relatively easy to learn what button presses did what and following the descriptions in the display made setting any type of time control simple.

The Chronos Manual is needed to remember what the time control letters and numbers mean.  With its 4 saved time settings, the Chronos really is easy to set and operate once you have your time controls located.  The V-Tek really is easier to set.  I would say that it is as easy to set as the Excalibur GameTime II clock without the need to look at the settings on the back.

This new clock has a lot of preset time controls.  They actually have, for instance, a National Open setting which is the time control used in that tournament.  They also have the FIDE standard where the display shows the increment added to the time at the beginning as the DGT clocks all do and the FIDE rules dictate.

Of course there still is the option to create a new time control from scratch.  It will ask how many phases the game is.  It will give the opportunity for a delay or increment.  Setting the clock is actually pretty easy.  Of course as with the Chronos you need to know that long pressing the center button is needed to change the settings.  And to turn off the clock you need to know to hold the center button and press the RIGHT button five times.  Like the Chronos, you need to face East on a Tuesday,...just kidding.

The LED lights are interesting.  With the Chronos there just is the Red color, either on or off.  And it is used to signify which side is to move. 

WIth this new clock the LEDS first light up when the clock is ready to begin a game.  The color is an Amber one.  Once the game is started by someone pressing their button, the one LED on the side to move lights up a nice and pleasant Green color.  I mean it, the color is nice to look at.

During a game, when the center button is pressed shortly and once, the green color turns to red signifying that the clock is not running.  Another short press on the center button starts that clock again.

Once stopped, pressing the center button for a few seconds turns that red color to blue.  This signifies the TD mode where the times can be edited.  Short pressing the center button cycles through the individual time options for both sides, in sequence.  And when done the change in time done during that TD mode incident is displayed so the TD can check to make sure he/she has added or deleted the correct time from the correct side.  Long pressing the center button brings it back to the one side LED red showing who was on the move when the clock was stopped, and a short press of that center button resumes the game timing.

So, I would say that this new V-Tek 300 is a good upgrade in technology and features to the Chronos.  These guys have kept a lot of the Chronos that has made it a great clock.  They have changed a number of things making it easier for the player to set and use as well as better for the TD.

Is it worth $149 compared to the $115 Chronos?  I don't know.  It's really hard to put an accurate value on something like this.  My opinion is that compared to the Chronos at $115, it should be worth $135 -$140.  But that's only $9 - $14 less than what they have it at.  And I expect someone somewhere will have to have these clocks on sale at some time.

On the USCF Forums someone said last night that somewhere on the internet there is a retailer selling the Chronos II for something like $91 or $92.  That's a good price for a good clock.

For the person that wants to play a lot of different types of OTB chess like slower time controls, blitz, skittles and other faster time controls, this new one is a great clock to own.  This is true especially if you are only going to own one clock.  This one will do it all and be the best at all those things. 

For the blitz and skittles, resetting the time from the top is better than the DGT and Excalibur versions that have the power and thereby reset button on the bottom of the clock.  By the way, the clock is reset by holding the center button down and clicking the Left button 3 times, easy and not prone to accidental resets.  The display is also uncluttered which makes it nicer for blitz than the DGT 3000.

At the slow time controls, the setting is easy and the display large and with good contrast.  Also the display is not cluttered with too much information as the DGT 3000 and to a limited degree the Ecalibur GameTime II.

The clock is solid on the table and will not get jarred about during play.  This is the same as the Chronos.

I plan on keeping my Chronos clocks and using this clock to replace the DGT 3000 and most likely the Chronos with the same colors as this one.  I plan on using this clock for tournament play at the slower time controls.  Believe it or not, I like the Chronos better for Skittles because it is shorter and easier to use in a casual setting.  This new clock is a lot of clock.

So, is it worth it?  Like most things that we want, this costs just a bit more than we thought it would or should.  But yes, it really is worth it after all.

Do I think everyone should buy this new clock?  No.  The DGT Easy Plus is great for blitz and skittles.  The DGT NA if fine for slow time control games.  The Chronos is fine for all these but now just more limited and not as nice as this new one.

I do believe that people who buy this new clock will be very satisfied with it.  They will be buying a lot of very nice features and options that no other clock has.  I remember in the early 2000's when I bought a Chronos and everyone was moaning about the price.  They moaned and even groaned until they bought one and then stopped it, being satisfied with the clock.  Well I think the same will hold true for the V-Tek 300.

If they sell this new clock at $100, I would go with the Chronos. Having this clock at $150 is called insanity. I doubt that anyone will buy it without a very good discount.

Any word on a release date?  Thanks for the review.

I'm a little confused by the above.  Did you mean to say that if the V-Tek 300 was priced at $100, you would buy the V=Tek 300?

I tell you that the V-Tek 300 is a newer and improved clock compared to the Chronos.  If they were the same price there would be no discussion that the clock to buy would be the V-Tek 300 over the Chronos.

The body finish, switches and buttons, display numbers, and contrast are all the exact same between the 2 clocks.  The improvements in the new V-Tek 300 are the LED colors compared to the one red color of the Chronos, the display now showing more information than the single line of the Chronos, and the programming.  The programming improvements show a much easier way to set the clock for various time controls and for editing the times during a game.  Seriously, the new clock is better than the Chronos and it should be seeing that it is newly created compared to the Chronos that was sold as early as 1994 with the same buttons, displays, LEDs and body as they sell today.

Mike, have you purchased a Chronos or DGT 3000, ever?  I have friends that bought the Chronos as their only clock, even though it was quite a bit more expensive than any other clock out there.  One guy bought the Chronos II with the touch sensors when they first came out, in that puky cream color.  He is still using it today, something like 11 - 12 years later.  The paint is worn off the edges and corners and the clock does look very well worn, but it still works just fine.  It's his only clock and he uses it for everything we do in our club.

This new V-Tek 300 is simply taking the place of the Chronos as the best clock out there, and yes the most expensive.  The people that built it kept all the really good things about the Chronos in this clock, and that's a good thing.  They then added the technological and programming upgrades.

They didn't ask me about the price.  Even so, I told them I thought the $149 price was too high.  The response I got was that when they showed the clock to Chess players at the USATE, the National Open and the US Open, they got the vast majority, over 95%, of positive responses saying the price was not too high for the clock. 

Shelby told me that all people, including me, had to do was to handle and work with the clock and they would be convinced.  Well, I do have the clock and I have handled it and worked with it.  Personally I'm convinced the clock is worth $135, not the $149 they are asking.  But I have this problem always undervaluing things like this.

If I were only to own one clock, it would be the V-Tek 300.  It does it all and it does it all very well, as good or better than any other clock on the market.

I think that people will buy this clock.  Perhaps they won't buy it in the volume that the makers and sellers would want or expect, but it will sell.  I know that when my friend Drew is looking to replace his Chronos, he will ask me, as he did with the Chronos, what clocks are out there to buy.  I'll show him the V-Tek 300 or whatever the latest model is at the time, and he'll buy it because it will hold up to all kinds of play and treatment and be a good clock.

As I said in my first post, there are clocks that are just as good for blitz and skittles, but not as good for slow time controls.  And there are clocks out there as good as this one for slow time controls, but not as good for the blitz and skittles.

The Chronos has been the one clock that does it all very well.  This new clock has simply come out, well as new, and improved upon the Chronos functions.  It's objectively a better clock with better options and details.  That's all.

I actually just spoke with Shelby and asked him.  He said the production models should be coming out in late September to mid-October.  We'll see.

Oh yeah, when I told him this was a souped up Chronos, he agreed.  Then I mentioned the same anodized finish of both and he told me that they will make the production models in a gloss finish to distinguish their clock from the Chronos.  They don't want them looking that similar.

I believe they will also have writing labeling the name and model and a logo.  I hope they put it along the bottom edge of the back of the clock if they do this.  The picture of the beta clocks I saw had the information on the edge of that ledge on the front.  And they had the logo, very large on the whole back of the clock.  I did speak with Shelby and he told me that wouldn't happen anymore.  Once again, we'll see.

pass on 150

where is the site that sell chronos for 91 dollar? i'm intrest in the chronos gx..  dont want to carry a big ass clock around..

not surprised

Eyechess, yes I own a Chronos. And yes if I see a Chronos and this new clock been sold for the same price, I would pick up the Chronos. I'm sorry to disappoint you.

yup eyechess is shelby. this post and review clearly confirm.. my theory that shelby and eyechess is the same person.. lol no logical chess person would pay 150..+tax+ship to be a tester to an unfinished product.. then pay shipping again to have a finalize clock..

i want to know which site sell the chronos for 91 dollar.. i might as well get it now..

Guardian, I agree with you. Eyechess and Shelby are the same person.

Nice review.! A gloss finish will be a major distraction to me.

I'm sorry to disappoint you guys, but I certainly am not Shelby.

My name is Ron Suarez.  I live in Peoria, Illinois and I am an optometrist.  I have no financial interest in any Chess business except as a consumer.

guardianx9, I assure you there are a good number of people in this country that will spend the $149 for this clock.  I didn't.  I received quite a discount because I sent 2 clocks to Shelby as trade ins, from an agreement he and I had when this clock was nothing more than an idea in the planning stages.  And I did not pay any tax or shipping either.  So calm down and carry on.

Also, you will note that I wrote I did not think this clock was worth $149.  What part of that did you miss?

And this thread is about the V-Tek 300 not about the latest sale on any other clock.  If you really want to know, send me a message and ask me nicely.  Perhaps I will message the fellow on the USCF discussion forum that told of this sale and ask him what the site is.

MikeH76, I am certainly not disappointed on what you would or would not buy.  I don't mean to hurt your feelings, but I honestly don't care what you buy.  This thread is a review of this new clock.  You will note that in my first post I said I would not suggest this clock for everyone.  The Chronos at $100 is a great value.  This new V-Tek 300 would also be the same great value at $120 - $125, in my opinion.

If you actually had both clocks in your hands, as I do, you would see the Chronos has nothing better on it than the V-Tek 300.  In fact my Chronos has the same black anodized finish and red buttons as the V-Tek 300 you see pictured in the OP of this thread.  Honestly, if you didn't know you would say they were both made by the same manufacturer.

The V-Tek has newer and better parts and programming, no more and no less.  It is objectively a better clock.  There is no emotion in that statement because it is a fact.

This is why I was puzzled by you saying if they were the same price you would buy the older and somewhat inferior product.  But I was only puzzled not dismayed or anything like that.

9kick9, yeah I don't like the gloss idea either.  I'll be pushing for a more satin finish if they will do it.  But I have mine now and it's just fine with that matte black, anodized finish.

Shelby should keep it like it is with just a matte black anodized finish as it looks great that way IMO.

Yes, I agree.  Of course I also like the Blue anodized and the Red finish you used to see on the Chronos clocks.

I have a Chronos that is now 13 years old.  Back then it only came in that puke cream color.  I sanded off the paint to reveal the aluminum underneath.  Because of the sanding, by hand with sandpaper, the finish became brushed.  I kept the black buttons on the clock and use it weekly for blitz and skittles with a friend.  The aluminum looks great and actually looks as good as it did just after sanding 13 years ago this Labor Day weekend.  So, I wouldn't mind if they came out with a Clear coat or something leaving the aluminum alone.

Eyechess, you really sound like you are pushing this new product. So, that's why you make people doubt about your true identity. Like Guandian already mentioned, this whole thread looks very suspecious.

Like I said it will not fly off the shelves at $149.99 + shipping. Not when you can get a Chronos GX for 104.99 - 20%  $0 shipping = $83.99 

IS the V-Tek a great clock yes. It is worth more than $66 more + some shipping I will say no.  It is not priced right. 

Are you trying to combine the words "suspicious" and "specious" or is that just a spelling error?

I just posted a review of a clock I received last night as a beta tester.

I did say some negative things about the clock, especially the price.

If I were really pushing this product I would have said most everyone should buy one.  I did not say that.  In fact I said that this clock is not for everyone.

If I were Shelby and not who I really am, why would I buy a Chronos GX as I just did and post about on this forum?

Mike, if you don't have anything to say about this clock, either positive or negative, then just don't say anything. 

You said if this new clock were the same price as the Chronos you would still buy the Chronos.  Why is that?  Are just scared of the new product?

Eyechess wrote:

You said if this new clock were the same price as the Chronos you would still buy the Chronos.  Why is that?  Are just scared of the new product?

With this comment you are just giving people more ammunition to doubt of your claims. Okay, Shelby I give up. You win.