Anybody here still enjoy those older dedicated chess computers?

Barely. The Mephisto Mini is rated at around ELO 1200 (SSDF).

Well thanks to this thread I am now - after a year - 450 GB pounds out of pocket but richer in owning 22 old chess computers! I aimed at economically purchasing as wide a variety of computers as possible from different authors and playing strengths. Giving how much I spent I could have just bought a super-duper modern chess computer, but I love the variety.

I normally play on a real board and only press the computer squares with my fingers - in general the computer chess pieces are a bit cheap - and give myself infinite time. Works well, if I get bored of one I switch to another.

Alexi- if you ever want an older fun and high rated travel size. I love my Saitek Travel Champion 2100... doesnt have the "bugs" in other models from that era and is still "hands on"

Those Saitek Travel Champion 2100's are a bit pricy in the UK as strong mobile chess computers tend to have a premium attached to them, best I got at a reasonable price was a Mephisto Marco Polo - quite a rare peg piece device with a reported 1700+ strength - I am a wee dubious about this given how little power it consumes, however I have not played it much. Wonderful name for a travel computer though.

Post an update once you've played a little..know zero about that one..hope its great for you

Nice!

I have a Novag Citrine! Very unique, the way they work. Plenty strong for me.

But some of the old ones are fun...my Novag Sapphire and Saitek TC2100 are still enjoyable but I have to admit that some of the new grneration programs have changed my perspective...

Hi all! I really enjoy my 2200x. Question, can you use any pieces or do they have to be the ones that came with it. I have some magnetic wood ones I'd like to try but don't want to damage board. Thanks! Oh! I also have a great condition Advanced Star Chess that my Dad got me when was a kid. Works awesome, hard for my level tho, lol!

I have a Novag Diamond,and a DGT Centaur.I gave my Boris chess computer,away to my family,as an early heirloom.I Also have Chess master 10th edition,and HIARCS 12.

I still love my Tasc system which is the best desk top computer ever produced

I have three of them. Beside Saitek "Mephisto Chess Challenger", I have "Mephisto Maestro", lcd back-lighted handheld and "Mephisto Mini" peg-in little electronic travel chess set with retro-future artistically designed cover lid. Also, lately I've decided to record some of our matches for further analysis. Hoping finally I'll beat some specific levels... useful distraction from everyday banalities.

On our local selling site there's one "Mephisto Milano" for 225 Canadian $, translated from our local currency. Being main advantage over "Saitek's Chess Challenger" of recording all the match'es moves, whole game. But today there are mobile apps where via tripod with another phone hovered over, you could save entire game via OCR-ing the real board...

That's too expensive for a Milano. It was the weakest of the first slate of "laptop-style" computers from the company, and the later Saitek Chess Challenger is a considerably stronger machine (2050 compared to 1900 ELO SSDF).

Sir @chessmaster_diamond thank you for precise info, as always. Is it true that there are two versions of "Challengers" same on the outside but with different processor strengths 10 and 27 mHz? Regarding "Milano", our local seller selling it for 18,000 RSD and Saitek "Mephisto Chess Challenger" (27 Mhz) version for 12,000 RSD. He states that 27 Mhz version "Challenger" is for 100 elo stronger in blitz than 10 Mhz version...

EDIT: He is selling "Milano PRO" version of 24 Mhz instead of 20 Mhz (before the model was sold to "Pewatronics", he states, when the model was weakened to 20 Mhz)

Edit 2: In the default mode, without dumbing down program in settings via "secret menu" (not mentioned in manual), I have hard time playing against (Saitek) "Chess Challenger" on "Fun 6" level, tacticaly extremely sharp and I just once peaked here ≈1250 rapid on chess.com. What to do?

I have a RadioShack 2200x. Why do you think your new pieces might damage it? It's just a pressure sensitive board, right (mine is)?

Hi! Yes mine is too but but it seems magnetic too. I just didn't want to wreck anything. Really fun and challenging to play!

I'd be confident it wouldn't do any damage @arikthekind