The ZMF-II Chess Clock is popular in the chess community as an affordable alternative to the expensive Chronos chess clocks.
Playing using chess clocks is a great to improve your chess skills. These handy timers have been proven to increase a player’s calculation speed and chess tempo through the use of time pressure.
You can find a lot of chess clocks being sold on the Internet and in classic brick and mortar store. To know more about these chess clocks, follow our series of articles which cover the features of each in detail.
In this article, we will talking about the ZMF-II Chess Clock.
Features
- Polycarbonate LED display
- Several timing modes (increment, delay, hourglass etc.)
- Anti-slide ‘rubber ‘feet’
Quick Specs
- Battery: Four C batteries
- Dimensions: 7” x 3.5” x 2.1”
- Clock Type: Digital
- Main Material: Plastic
The ZMF-II Chess Clock is popular in the chess community as an affordable alternative to the expensive Chronos chess clocks.
The two clocks look very much alike from their wide base to their touch sensor buttons. However, the Chronos chess clocks have the advantage of being made of metal while the ZMF-II is mainly made out of durable plastic with stainless steel buttons. There’s also the fact that the ZMF-II only retails for about half the price of Chronos clocks.
The ZMF-II runs on four C batteries (usually not included in the package) which enables it to function for up 1,600 hours as compared to the usual 600 hours most chess clocks have.
It features an LED display screen made of “high impact-resistance polycarbonate” which is the same material used in bank teller windows. This is where users can see the countdown and adjust the clock’s time settings. The screen is sufficiently bright to be clearly seen while used indoors.
Unfortunately, the screen is not adjustable making its contents invisible in bright places. So you can’t take this chess clock with you for an afternoon of chess playing at the park.
Users are given plenty of timing modes to choose from. This clock has different menus dedicated for increment, delay and programmable tournament modes. Timing modes for other board games like Scrabble and Shogi are also available. The clock’s controls feels intuitive enough for easy use. But if you might need more time to figure out the settings if this is your first chess clock.
The ZMF-II also features a configurable sound alarms The clock’s beeping sound can turned on or off. Users particularly liked how its alarm is relatively lower in pitch and volume as compared to other clocks which have irritating alarms.
All these considered, the ZMF-II is a great choice for people who are looking for an affordable chess clock to use for casual playing or training. It’s a great alternative for the more expensive Chronos chess clocks which retail for twice the price of this ZMF-II one. One downside of this clock though is its non-adjustable LED screen display which prevents users from using this clock outdoors.
Pros
- Affordable alternative to Chronos chess clocks
- Long battery life
- Good variety of timing modes
Cons
- Can’t be use outdoors
