Whether you’re looking for an electronic dart board for safety reasons (kids or butter fingers) or you just prefer the fun of playing electronic darts, you’ve come to the right place. Below is information of two of the very best electronic dart boards on the market – the Gran Board 2 and Dartslive 200S. But which one is better for you? Our Gran Board 2 vs Dartslive 200s should help you decide.
Gran Board 2 Review
The Gran Board 2 feels more like one of those dart boards you find at the bar than something cheaper you’d typically get for your home. The board has no display, so it’s compact and doesn’t take up that much space. This is possible thanks to the fact it can use a tablet or any type of smart phone for display, as well as SmartTV if you mirror it via a tablet or smart phone (compatible with both iOS and Android). It connects using Bluetooth 4.0 to display all of the player details, your current score and average score and then stores it in a worldwide database. Below are the headline bullet points and the detail is after.
- Breezy installation
- Very few bounce outs
- Online play app
- Compatible with iOS, Android and Smart TV
- Plenty of games to choose from
- Fairly quiet for a soft tip board
- A bit on the pricey side
- The AA batteries are not included
- The throw-in darts could be better
Games & Software
There are a number of games you can play, such as Cricket (four variants – standard, Cut Throat, hidden and hidden Cut Throat) or .01(301, 501, 701, 901, 1101 and 1501), and you can play it in 3-leg, 5-leg or 7-leg variant. In addition to Count Up and Half It, this makes all the games playable against a human opponent, but you can also choose to play against the computer (Animal Battle, 9 levels of difficulty). Here’s the real kicker, though – you will be able to add more games with every app upgrade, and it comes (as of yet) free of cost.
Another great thing about the app is that you can play with players all around the world. If both you and your opponent have a cam, and depending on where both you and they position your respective cameras, you can have a full video when playing online. Of course, that will require you allowing the app to access the camera on your phone or tablet, but it’s really rather automatic – the app will prompt you to do it, so you don’t have to fiddle around
Set-Up
Once the board is fixed to a wall or a mount, you’re ready to play. Now, the board is a bit on the heavy side as far as dart boards go (8.1 pounds, with a bit more negligible weight from the batteries), but then again, it is an electronic board. The point I’m trying to make here is that you need to make sure it’s secured to the wall or wherever else you’re planning to mount it on. On that note, you should also make sure to mount adequate lighting, as the board doesn’t come with its own.
There are foam pieces in each segment that go a long way to muffling the sound at impact. It’s not whisper-quiet, but it does help if you’re living in a condo with paper-thin walls or have small kids sleeping in the next room. That said, you might want to consider investing in some sort of padding to put behind the board, especially if it’s a shared wall.
One minor point to consider is that the board comes with just one set of soft tip darts, and they’re not of the best quality, either. That said, the manufacturer recommends using darts that weigh in at 18 grams at most, so that you don’t damage the board.
Power Supply
As for the power supply, the Gran Board runs off a couple of AA batteries, so it’s completely cordless. Coupled with a footprint that measures just shy of 4 square feet, this makes for a nice space-efficient addition to your game room (not to mention storing the thing when you get bored with it or decide to move). The power button is located on the side of the board and it takes very little time to get the app up and running . The battery life is surprisingly long, which is attributable to one of the newer gens of Bluetooth. You can count on anywhere between a few days and a couple of weeks, depending on the batteries and how often you play it.
Dartslive 200s Review
The 200S from Dartslive is the new and upgraded version of the 100S, which is mostly reflected by being quieter than the 100s and it can now connect to smartphones and tablets. However you will have to download the app to use it with your preferred device – it’ll only take a minute or so to install it and get everything up and running. Now, it’s important to note that the app is not designed to use it on a PC, just smartphones and tablets. You can stream the app onto a big screen TV if you mirror it via your tablet or phone.
- Great value package, easy installation
- Comes with everything you need to mount it
- Virtually no bounce outs
- Mild learning curve on the app
- No need to sync the app every time you turn the board on
- One of the quietest electronic dartboards on the market
- Somewhat expensive
- No online play with people in other destinations
Games & Software
There are some requirements you’ll need to keep in mind if you want to use the board – the app requires either an iPhone or iPad with iOS 7 or newer, or a smart phone with at least Android 4.0 (or newer, of course). Also, the device will have to support Bluetooth 3.0 (or, you guessed it, newer), as the board has an integrated Bluetooth 4.0.
When it comes to the games selection on the Dartslive 200s, you get the standard .01 games (301, 501, 701, 901, 1101 and 1501), as well as Cricket (Standard and Cut Throat), playable in 3-leg, 5-leg or 7-leg medley. You can also practice-play Count-Up, Cricket Count-Up, Eagle’s Eye, Soot Out and Half-It, and if you really want to work on your game, select Challenge and pick one or more areas you’d want to practice. Moreover, the Challenge option also allows you to configure up to three custom targets and pull them up whenever you feel like practicing.
Of course, much like with many other electronic dartboards that can connect to smartphones, the 200S offers you the option of choosing the opponent – you can play against the computer using the Robo Rival feature (plays .01, Standard Cricket or Medley) or against a human opponent. Speaking of the latter case, it’s rather surprising that the app doesn’t have an online play feature, like the Gran Board 2 does. That said, if you’re just a little bit tech-savvy, you can still use the board to play webcam darts via third-party programs.
Set Up
When it comes to installation, the board comes with a rather nice value package and pretty much everything you need to mount it. You get everything you need to set it up – in addition to the board itself, you’re also getting two sets of soft tip darts (with ten extra tips), a USB cable, five screws and as many anchors to attach it (4 are required, so don’t worry if your package arrives one screw short). Of course, you’ll also be getting the instruction manual and a user guide (plus the warranty card with manufacturer’s contact).
As far as sound goes, the Dartslive 200s is as quiet as any soft tip board, maybe even a touch quieter, which is great for anyone living in an apartment building. On that note, if you do decide to mount it on a shared wall, do think about buying a sheet of cork or some plush fabric to dampen the sound – it won’t eliminate it completely as you’ll still have the bracket connected to the wall, but it should help reduce it to a negligible level.
Power supply
The Dartslive gets its juice either via USB or from a triplet of AA batteries, whichever is more convenient to you. One minor gripe you might have with this dartboard are the LED lights on the side of it. They can eat through the batteries and some might think the light they cast is not really worth it. Personally, I like it.
Gran Board 2 vs Dartslive 200s Conclusion
It’s a thankless task making objective recommendations, especially when you like both products you’re reviewing. However, since you’re twisting my arm, I’d have to go with the Gran Board 2 if you want to play online with people. Plus it costs a bit less than the Dartslive 200S. If playing online doesn’t bother you , then the Dartslive 200S is somewhat quieter and really is a fantastic game. Plus I believe there is an option to play it online if you use a third-party program, but the Gran Board 2 is much more straightforward when it comes to set up.
All things considered, it really boils down to your personal preferences. Whichever way you decide to go about it, have fun shopping and playing your new dartboard!
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