ChessUp 2 vs Chessnut Evo: Which Smart Board Fits Your Chess in 2026
One has a 12.3-inch screen and Stockfish up to 3190 Elo. The other teaches with light-up hints. Here is who should buy which.
| Image | Pick | Product | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Screen and Stockfish | Chessnut Evo AI Chess Computer — Built | Price |
 | Light-up coaching board | ChessUp 2 | Price |
The Chessnut Evo takes it for anyone who wants one machine to do everything: a 12.3-inch screen built into the board, Stockfish from Elo 600 to 3190, and 34 chipped pieces in the box. The ChessUp 2 takes it for teaching, because its light-up hints can be dialed per player and the companion app explains what went wrong. I'd buy the Evo for solo study and the ChessUp 2 for a kid at the kitchen table.
The short version
| Deciding factor | Chessnut Evo | ChessUp 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in screen | 12.3-inch touchscreen | None listed; light-up squares instead |
| Engine range | Stockfish Elo 600 to 3190; Maia Elo 1100 to 1900 | AI engine, Elo bands not listed |
| Hints | Multicolor LEDs for moves and review | Tap a piece, squares light its legal moves |
| Piece sensing | RFID chip in each of the 34 pieces | TouchSense pieces |
| Online play | Chess.com and Lichess, no phone | Chess.com and Lichess, no phone |
| App | Not mentioned in the listing | ChessUp companion app with lessons and review |
| Pieces included | 34, including 2 extra queens | TouchSense set, count not listed |
| Price | Not listed | Not listed |
Neither listing carries an Amazon rating or a price in the data I pulled, so treat this as a paper comparison and check the live numbers yourself. The Evo's 12.3-inch panel is roughly the size of a small tablet sitting between the ranks. If you want the wider lay of the land first, my overview of smart chess boards covers what these machines actually do well.
A screen built into the board, or lights under the squares
The Evo's whole argument is that you never pick up a phone. The listing says 12.3-inch touchscreen, built-in WiFi, Chess.com and Lichess straight from the board. That's a small tablet bolted to a chessboard, and on paper it holds together: RFID in each piece means the board tracks every move, and the display shows you the game, the clock, and the review. The panel is 12.3 inches on the diagonal, about 31 centimeters, and it sits between the ranks where a score sheet usually goes.
ChessUp 2 goes the other way. There's no screen in the data at all. Instead the squares light up, and touching a piece shows where it can legally go. I'll concede something here: a chessboard should look like a chessboard, not a laptop, and the ChessUp approach keeps the thing recognizable on a coffee table. But if the goal is a standalone game with no glass in the room, you need the panel. My fuller ChessUp 2 review digs into how the light-up system behaves in practice.
Winner: Chessnut Evo.
Engine strength: a published Elo range against an unlisted one
Chessnut gives you numbers. Stockfish runs from Elo 600 to 3190, and Maia runs 1100 to 1900. That top figure matters, because 3190 will beat every club player in your building and most of the people running the tournament. The Maia side is the smarter feature for humans: it's trained to play like a person rather than a calculator, which at 1400 strength is the difference between a sparring partner and a bully.
ChessUp 2 lists an AI engine and adjustable coaching, but it doesn't publish Elo bands. That's not a knock on how it plays; it's just what the listing gives me. If you're the sort who wants to know your opponent sits at 1750 before you sit down, you'll find the silence annoying.
Winner: Chessnut Evo.
Coaching a beginner without hovering
This is where ChessUp 2 earns its place. Touch any piece and the board lights its legal moves. Set hints per player and the kid gets guidance while you play with none. The companion app adds lessons that show on the board and the screen at the same time, and there's a setup mode for any position, so you can build the endgame you keep losing at 8 pieces.
I've watched parents teach chess by narrating every single move, and it falls apart by move four. A board that shows the answer without a human voice is better for everyone involved. If you're starting from nothing, the best chess sets for beginners is worth a look alongside these.
Winner: ChessUp 2.
Online play, the app, and what actually ships
Online play is a wash. Both listings name Chess.com and Lichess with no phone or tablet needed, and that's the feature that sells these boards to anyone who plays club chess and wants a real board under their hand while the opponent sits 3000 miles away. Two platforms each. Nothing to separate them.
The app tips it. ChessUp 2 ships with lessons, progress tracking, and game review in the ChessUp app, and the board and app work together during study. The Evo listing doesn't mention an app at all; it names the board, 34 recognition-chip pieces with 2 extra queens, a USB-C cable, and a quick start guide. If box contents are your yardstick, the Evo is the clearer buy, since 34 pieces is a specific promise and the ChessUp count isn't listed. If what happens after the game matters more, the app wins it. For traditional wood and weighted pieces as a reference point, see chess sets.
Winner: ChessUp 2, narrowly.
If you play alone most nights, this is the one I'd buy. Stockfish to Elo 3190, Maia from 1100 to 1900, a 12.3-inch screen, RFID in all 34 pieces, and two spare queens so promotion isn't a scavenger hunt. It's a computer with a chessboard around it, and the listing is honest about that.
The teaching pick. Light-up squares, TouchSense pieces, hints you can set differently for each player, and a companion app that carries lessons and game review. On paper it's the better board for a household with a beginner in it, and the better one to leave out where people will actualy touch it.
Which one I'd pick
Studying alone or playing online against strangers: Chessnut Evo, no hesitation. The 12.3-inch screen and the Stockfish ceiling at 3190 make it a self-contained training machine.
Teaching a kid, playing a spouse, or running a casual game where someone needs a nudge: ChessUp 2. The per-player hint setting is the whole reason to own it.
And if you want a board that just looks like a board and never needs a charge, skip both and buy wood. My picks for best wooden chess sets run cheaper and never ask for a firmware update.
Questions people ask me
Is ChessUp 2 or Chessnut Evo better for a beginner?
ChessUp 2 is the friendlier teaching board. Its squares light up to show legal moves and mistakes, and the coaching level can be set separately for each player, so a kid gets hints while you play clean. The Evo can teach too, but the guidance lives on its 12.3-inch screen rather than under the pieces.
Do both boards play on Chess.com and Lichess without a phone?
Yes, both listings say so. ChessUp 2 connects over built-in WiFi to Chess.com and Lichess for real-time games. Chessnut Evo also lists standalone online play on the major platforms through its touchscreen and WiFi, with no phone or tablet in the loop.
What pieces come in the box with each board?
The Chessnut Evo listing names 34 recognition-chip pieces with 2 extra queens, a USB-C cable, and a quick start guide, with RFID sensing in every piece. ChessUp 2 includes TouchSense pieces, but the listing doesn't state how many, so I can't give you a count.