Chess clocks all began as the analogue type, but with modern time regulations it’s safe to say that this granddaddy of chess timers has been made to take a bow. For all tournament intents and purposes, every chess player has to have the electronic, digital type. Time regulations with first, second, and third time controls, increments, sudden death and the Armageddon all call for digital clocks. Even in straight time controls, analogues are never as accurate as digitals.
With that said, there are plenty of digital timers to choose from. Picking one is usually striking a balance between durability and user-friendliness, or determining the extent one should be preferred over the other.
The brand Chronos, for instance, is known to be very durable, with their clocks’ casings made of metal. They are, however, quite difficult to set. DGT’s, on the other hand, may not be as durable, but they are far easier to set. There are other brands, of course, such as Excalibur and ZM, all of which have their own qualities and advantages.