Mephisto Phoenix Chess Computer Module
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About The Mephisto Phoenix Chess Computer Module
Mephisto Phoenix is the most powerful personal chess computer of all time.
Phoenix comes in a modern glass touch screen design and offers both the newest computing technologies along with retro engines from decades past.
The Phoenix module is compatible with Millennium Exclusive and Tournament Boards - great news for those who already own a compatible chessboard.
The Phoenix can also be purchased as a bundle with new, high-contrast rosewood and light maple color electronic chess boards in standard and tournament sizes.
Onboard WiFi means the unit can stay current with updates as they are released. The most recent update in January 2024 includes native online play through liChess.
About Phoenix
The Mephisto Phoenix is a UCI based multi-engine chess computer, which provides access to huge variety in chess gaming. With Shredder Neuronal and Stockfish NNUE, you see the world’s first dedicated chess computer using most modern neuronal engine technologies.
The module in its modern design comes with a large color touch screen made from real glass. Accompanied by the well-structured touch menu system it is meant to be the perfect home station for chess lovers of all ages, all playing strengths and all experience levels.
The most powerful chess computer of all time
The Phoenix comes with 4 different Top-Class Engines on Board: Shredder 13.5, Komodo 14.1, Hiarcs 14.2 and Stockfish 15 NNUE. Starting from a very simple level, which is also suitable for absolute beginners, the system can reach a maximum performance of over 3400 ELO. In fact, there are countless options to adjust the playing strength to your individual needs. The system covers the widest playing strength range ever provided by a chess computer.
Shredder offers a highly interesting new function with its fully automatic self-adapting playing strength with ELO rating. In this way you can continuously monitor your progress and see how much you have improved through training with the computer.
The evaluation bar beside the chess board tells you at first glance how the engine rates the position. Any blunders are quickly noticed that way and you always have a sense of how well your game is going.
The optionally available engine package expands the Phoenix with 3 additional high-end engines: These include GinkGo, the well-known engine behind Fritz 18, Leela Zero - a purely neural engine with a great playing style and a real challenge for all self-players as well as Komodo Dragon 3 - Komodo's neural variant with an above-average active, sometimes risk-taking playing style and countless adjustable options for all chess players who like to experiment.
Online chess on a new level
With the "PLAY ONLINE" game mode, the Phoenix allows you to play against other people via the LiChess servers. The direct connection of the device to LiChess ensures a fast and smooth game flow.
In addition to the standard games, it is possible to play against friends from your own friends list as well as participate in Arena and Swiss tournaments. And it's just as easy as playing against the chess programs in Phoenix – directly on your chess board.
From then to now: The chess computer emulation.
The system is expanded with 23 classical chess computer emulations running at a high speed. Most remarkable is the “Mephisto Glasgow”, the legendary world championship program of 1984 - which runs on the MEPHISTO PHOENIX system at a speed of approx. 66 times faster than the original machine of the time.
With the speed bar you easily control the emulation speed or set it to the speed of the original chess computer, button and display layout follows the originals.
So if you've always wanted to play against the dream chess computer from your youth: Welcome!
Further sophisticated functions
Updates for the System come via WIFI directly on the unit, and if you purchase additional software in the computerchess.com webstore it is installed as easy as with the press of one button.
The machine comes with some different opening books: The standard one by Mark Uniacke provides you with more than 1,000,000 positions, all from master play. This is the biggest opening book ever provided by a dedicated chess computer.
In addition, the Phoenix is the first chess computer with integrated tablebases. Tablebases are endgame databases that work in a similar way to an opening book. They help the engines in the endgame to quickly find the right way to mate or to recognize early on how the game will end, even in very long endgames.
Phoenix is the right unit for you if you:
- Wish to own the most powerful dedicated chess computer ever made, building a bridge between past glory days and todays modern style of playing chess
- Are interested in modern engine technologies, e.g. NNUE Technology and how they evaluate positions
- Like to play with retro chess computers and to see how these programs perform on modern hardware
- Prefer a real board to analyze games and do not want to relay on a screen only
- Want to play online against other people as comfortably as possible.
- Don't mind a system with a bit of a learning curve and that has advanced features that are not all explained in a manual.
Compatible with the MILLENNIUM Exclusive and Tournament Sensor Boards
The MEPHISTO Phoenix requires a Millennium Exclusive or Supreme Tournament Board with RFID piece recognition.
If you wish to purchase this module in combination with an electronic board, these are the two packages available:
- Mephisto Phoenix M - Chess Computer with 15.7 inch Chess Board
- Mephisto Phoenix T - Chess Computer with 21.7 inch Chess Board
Technical details
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Chess specific properties |
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Suitable for |
all chess lovers, from children to grandmasters |
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Playing strength |
up to over 3400 ELO |
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Pieces included |
No |
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Additional pieces |
No |
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Magnetic pieces |
No |
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Piece compartment |
No |
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Hardware |
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Chessboard technology |
RFID piece recognition required |
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Display with illumination |
Yes, 7” Color TFT Touchscreen with 1024 x 600 px resolution |
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Processor |
1.5G 64 Bit Quadcore processor |
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CPU clock frequency |
1.5G |
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RAM |
4 GB |
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Connection board computer |
Standard mini-Din cable, 4 pin |
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Software |
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Program |
Shredder 13.5, Komodo 14.1, Hiarcs 14.2, Stockfish 15 NNUE |
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Emulations |
Package with 20 different chess computer emulations contained |
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Device languages |
5 (DEU / ENG / FRA / NLD / SPA) |
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Menu system |
Text-based / Graphic, All device languages |
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Updateable |
Yes, via WIFI and USB |
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Play online |
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App Integration |
ChessLink App for Mephisto Phoenix is integrated for direct use on LiChess.org since V4.01E / January 2024 |
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Supported servers |
lichess.org |
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Power Supply |
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Batteries required |
No |
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Power supply connection |
Yes, 100 - 240V 50/60 Hz Input - 9V 4A Output |
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Power supply included |
Yes, with interchangeable attachments for EU / UK / US |
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Measurements & Weights |
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Dimensions computer unit |
7.1 x 5.12 x 3,54 inches |
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Model number & age recommendation |
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Model number |
M920 |
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Age recommended by manufacturer |
10 Years & Up |
Product Specs
Complete system with WiFi very strong engine and play
Just received my unit today and been loving it so far. I was on the fence for some time due to the price tag. But now that I have it I love it!
Will be a great learning tool for improving your game. You can play any level and also get hints and also the computer lets you know when a move is good or bad and also your chances of winning the game. There is also a ELO rating for your progress. Only thing is you can’t save a game yet which hopefully in the near future they will have an update for that. Final thought is this is the best computer for learning and having lots of fun.
I downloaded the new Version 401A OS with it comes the ability to download new emulations. I had a Fidelity E/A 2265 which I bought in 1989. At the time my USCF rating was 1687 and it provided a fight on low time controls with thinking for much more time. After about 10 years it stopped working. I always wanted to replace that computer, but never did. Well I downloaded the emmulation, and after 3 attempts (my fault) it worked! I am delighted to have another E/A 2265 after all these years. I am still disappointed that save a game is not really available, but I must give Phoenix props for making this wish come true. 4 stars. If you want 5 stars fix the save game omission, and come up with a better system to handicap Stockfish. Make it so I can play Stockfish at 1800 ELO, and it feel natural. Can you limit how many moves Stockfish considers for each move that seems to work for "The King" program. If these 2 things are done than the Phoenix will be what I wanted - and should have received from the start!
Having had this computer (2 of them) for almost 6 months I can give a better review now. I like the retro programs. The emulations are just about perfect. I own many of the originals that they emulate, and have performed many tests to confirm the accuracy. The emulations are from my tests spot on. In particular the Tasc R30 2.5 seems to be perfect. Even the evaluations are perfect. I limited the games to 3 ply games against a common opponent - the chess genius after allowing the same opening via takebacks the reponses were identical after multiple games. As far as the modern engines I am not pleased with the handicaps they seem artificial. If I set stockfish to 1700 it plays the opening like a grandmaster and it plays the middle game like a 2000 rated player for most of the game then it makes a few moves like an 800 rated player. The millennium king handles the handicap much more naturally by limiting the number of moves for the search at each level. If this can be done with stockfish that would be fantastic! Maybe in a future update. As for analysis the stockfish engine is fantastic as you would expect. The lack of saving the game feature is disappointing to say the least, and should be rectified in a future update - I hope so. I feel this was a mistake to release this type of device without that feature from the get go. I read somewhere that this was not added because of a concern about the flashcard. This would have been rectified by allowing us to copy the software on a backup flashdrive I understand the concern of people pirating the software, but for the customer this would haved solved a major flaw that keeps this from being the state of the art Chess computer they intended to deliver. I preordered 2 of these unites because I live 1/2 the year in a different location. I would not have done that had I known then what I know now. If you are somone who is on the fence I would say wait to see if this is corrected in a future update. My recommendation is if your not Magnus or Ding buy the King element - it is plenty strong for me, and much much more user, and cost freindly. If on the other hand you always wanted a Tasc R30, or Mephisto London 68030 this would be a perfect solution at a more reasonable cost - for me I already have the old machines so I am somewhat disappointed overall. Hopefully a future update will solve these problems! The older machines do seem to be better made as mine are approximately 30 years old and still function well, the wood cabinates seem to be real wood. I have had more then a few problems with the Millennium boards if not for Chess house being the great service people they are would have been major problems. So one last bit of advice if you do decide to purchase these products buy from Chess house they are the best in price, and even better at customer service!
Angelo, thanks for your writeup! Basic game saving sounds easy, but is a complicated issue. Fortunately the update is coming very soon as of Spring 2023. There are a lot of expectations around saving games and they want to get it right so they decided to gather extensive feedback first.
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