Digital dart boards are soft-tip electronic units that score automatically, while traditional boards are steel-tip setups you score by hand.
A digital dart board and a traditional dart board split the game in half: one runs on soft-tip darts and an electronic target that does the math for you, the other on steel-tip darts and a bristle board that demands you keep score yourself. The choice comes down to space, budget, and how much you care about a regulation 18-inch board. Everything below covers the real numbers — throw distances, target sizes, prices, and the mistakes that ruin a setup.
The Size And Distance Numbers That Actually Differ
Traditional boards measure 18 inches across, but most electronic boards run a 15.5-inch target, so the boards and their throwing distances are not interchangeable.
A traditional dart board is regulated at 18 inches in diameter with 20 numbered segments, a bull’s-eye, and standard double and triple rings. Its center sits 5 feet 8 inches from the floor, and you throw steel-tip darts from 7 feet 9 1/4 inches. Soft-tip play stretches that distance to 8 feet 0 inches.
Electronic boards shrink the target. Current models list a 15.5-inch regulation target area, and smaller units drop to 13 inches. The Spider 360 1000 Series uses an official 15-inch target, while the Spider 360 3000 Series lists a dual 15-inch and 13-inch regulation target. None of them match an 18-inch bristle board.
Mounting matters just as much. A traditional board should sit flush to the wall, with the 20 at the top, kept away from windows, breakables, and walking paths — steel-tip darts bounce out, and a bounce-out into a hallway is how walls and furniture get dinged. Electronic boards throw lighter soft-tip darts, which cuts that risk but does not remove it.
How Scoring And Game Formats Split
Electronic boards automate scoring and pack in dozens of games, while traditional boards rely on manual scoring and a fixed board layout.
That single difference drives everything else. An electronic board counts your throws for you, tracks multiple players, and often adds LED or LCD displays, voice and heckler features, online play, and software updates over WiFi or Ethernet. The Arachnid Inter-Active 3000, for example, carries 27 games with 123 variations, an optional three-level heckler feature, and support for up to eight players.
Traditional play gives you one board and one set of rules, and the scoring is on you. Some players want exactly that — no display glow, no voice calls, no firmware to think about.
What The Boards Cost Right Now
Electronic boards start near $50 and climb into four figures for home arcade machines, while traditional boards stay inexpensive because there is no electronics to buy.
Arachnid’s Cricket line runs from the Cricket Pro 450 Talking Electronic Game at $109.99 up through the Cricket Pro 650 at $179.99, the Cricket Pro 750 at $279.99, the Pro 800 with the three-level heckler feature at $289.99, and the Cricket Pro 900 at $329.99. One listing shows that Pro 900 at $359.99 instead, which is the catch with this category: the same model carries different prices across sellers.
Other current examples include the Arachnid SDB1000 Soft Tip Smart Electronic Dartboard at $129.99, the Arachnid SDB4000 with online game play at $229.00, Viper’s 850 at $154.99, and the Spider 360 1000 Series home machine at $2,699.00.
If you want the tested shortlist instead of a spec walk, our roundup of the best digital dart boards breaks down which units hold up over months of play.
| Feature | Traditional Board | Digital/Electronic Board |
|---|---|---|
| Target size | 18 inches, regulated | 15.5 inches typical; 13-inch units exist |
| Dart type | Steel-tip | Soft-tip, often capped at 20 grams |
| Throw distance | 7 feet 9 1/4 inches | 8 feet 0 inches |
| Board center height | 5 feet 8 inches | 5 feet 8 inches |
| Scoring | Manual | Automatic |
| Games included | Whatever you know | Dozens, plus variations |
| Typical price | Low, no electronics | $52.98 to $2,699.00 |
Mistakes That Wreck Either Setup
Most bad dart setups come from mixing the two formats, and the boards, darts, distances, and scoring do not cross over.
- Throwing steel-tip darts at an electronic board, or soft-tip darts at a bristle board — the targets and tips are built for different impacts.
- Measuring the wrong oche. Run the tape from the floor directly below the board face to the throw line, not from the wall behind it.
- Comparing target sizes loosely. A 15.5-inch electronic target is noticeably tighter than an 18-inch traditional board.
- Assuming every electronic board connects to an app or the internet — only some current models list online play and updates.
- Trusting one price. Check the listing, not the model name, before you buy.
Either way, check the model’s own manual before mounting. Spider 360 ships an included throwline and a downloadable owner’s manual, and soft-tip weight limits are worth confirming — the Viper 850, for instance, is built for soft-tip darts up to 20 grams.
FAQs
Can you use steel-tip darts on an electronic board?
No. Electronic boards are built for soft-tip darts, and steel tips will damage the target segments. If you plan to throw steel-tip, you need a bristle board. Electronic models generally specify soft-tip darts, and some cap the weight — the Viper 850 is designed for soft-tip darts up to 20 grams.
Do digital dart boards need WiFi or a subscription?
Not all of them. Current product pages show that only some electronic boards list online play and software update connectivity over WiFi or Ethernet, like the Arachnid SDB4000. The available documentation does not name specific subscription plans or required accounts, so check the individual model’s manual before assuming a monthly cost.
Which distance do you throw from on each board?
Steel-tip play uses a throw line 7 feet 9 1/4 inches from the board face. Soft-tip play uses 8 feet 0 inches. Both formats set the board center at 5 feet 8 inches from the floor, so the board height stays the same while the oche moves back for soft-tip darts.
References & Sources
- Arachnid 360. “Arachnid 360 Electronic Dartboards.” Source for electronic board features, target sizes, and current model pricing across the Cricket, SDB, and Spider lines.
- Arachnid 360. “Galaxy 3 Live.” Supports connected and display features on electronic dartboard models.
- Arachnid 360. “Black Widow.” Reference point for electronic target design and board construction.