Living in Taiwan and thinking about a dartboard for home? Three decisions first: electronic or bristle, whether you can drill into the wall, and how much you want to spend. This is what we tell customers who ask us at the bar: how to choose a home dartboard, how high to hang it, and what to do before you buy.
Electronic dartboard or bristle board
The two types use different darts, and you can't mix them:
- Electronic (soft tip): a plastic face full of small holes, plastic-tipped darts, automatic scoring. Same system as the machines in Taiwan's darts bars, so what you practise at home carries straight over.
- Bristle (steel tip): compressed sisal fibres, metal-tipped darts. Quieter and long-lasting, but you keep score yourself or add an auto-scoring camera.
If you started playing in a bar and will keep going to one, get an electronic dartboard. AI DARTS runs Phoenix soft-tip machines.
Just visiting Taiwan? You don't need a board at all: our machines run 24 hours, no cover. If you want something for the suitcase, the one80 EVA travel board below is light and small.
Best home dartboards by budget
| Budget | Good for | What our darts shop stocks |
|---|---|---|
| Around NT$500 | Kids, trying it out | D-craft mini plastic board, one80 EVA travel board |
| Around NT$6,500 | Serious practice at home | GRAN electronic boards GB-132 and GB-3S |
| NT$8,000 and up | Steel tip with auto scoring | GRAN EYE auto-scorer (board sold separately) |
Prices are from the product pages in October 2026; check the shop for current prices. The bigger boards and stands ship within Taiwan only. The mini board is fine for fun but too small for real practice, so if you're serious, go straight to a full-size electronic board.
Dartboard height and throwing distance
Standard height is 173 cm from the floor to the centre of the bull. Throwing distance depends on the board: 244 cm for electronic, 237 cm for steel tip, measured along the floor from the board face to the throw line.
Plan on about 3 metres of clear straight space once you count where you stand and your arm swing.
Renting, or worried about the neighbours
Can't drill into the wall? Use a freestanding dartboard stand: we stock the folding GRAN triple stand and the Mckinley stand, which pack away when you're done.
Electronic boards are louder than people expect. In an apartment:
- Pick a model sold on quietness; the GB-3S page lists an upgraded noise-dampening pad
- Put a sound-absorbing panel behind the board, and keep it off any wall you share with neighbours
- Lay a mat on the floor so dropped darts don't clatter or scratch
- Skip late-night sessions at home. AI DARTS boards run 24 hours, so come throw here instead
Try before you buy
Not sure yet? Play a few games at AI DARTS first to get used to an electronic board and how it scores. If you still need darts, read our beginner gear guide. AI DARTS members can convert points 1:1 into shop credit and use it on a board.
FAQ
Q: Can I use steel-tip darts on an electronic board?
A: No. Metal tips damage the plastic face. Electronic boards take soft-tip darts only.
Q: How high should a dartboard be?
A: 173 cm from the floor to the centre of the bull. The throw line is 244 cm for electronic boards and 237 cm for steel tip.
Q: How much space do I need?
A: About 3 metres of clear straight space. Less than that, a mini board works for fun but not for proper practice.