EleksTube Desk Clock by EleksMaker

This post isn't an ad or a sale promotion; it's just about new products that have gone on sale. Today I'll tell you about some interesting desk clocks released not long ago.



First, I should say that I've already bought a set myself—though not for $127, as they're currently listed on AliExpress and this other link, but for considerably less on Taobao. Keep in mind that on Taobao you have to place the order first and then wait another two weeks for it to ship. On AliExpress, they usually show up in small batches that get snapped up with impressive regularity. Still, $120–130 is definitely not a low price, and I wouldn't have bought them for that much.

First, here's what they look like. But no, these aren't the familiar IN tubes, often called nixie tubes these days.


But they really can be mistaken for nixie tubes—not just at a quick glance, either. The imitation is very convincing.


In fact, these aren't IN tubes at all, but ordinary IPS displays. There are already lots of display styles available: two nixie styles, plus a bunch of others.


Here's how some of the fonts look in real life.


You can display more than just numbers or text—you can show full images, too.


The IPS modules plug into connectors on the circuit board. To keep dust out, they're covered with glass or plastic caps (it's not clear which yet).




From the photos I've seen, the circuit board is also covered with something transparent, most likely acrylic.


From the product page description:
-Model: Elekstube IPS
-Display: IPS LCD
-Screen size: 1.14 inches
-Screen resolution: 16: 9 135X240 pixels
-Power input: 5 V DC, 0.5 A
-Power connector: Type-C
-Functions: time, calendar, digital photo album
-Time display mode: 12-hour, 24-hour (set via software)
-Base material: anodized aluminum alloy
-Base dimensions: 21X8.2X8 cm / 8.3x3.2x3.1 cm (L * W * H)
-Net weight: 430 g

The package includes:
Clock
Power supply
USB-C cable

The clock itself comes partially disassembled. I assume that's for compactness and protection during shipping.


It supports software control, which you can download here. There's also clearly a Wi-Fi module on the circuit board, but I couldn't find any information about whether it can sync via NTP.


The software is in English. I was worried it would be in Chinese. The product listing says:

But note that only BMP images are supported.


But what really got me hooked was the video. It partly influenced my decision about whether or not to get one.


There's also a video showing the settings options in the clock's own menu.


This model is actually an upgrade of a simpler version, which I think looks much worse. I saw it on AliExpress once, but I didn't like it then, and I still don't.


To sum up, here's what won me over, even though I already have more than enough clocks at home:
1. Well, first of all, they look great :)
2. They're something different.
3. They look very well made.
4. You can upload your own images.

Now, just my opinion. Yes, they're expensive—ridiculously so. What can I say? More than $100 for a clock is genuinely a lot of money. But what can you do when you just want one?
My clock hasn't shipped yet, since I ordered it a few days ago. It'll probably take another week or week and a half to ship, plus delivery time. I hope it'll arrive by New Year's, but something tells me it won't make it. It should cost me about $90, which is certainly cheaper than the $127 price on AliExpress, but still far from budget-friendly.

So, what do you think of clocks like these?