A stopwatch has a lot of uses. Since it is basically intended to time or measure the duration of a particular event, you get to know the importance of proper timing. Like, for example, when you are doing a special cardio workout to optimize your body’s fat burning mechanism. Proper timing is also very crucial in cooking as well as in other time-bounded activities like running, swimming and even gaming. To measure time, the first thing that you need is a reliable stopwatch but if you don’t have one, you can easily settle for a simple web-based stopwatch like 123 Stopwatch.

What is it and what does it do

Main Functionality

123 Stopwatch is a simple yet reliable stopwatch and timer web app that is primarily intended to help you measure and record the duration of a certain event. It is a web-based app so you don’t need to download or install anything on your computer. With 123 Stopwatch, you have two options. First is the stopwatch, which is meant to time the duration of a certain activity or event while the other is the timer, which is meant to set a pre-defined time limit or interval.

Pros

• Simple and lightweight, no download required
• Easy to use, neat user interface
• Features two options for measuring time – stopwatch and timer
• The stopwatch feature can be used to record split times or lap times
• The timer feature can set a maximum time limit of 99:59:59 (hours: minutes: seconds)
• Works offline (provided that you still haven’t cleared your browser’s cache)
• Works on mobile devices

Cons

• No hotkey support
• The timer doesn’t have a snooze button
• You cannot download your data as .csv or .txt file
• There’s no option for switching the timer or stopwatch into analog format
• Needs support for light and dark themes as well as for switching the web app’s UI to full screen mode
• Works on mobile devices but is not mobile optimized

Discussion

123 Stopwatch proves to be a great option for users whose devices don’t include a built-in stopwatch or timer. One good example of this is when you’re suddenly put into a situation in which you’re tasked to measure and record time and yet, the only gadget that is within your reach is your computer or laptop. Apparently, your best course of action would be to find a simple yet reliable software or web-based application that you can use to measure and record a given time or event duration.

As I’ve already mentioned, 123 Stopwatch is purely web-based so all you need to do is to load it on your web browser. No need to download or install anything. It should also be noted that this web app is also available as a free browser app for Chrome so you can download it directly at the Chrome Web Store.

Functionality wise, this web-based stopwatch and timer app is very simple to use plus it features a nice, responsive and stable user interface. It’s a straightforward online tool so what you see is what you get. It has a stopwatch for timing the duration of a certain event plus you can also use its timer to set a pre-defined time duration. It should also be noted that its stopwatch feature supports split timing so you can use it to record split times or laps – a main component for recording the best time record for athletes and racers.

Anyways, what I like most about this web app is that it’s highly accessible plus it’s great for casual use. So instead of downloading a timer or stopwatch app, you can just bookmark this online tool and use it whenever you want. Nonetheless, its features are very basic so you can’t really count on it to be as advanced as those stopwatch devices that are meant for professional use. Its timer even lacks the snooze button plus both of its timer and stopwatch tools are only available in digital mode. It also won’t let you download the time that you’ve recorded as .csv file or .txt document.

As for its user interface, it would be nice if it would polish its design more in such a way that it becomes more appealing and user-friendly.

Conclusion and download link

If you are simply looking for a free stopwatch or timer tool that you can use on casual basis, I highly suggest that you check out 123 Stopwatch. It’s a web-based app that you can instantly bookmark on your web browser. It is also reliable enough to measure and record the time duration of a certain activity or event.

Price: Free

Version reviewed: N/A

Requires: Works on any browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, IE, Opera, etc.) on any desktop and mobile operating system (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, etc.)

123 Stopwatch homepage