Fullreview here: world of Casio G-Shock is a guilty pleasure for most serious watch collectors. Anelectronic watch in a classic design for such devices, with enhanced protection of the case against shocks and water — and the water resistance reaches 200WMR, which makes this model suitable even for diving. The dial of the Casio DW-5600E-1VQ watch can display stopwatch, timer and calendar readings, there is also an alarm clock, and the data on the display will be visible in any light. WhatI like about the Casio G-Shock DW5600E-1V. The G-Shock DW5600E is a minimal tech-friendly timepiece. I really like how the DW5600E looks—slim and minimal. Most of today's digital watches look bulky and aggressive—usually to showcase that they can survive a ding or two at the gym—but the G-Shock's slenderness feels refreshing and Fast Money. Important I am not affiliated with any of the manufacturers, brands, services, or websites listed on this page and this is my personal experience. If you find this helpful and want to say thanks, please buy me a coffee or take a look at my book on Amazon. It keeps this page ad-free. Thank you! The Casio G Shock DW-H5600 or Casio G Shock Move as it’s known in the US, is a watch I have been eagerly awaiting since it was first rumored. In fact, I actively tracked rumors see this page and was refreshing the Casio USA website daily for updates. So I was VERY excited on May 3rd when US pre-orders opened. I picked up my Casio Black G Shock move for US$299+tax delivered, which may be the cost of being an early adopter as I’m sure the G Shock move will be on sale later in the year. The DW-H5600 is now available from Amazon in Black pictured or Dolphin Blue Grey. It wasn’t until May 19th that I got the G Shock Move DW-H5600 in my hands, this review of the G Shock Smart Watch is based on my own personal perspective. Why should you even trust me? I do love watches, I own a wide collection of Casio’s, but I am also not completely anti-smartwatch. I owned a Pebble Watch, an Apple Watch, and have played with various hybrid watches. Hopefully, this means I can bring a perspective of what is good, and bad, and give you a fair direction on whether the G Shock Move / DW-H5600 is for you. I bought and paid for the watch myself. So this review is unbiased, as I am not incentivized by Casio or anyone else. All of my setup and use was done on an Apple iPhone, the Android experience may vary. If you’re wondering if this is the best Casio watch? or the best Casio smartwatch? read on! UPDATE I returned my Casio DW-H5600, read the conclusion as to why. G Shock Move / Casio DW-H5600 Smart Watch Review This review is grouped as follows Unboxing the DW-H5600 / G Shock Move Initial Observations Setup and Use the G Shock Move App Wearing and Comfort Health & Fitness Features Charging and Battery Life Comparison G Shock Move v Apple Watch Final Thoughts – Should You Buy? You can jump ahead to any of the sections, or read the whole review. Unboxing the Casio DW-H5600 / G Shock Move In the US, at the time of release, the G Shock move was only available in two variants, black DW-H5600-1 and grey DW-H5600-2. Both models retail for US$299+tax. In Japan, there’s also a metallic bezel version. I opted for the black version, as it’s more akin to the classic G Shock DW-5600E that retails for US$50. In the box, you get the DW-H5600, the charging cable, the instruction manual, and warranty information. There are versions that come with swappable bezels and straps, but these are not yet available in the US. On that alone, if you’re not in a hurry, I would wait until some of the special editions make it to the US or wherever you are. Top Initial Observations about the G Shock Move On first wear, the G Shock Move DW-H5600 feels big. Most G Shock watches are a little oversized, but I was kind of taken aback by the size. At 51mm, it’s not a petite watch, it sits big and is noticeable on your wrist. The weight is not too bad, but I wear mechanical watches that have a bit of heft. So I may not be the perfect judge. Top Setup and Use the G Shock Move App The real power and features of the DW-h5600 G Shock Move are unlocked when you use the free G Shock Move App. In terms of app. setup, use, and permissions Prompt to accept app notifications User action required for region confirmation Create or sign into a Casio ID account Accept the software license Accept the privacy notice Accept the activity data usage notice optional Share data with Casio for product development I declined Accept location permissions iOS prompt, opted for Allow While Using App note – you will be prompted for more location permissions later, I did “Change to Always Allow” Accept Bluetooth permissions required for pairing and notifications Accept Notification permissions Select your watch Pair your watch! Accept the notifications prompt. You’re done! Yes, these are all the steps you need to accept and go through before you pair your watch. I mean it’s not even until step 12 you actually get to pairing your DW-H5600. This makes it much more complicated than any other smartwatch I have ever owned. Casio really needs to streamline the process. Seriously. Steps 2-6 could be rolled into one screen. The app is honestly awful. I’m an iOS user, so apps need to be really good to overcome limitations imposed by Apple. It’s worth noting, doesn’t offer two-factor authentication 2FA. I feel this is a miss given the account is connected to health data. Verdict Setup is barely OK, needs a lot of work. Top Wearing the G-Shock Move Comfort The DW-H5600 is a little larger than I was kind of prepared for and yes, I know the size specs are posted online. At it’s bigger than the Apple Watch Ultra and it’s not what I would call a discrete watch. Like most G Shocks though, the size premium comes from the G Shock protection. It doesn’t feel heavy though. The G Shock move weighs 59g 2g less than the Ultra but since I am also a fan of mechanical watches that do have some heft to them, I’m probably not the best placed to make an informed call on weight. If you have smaller wrists, I’d encourage you to see if you find the G Shock move in-store and try before you buy. Like every Casio watch I own, the DW-H5600 is comfortable on the wrist. Verdict Large, as expected. After all, it’s a G Shock. Top Health & Fitness Features I returned the Casio DW-H5600. Yes, the heart rate and blood oxygen levels work as described. Yes, it has modes for various sports. But since I returned the watch, I didn’t really put it through heavy paces, so I have decided to delete this section. I did have some concerns about the accuracy of measurement. For example, it reported 100% blood oxygen, which is not a result I have ever received before – even from a doctor. Verdict Potential accuracy issues, but unable to test further. Top DW-H5600 Charging and Battery Life It’s a bit early to get a read on this. I’m still charging each day and I don’t wear it overnight. I didn’t have a day where I felt the battery was going to give out. This makes the G Shock move feel a little better than most Gen 1 devices where battery life can be awful. Verdict Full-day battery life and no battery anxiety. As expected. Top Real World Experience with Notifications The notifications on the DW-H5600 work. The MIP display gives you notifications akin to what was available on the Pebble watch. So they’re monochrome and accessible via side button presses bottom left. Notifications are easy to read thanks to the MIP display and white text on black. I honestly had very low expectations going in. I didn’t expect Casio to enable full-text notifications, more a notification “alert” that prompted you to check your phone. Verdict Better than expected. Pleasantly surprised. Top Comparison of DW-H5600 G Shock Move to the Apple Watch It’s hard to not start the comparison without first talking about price. The DW-H5600 is more expensive than the Apple Watch SE, but less than the Apple Watch Series 8 and way less than the Ultra. I will be very explicit and clear here, I did not return the DW-H5600 because I expected the Apple Watch or Apple Watch-like experience. I do think there’s room for both in the market. I prefer the look of the G Shock vs the Apple Watch – most people except Casio enthusiasts wouldn’t even know the Casio DW-H5600 is a smartwatch. It’s also much cheaper than the Apple Watch Ultra, which is really where it’s competing in terms of being “tough and rugged”. Yes, the Casio DW-H5600 has trades offs vs. an Apple watch, no color screen, no app. ecosystem, and no tap-to-go payments. I can live without the color screen and the absence of an app ecosystem, but no tap-and-go payments bothers me more than I thought it would. The other thing that sort of nags at me is that the DW-H5600 price just feels off. Comparing it to the Apple Watch Ultra is both fair and unfair, yes they are both outdoor watches, but the Ultra backs a lot more features for the price. I keep watching to compare the DW-H5600 to the Apple Watch Series 8 given the price point and when I do that, I find myself looking at the price of both and start to feel the DW-H5600 is overpriced. I know this may come across as controversial and not appreciating Casio, but if the DW-H5600 was $249 I’d feel GREAT but at $299+tax all I can think is what are my alternatives and is it worth the premium over a standard $50 G Shock beater? Verdict A reasonable alternative to the Ultra, but it’s a stretch to compare them both. Not a fan of either. Top Final Thoughts – Should You Buy the DW-H5600? and why I returned mine At US$299+tax the G Shock Move DW-H5600 is a little more expensive than I hoped. The Casio iOS software is not great and after a few days of use, the excitement wore off as it became more and more clear that the DW-H5600 is a Gen 1 Casio Smartwatch. In the end, I couldn’t justify it. The price felt too high to be a daily beater or a “great buy”. If it was US$249, I’d feel a little more positive, and at US$199 I would be much more enthusiastic. So I ended up returning my DW-H5600. I’ve gone back to wearing my DW-5600 and a Fitbit Charge when I need fitness/health functions. Sure I’m wearing two devices, but the Fitbit Charge is an upgrade on the DW-H5600 features. Richer notifications, payments, and more advanced apps and while the Fitbit app is far from perfect, it’s better than the Casio app by an order of magnitude. I wish I had better news for those of you reading the review and looking for an excuse to buy the DW-H5600 for yourself. Your experience may vary. I’d encourage you to try and find the DW-H5600 in-store and play with the menus, see how it feels on your wrist, before you make a final decision. Final Verdict Returned for Refund. Important I am not affiliated with any of the manufacturers, brands, services, or websites listed on this page and this is my personal experience. If you find this helpful and want to say thanks, please buy me a coffee or take a look at my book on Amazon. It keeps this page ad-free. Thank you! Whenever a square classic G-SHOCK watch is delivered to me, I cannot help but be amazed. Furthermore, it makes no difference what year, series, or module it belongs to. Simply said, it’s the most traditional and comfortable watch type I’ve ever used. It has several great features, like being lightweight, small, durable, and informative. Today’s review on the site won’t focus on the most classic “squares,” but instead on the modern DW-B5600G-1. Phone linking is regarded as a sign of modernity in Japan. While looking at the DW-B5600G-1, I do not see anything new. Of course, a transparent ” swampy” style is certainly impressive. I’m more about the fact that the watch does not give the impression that it is a 2022 new release [the same as any other 5600s]. On the other hand, it is supposed to look like that. Japanese designers do not want the classics to go away – it’s their history, worldwide love [since childhood], and recognition. But they also understand another thing – the G-SHOCK brand requires an update. The DW-B5600 [and others with Smartphone Link functionality] act as a bridge between the past and the future. The DW-B5600 signifies the entry of the low-cost “plastic” segment into the mass market, whereas previously Bluetooth functionality was only found in high-end products like the GMW-B5000. That is an interesting direction for evolution, which is set by time and technology and not by the manufacturer. If there weren’t industry competition in the form of smartwatches and multi-sport watches, I believe CASIO would still be producing traditional watches. Otherwise, you have to change, no matter how painful it may be. In any case, the challenge has been accepted, and we can now see the new-old shocks in the DW-B5600 body. The main difference between the new epoch and its predecessors is the Smartphone Link functionality. Considering that, the DW-B5600 is not the first inexpensive square G-Shock with Bluetooth, because there is also the GW-B5600 [which I own], but it is definitely the first polyurethane G-SHOCK which can also be called the cheapest in this segment. The watch seems to be perfect affordable, classic-looking, and supporting modern features. That is true, but phone Sync cannot be referred to as technological advancement in the watch industry. It is just a great addition to the watch, nothing more. I’ll explain, but let’s first look at all the functionality via the CASIO WATCHES APP. The process of connecting your watch and phone. You will be able to see the watch in the app once your phone has “found” it. A set of menus that your phone can control. Basically, you can adjust all of your watch’s settings from your phone. Example of timer and alarm settings. Adjusting the time synchronization and choosing the second time zone for world time. Phone finder function [audible notification] and daylight saving time setting. As you can see, nothing has changed overall other than the ability to use the Phone Finder feature to locate your phone. No pedometer, calorie counter, or intelligent alerts. Yes, there is automatic accuracy correction, which is awesome. It also provides comfort and makes adjustments simpler. It is no longer necessary to press the small buttons and understand the logic of the settings; it is much easier to do so on the phone. In fact, the DW-B5600G has duplicate capabilities, but only from the phone, and the phone adds little to the watch’s capabilities. I’m sorry for the play on words, but I think you get my point. So what am I driving at? It’s not enough for me. I expect more from such integration. But who am I kidding? Without the MIP display, no one will be able to make a watch more functional. GBD-200UU-1 with MIP diplay And with the MIP display, CASIO has no problems with calories, pedometers, etc. So I’ll put my skepticism aside and enjoy the new DW-B5600’s features. The dial inversion is a little embarrassing, but I’m so used to it in the 5600 that I just accept it. There is, however, a nice backlight that minimizes readability issues. The inversion, on the other hand, makes the watch more aggressive and stealthy. I, personally, like this design a lot. I’d also like to draw your attention to the strap. In addition to its swampy transparency [the style is extremely unusual], it is noticeably wider than its classic counterparts. An extra point for the original style. And the main disadvantage is the lack of solar power. Even though a CR2016 battery will last for three years, solar power is preferable. However, even with the “Solar Battery” my GW-B5600 failed after five years [possibly due to insufficient use]. Conclusions If I were asked “what affordable G-SHOCK watch would you recommend?”, I would definitely point to the DW-B5600. The reason is simple Smartphone Link is a more interesting feature than just a regular module. Would I buy myself a watch like this? I doubt it, my square favorite is still the GW-5000U-1 without Bluetooth. *Valdemar, specially for & Support Ukraine & Stay Healthy! This article may contain affiliate links which means if you choose to purchase a product using the link I may get a small commission. This is at no extra cost to yourself and enables me to keep writing reviews of watches and products I genuinely think you will enjoy or find is a beater watch and why you probably need oneSo what is a beater watch? For most people, it's that watch that we throw on when we know things are going to get rough. That could be going to the gym, or it could be doing DIY projects around the house or garden or anything in between. There may be some situations where you currently just take a watch off to avoid any damage but still could really do with the convenience of a watch in that situation. This is where a good beater watch comes into its own and is ready to stand up to the bangs and knocks it will undoubtedly go until just over two years ago, I fell into the category of people who would just take their watch off to do specific tasks, and I was wearing an Omega Speedmaster Pro for my timing at the gym. After a few bumps and scrapes, I started to look at the fact that I didn't own a watch that was suitable in some of those more demanding situations or at least I wouldn't want to wear the tough but expensive pieces doing some final straw was waking up to the sound of my two-year-old son running out the Bedroom jingling my Rolex Submariner in his hand and heading towards the top of the stairs. Visions of shattered sapphire and case damage flooded my head as I leapt out of bed! Enough was enough, and it was time to add some watches that were tough, practical and also he could run around with and show an interest in. In short, for most people, a beater watch is something they genuinely need from time to time. And fully expect to take some harsh punishment on the the G-Shock DW-5600A short time after that incident I began my search for something at a sensible price with little to no maintenance required and that would be able to stand up to anything that was asked of it, be it garden work, gym work or my son using it as his favourite hammer around the house. I'd always fancied a G-Shock but in fairness, most looked a bit too large and cumbersome on my wrist and had more features than I would ever need so I had never followed through with a purchase. For me, the basics were what I needed, and after looking at the various plethora of models, I decided on the G-Shock DW-5600 is the “Original” G-Shock with a design that had changed very little if at all since its first inception back in 1983 when the young Casio engineer Kikuo Ibe came up with the idea for an indestructible watch. Spend 30 seconds searching YouTube, and you will find hundreds of videos of people creatively doing their best to test Mr Ibe’s design and destroy these G-Shocks. If whatever you get up to doesn't sound quite as strenuous as being run over by a lorry then you can probably rest assured the G-shock can handle it. Let's take a look at the features included in the DW-5600. FeaturesShock-proof Construction200m Water Resistance12/24h Digital Time CalendarStopwatchTimerAlarmElectric BacklightBattery Life Approx. 2 yearsFrom a feature point of view, the DW-5600 is the most basic in terms of functions but still packs in the most useful features and at a price-point that's quite staggering. The basic DW-5600 can be picked up new from places like Amazon for as little at £80. Search for a second hand one on eBay, and you can find them cheaper. But for such a low price-point this genuinely is a fantastic watch for the intended I said before, size is also crucial for most people, and the DW-5600 or any of the square models for that matter is one of the smallest G-Shocks in the range. At wide and high it's small enough for most people considering what situations it will be worn in. Made of resin with a rubber strap it's also comfortable on the wrist I've always found, and once the dirty jobs are done just wash it under the tap, and it's clean and looks like new. Couple this with easy maintenance and the fact that parts are readily available should you manage to very severely damage the case or strap or just fancy changing the colour. And you have a watch that will last a lifetime! Battery life on this model is stated at around two years, and while this isn't very long, it's an easy job to swap out the battery yourself. Fancy a longer battery life? For a little extra you could look at the GW-5610 range of squares which feature solar charging and can last around 10 Years! ConclusionStyle-wise there is a whole subculture attached to these G-Shock Squares, and with Casio releasing different colour variations across the entire range at a pace that is sometimes bewildering. You will be hard-pressed if you like the idea of one, not to be able to find a colour you want. Casio does a number of special editions and limited runs and also collaborate with designers, artists and musicians to name just a few to create new colours and styles for the range. In some ways for a watch design that is decades old and loved by millions, it seems a little derogatory to label the DW-5600 as a beater. This G-Shock has become a style Icon but has retained what made it unique in the first place, and that's its practically indestructible nature. For me, the G-Shock DW-5600 is a watch I couldn't do without for my lifestyle because of that robust nature. But I have gone on to buy more because there are just so many varieties and variations. For me, the G-Shock DW-5600 isn't just an excellent beater watch. It's the King of beater watches! If you are after your own DW-5600 check this one out here

g shock dw 5600 review