This $36 Casio Gets You the Look (and Most of the Features) of a Full-Blown G-Shock

This impressively capable, accurate, fully-equipped timepiece costs just a few dollars more than a single Apple AirTag.

Published 19 hours ago

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One of the curious quirks of technology is the trickle-down effect. Tech tends to get cheaper and more widely available as time goes on.

Take the new Casio W220H-Series digital watches, for example. These remarkably affordable timepieces benefit significantly from the brand’s long technological development and implementation history.

If you don’t want to spring for a G-Shock — what could be called the W220H’s burly, robust cousin — these are a pretty spectacular, inexpensive alternative that’ll get you most of the same features.

G-Shock’s quirky cousin

At a glance, the W220H could pass for a G-Shock … if it weren’t for the Casio branding at the top of the dial. However, a closer scrutiny of the watch reveals they actually share more in common than you might think.

The chief difference — and what likely explains this watch’s comparative bargain-bin price — is a lack of shock-proofing. While G-Shocks are known for their robust housing that protects against impacts and vibrations, this watch is lacking it.

Casio W220H two colorways — The W220H comes in six different colorway options.

That said, it’s nearly half the price of the least expensive G-Shock. And if you’re wearing this watch in your daily life, chances are you won’t need G-Shock levels of shock-proofing.

This is a means of getting that same style and most of the standard features and complications at a fraction of the price. And that’s not even all these watches have in common with their beefy brethren.

Casio W220H dial closeup — If it weren’t for the Casio branding, this watch could stylistically pass for one of its beefier G-Shock cousins.

Bargain price, boldly-equipped

So, what else does this watch have to offer? Like G-Shocks, it’s made with a durable resin case and a matching bio-resin band. Three of them also come with an upgraded leather and fabric strap (albeit for a slight bump in price).

The watches also have a quartet of pushers that let you access and operate their extensive array of onboard complications. These include stopwatches, countdown timers, a fully automatic calendar, an LED backlight and more.

There’s no denying the overall value in this remarkably inexpensive watch.

They even come with a dual-time worldtimer function and the option to swap between 12- and 24-hour timekeeping styles. A highly accurate quartz movement supports all of this.

That’s a hell of a lot of bang-for-your-buck, all things considered. Sure, the lack of shock-proofing might be a no-go for some, but there’s no denying the overall value in this remarkably inexpensive watch.

Casio W220H three colorways with straps — Three of the watches have bio resin straps, while the other three have leather and webbing bands.

Available now

The Casio W220H-series watches are now available on the brand’s site. They start at $36, and the three with leather straps are slightly more expensive, at $50.