Don’t brush the new G-Shock GA-B2100 aside as just a collection of new colors, as this is a major update to the highly popular octagonal GA-2100 watch. Casio has added desirable tech in the form of Bluetooth connectivity and solar charging to give it high-tech appeal, and we predict that’s going to put this watch on a lot of wrists.
The Bluetooth connectivity enables the watch to sync with the Casio Watches app, where adjusting the time happens automatically and you can set alarms and timers too. It’s also simple to add a location for the world time, plus there’s a phone finder feature too. While the GA-B2100 isn’t going to challenge the Apple Watch for functionality, it does make using simple features easier and faster.
Casio’s Tough Solar feature is very welcome. Despite the Bluetooth connection, you don’t have to plug the watch in to a charger, as the solar cells on the dial collect enough energy to power it. When it’s fully charged, the watch will last for many months even if it stays in complete darkness. With normal use, you won’t have to worry about the battery at all.
Even with the addition of the new technology ,the GA-B2100 retains the compact dimensions that make the non-Bluetooth version so wearable. The 48.5mm case is 11.9mm thick, so it easily fits under a shirt cuff, and it’s not so massive that it overpowers small wrists. At 52 grams, it’s lightweight too. The design hasn’t changed either, with the octagonal shape earning the GA-2100 the nickname of CasiOak due to its passing similarity to the Audemars Piquet Royal Oak watches.
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Utilizing Casio’s Carbon Core Guard structure — which uses carbon fiber to reinforce the resin case — the GA-B2100 is shock resistant and water resistant to 200 meters. There are five color choices in the range, starting with the black-on-black and black-on-gray models, and continuing with the more eye-catching yellow, green, and blue models. These all recall the tones used on the very first G-Shock DW-5600 watches released in the late 1980s.
The watch has been announced by Casio, but price and availability details for the U.S. have not been confirmed yet. In the U.K. the watch will be released on May 2 and cost 130 British pounds, or about $170 for all but the yellow version, which costs 140 pounds, which converts to about $184.