For the most part, the G-SQUAD DW-H5600 closely resembles the original in terms of design, though it is slightly larger and heavier. New to this iteration is the mono MIP LCD screen with LED backlight, stainless steel back plate with a charging port and optical health tracking sensors powered by Polar, built-in rechargeable battery, as well as solar charging function. Casio is offering the watch in two variants: the standard DW-H5600 model, and the stainless steel bezel equipped DW-H5600MB option. Regardless of which, both feature the G-Shock brand’s signature shock resistant resin body, and are also water resistant up to 200 metres of depth. Additionally, the two come with bio-based resin straps that are compatible with 145 – 215 mm wrist sizes.
For features, one noticeable change is the updated watch face, which now includes indicators for battery, heart rate, and message notifications. Even though the watch is capable of connecting to smartphones via Bluetooth, keep in mind that available functions are limited to automatic time and distance correction, easy watch setting, world time, and phone finder. Unfortunately, incoming messages only appear as a notification rather than a snippet of text. Besides that, the G-SQUAD DW-H5600 has four activity tracking features (running, walking, gym workout, and interval timer) and also several fitness monitoring functions. The latter includes tracking capabilities for heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep, step count, and calorie consumption. In terms of battery life, Casio says the upcoming G-Shock watch can last up to 35 hours with the heart rate monitor activated, up to a month with the function turned off, and up to a whopping 11 months on power saving mode. While it was mentioned earlier that it comes with solar charging capabilities, keep in mind that the feature is merely a secondary charging approach that is meant to charge the battery just slightly. When connected to its proprietary charging cable, the DW-H5600 is said to take about three hours for a full top-up. The new G-Shock G-SQUAD DW-5600 is available for pre-order in Japan at JPY 41,800 (~RM 1,380) for the standard version and JPY 44,000 (~RM 1,453) for the DW-5600MB variant. Casio has yet to confirm whether the watch will be sold in Malaysia when it launches globally in May 2023. (Source: G-Shock [Japanese website], via G-Central)
