Casio’s latest entry in the G-Shock GD-B500 series – the MW-8 – is available in the US after an initial launch in Japan in December.
As with the rest of the GD-B500 range, the new colorway of the digital hybrid smartwatch allows users to track their steps and sync with their smartphone for easy time zone shifting.
It’s nowhere near as smart as the brand’s G-Shock GPR-H1000 announced at CES 2024 last January, which featured GPS, heart rate monitoring, and training insights powered by Polar.
However, with new, good-looking hybrid smartwatches hard to come by these days, we think this is low-key one of the best ways to track your steps – particularly if you don’t want or need the full functions of a smartwatch or outdoor watch.

Other smart functions include the dual-city timezone display, which aligns with seasonal changes thanks to the Bluetooth phone connection, and typical features like timers, alarms, and a stopwatch.
Unlike its color-blocked siblings, Casio has mixed up the colors and gone with light grey and neon yellow for this version. Yet, as you would expect, all the usual rugged G-Shock specs remain.
The GD-B500MW-8 (46.3 × 41.5 × 11 mm; 45g) is rated to survive up to 200m depths, making it suitable for free divers, and is also designed to withstand mechanical shock and vibration.
Sadly, this version still doesn’t boast Casio’s Tough Solar screen tech, but the battery life is still estimated to be around two years from the CR2016 cells. Plus, there is the typical LED backlight for viewing in dark conditions.
Official pricing details outside of Japan are yet to be announced, but the ¥20,900 price is equivalent to around $130. Stay tuned for more on this one, as we’d be keen to test its step tracking against the few other pared-back smartwatches available on the market.