The Casio A168W has long held a special place in the hearts of watch enthusiasts, admired for its unmistakable retro charm and timeless digital display. However, as technology advances, even icons sometimes need a refresh to meet modern demands. Many devoted fans and casual wearers alike face a common dilemma: how to embrace new functionality without sacrificing the beloved aesthetic of a classic. Fortunately, Casio has answered this call with the introduction of the Casio ABL100, a groundbreaking evolution that seamlessly blends vintage appeal with contemporary features. As explored in the video above, this new model isn’t just an update; it’s a thoughtful re-imagining designed to fit today’s active lifestyles while retaining the soul of its predecessor.
The Casio ABL100 directly addresses the desire for enhanced utility in a familiar package, offering a compelling upgrade path for those who cherish the Casio A168W. By integrating a suite of impressive new functions and subtle design refinements, this watch promises to deliver more than just timekeeping. It provides a more legible display, a more robust and versatile stopwatch, and even a built-in step tracker, all while maintaining that distinct 90s look that made the original so popular. This strategic enhancement makes the Casio ABL100 a prime candidate for anyone seeking a digital timepiece that offers both nostalgic style and practical, everyday functionality.
Embracing Neo-Vintage: The Casio ABL100 Design Evolution
Casio understands the power of nostalgia, meticulously preserving the iconic aesthetic of the A168W in the new Casio ABL100. Collectors often gravitate towards these watches for their distinct 90s appeal, a characteristic that remains fully intact with only subtle, yet impactful, modifications. The ABL100 retains the familiar chrome-plated resin case and exact case shape, though it’s been subtly enlarged by a few millimeters, providing a more substantial wrist presence without appearing bulky. This slight increase in size also facilitates a critical upgrade: the LCD. The display is approximately 30% larger, significantly boosting legibility and clarity, effectively reducing the blurriness sometimes associated with older models.
Beyond the dimensions, the Casio ABL100 maintains the same beloved color scheme, featuring gold accents, vibrant reds, and distinctive blue and white borders that resonate with fans. While some text has been strategically shifted, the core color placement remains consistent, ensuring the watch immediately feels familiar. A notable update on the display is the replacement of the “water resist” text with “Bluetooth,” clearly signaling the new connectivity capabilities. Perhaps the most striking aesthetic change lies in the bracelet. While still utilizing folded links, the design has been re-engineered with a more angular, straight pattern, moving away from the rounded links of its predecessor. This “flat beads of rice” look contributes to a compelling neo-vintage feel, catches the light beautifully, and boasts a noticeably better construction than the previous version, reflecting Casio’s commitment to durability and refined style.
Unpacking the Core Functional Upgrades of the Casio ABL100
While the design enhancements are appreciated, the true allure of the Casio ABL100 lies in its dramatically improved functionality. The watch boasts seven major upgrades that significantly enhance the user experience, moving beyond basic timekeeping to offer tools tailored for contemporary lifestyles. These improvements address long-standing desires from the Casio community, integrating modern utility into a classic form factor. Each upgrade is designed for intuitive use, making the Casio ABL100 a powerful yet approachable daily companion.
Enhanced Watch Controls and Illumination
The control scheme of the Casio ABL100 sees a significant boost with the addition of a fourth button, conveniently labeled “search.” This seemingly small change brings immense practical benefits. When setting the time, timers, or dates, both the light and search buttons can now function as “plus” or “minus” controls, streamlining adjustments and making the watch far more user-friendly, particularly for frequent timer settings. This thoughtful design choice drastically reduces the frustration often associated with single-button increment systems on older digital watches.
The illumination system also receives an update, albeit with a trade-off. Casio has reportedly moved away from electroluminescence, opting instead for a bright orange LED. While some enthusiasts might miss the uniform glow of EL, the ABL100 significantly improves the light’s usability: users no longer need to hold the light button down. A simple press activates the light, and it can even be programmed to stay on for either one or three seconds, offering flexibility for quick checks or extended visibility. This practical adjustment greatly enhances the watch’s everyday convenience, ensuring clear visibility in low-light conditions.
Comprehensive Date Display and Step Tracking
For daily utility, the Casio ABL100 introduces a full date display, showing the year, month, and date simultaneously. This is a considerable improvement over the previous version, which only offered a two-character day of the week display. The new three-character day of the week is substantially more legible and provides a complete chronological overview at a glance, a small detail that makes a big difference in daily interactions. Such clarity in displaying essential information is crucial for those who rely on their watch for quick time and date checks.
Perhaps one of the most exciting additions is the integrated step tracker, made possible by a built-in accelerometer. By pressing the adjust button, the date display transforms into a mini bar graph, visually representing hourly steps throughout the day. Users can set daily step goals and even enable a “step reminder” that emits a tone and flashes a visual alert if the watch detects prolonged inactivity. This feature is particularly valuable for office workers or anyone aiming to increase their daily activity. The watch intelligently activates its counter only after detecting consistent movement for 20 seconds, and it retroactively counts the steps taken during that initial period, providing a more accurate and slightly undercounted total. This meticulous tracking ensures that when the display shows 10,000 steps, it genuinely reflects that achievement, fostering a sense of accomplishment.
The Advanced Stopwatch and Timer Functionality
The Casio ABL100 truly shines with its upgraded stopwatch, moving far beyond the basic functions of its predecessor. The new model introduces a highly versatile lap time function, a feature many users didn’t realize they needed until they experienced its utility. When the stopwatch is started, the total elapsed time is prominently displayed on the upper section of the screen. A press of the top left button records a lap time, displaying it for approximately eight seconds before resetting the bottom counter for the next lap, all while the total time continues to run seamlessly at the top. This functionality is invaluable for athletes, coaches, or anyone needing to segment timed activities accurately.
Moreover, the Casio ABL100 automatically stores the last 200 stopwatch records, organizing them by date and time. Users can easily cycle through these stored records, reviewing individual lap times for detailed analysis. This robust data logging transforms the stopwatch from a simple timing tool into a powerful performance tracking device, empowering users to monitor progress and refine their activities. Complementing this, the watch now includes a one-hour timer. While limited to 60 minutes, it’s a welcome addition that was absent in the previous version, providing a convenient countdown for short tasks. The current time remains visible on the upper section of the screen during timer operation, ensuring continuous time awareness.
Dual Time and Enhanced Alarms
Global travelers and those managing multiple time zones will appreciate the new dual time mode. The Casio ABL100 allows users to track an additional time zone, which can be manually set or synchronized with a specific city via the Casio phone app. This feature ensures seamless awareness of different time regions, a practical advantage in an increasingly connected world. Similar to other functions, the current local time remains visible on the upper display, and a small PM indicator provides clear AM/PM distinction if not using the 24-hour format, adding a thoughtful touch to legibility.
Finally, Casio has dramatically expanded the alarm capabilities, increasing the number of available alarms from a single one to five. This significant upgrade offers far greater flexibility for daily scheduling, allowing users to set reminders for various tasks, appointments, or wake-up times throughout the day. While not everyone may utilize all five alarms, having this expanded capacity adds a layer of convenience and personal organization that was previously unavailable, solidifying the Casio ABL100 as a highly adaptable and modern digital watch.
The Casio ABL100: Connectivity and Value
Beyond its standalone functionalities, the Casio ABL100 is engineered for seamless integration with the Casio watch app, unlocking further capabilities that enhance its utility. While the video notes that not all app features were explored, the manual reveals several compelling options. The auto time correction feature, for instance, ensures the watch consistently displays accurate time by syncing with a connected smartphone four times per day. This eliminates the need for manual adjustments, a significant convenience for precision timekeeping. Another practical app-enabled function is the phone finder, which allows users to trigger their lost smartphone to ring loudly directly from the watch, a handy solution for frequent misplacers.
The Casio ABL100 also offers a unique location recording feature, effectively allowing users to “drop a pin” on a map within the Casio app. While its direct utility might seem niche, it could be beneficial for remembering parking spots, marking specific points of interest during travels, or even for basic navigation aids. Priced at an accessible $80 on Casio’s official website, the Casio ABL100 represents exceptional value, especially considering the extensive suite of upgrades it brings to the table. Its combination of iconic retro design, enhanced legibility, comprehensive activity tracking, advanced timing functions, and smart connectivity positions it as a natural evolution of a beloved classic, making it a compelling choice for both long-time Casio enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Your Casio Questions: Time for Answers
What is the Casio ABL100?
The Casio ABL100 is a new digital watch that combines the classic retro style of older Casio watches with modern features. It’s designed as an updated version of the popular Casio A168W.
What new features does the Casio ABL100 have?
The ABL100 includes several upgrades like a larger, clearer display, a built-in step tracker, a more advanced stopwatch with lap times, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Does the Casio ABL100 still look like classic Casio watches?
Yes, Casio kept the beloved 90s retro look, including the chrome-plated case and color scheme. It’s slightly larger and has an updated bracelet design, but it still feels very familiar.
Can the Casio ABL100 connect to a smartphone?
Yes, it has Bluetooth connectivity and can link with the Casio watch app on your smartphone. This allows for features like automatic time updates and finding your phone.
What is the step tracker feature on the Casio ABL100?
The watch has a built-in accelerometer that counts your steps throughout the day. You can see your progress on a mini bar graph and set daily step goals, with reminders if you’re inactive.