Striking new Burning Red hybrid G-Shock fitness watches will make you stand out

By Andy Boxall January 7, 2022

One of our favorite things about Casio’s G-Shock range of watches is the breadth of choice there is when it comes to colors and styles. We reviewed the simple black version of the GBD-200 Bluetooth fitness watch, but if that’s not bright enough for you then take a look at the new Burning Red series, which paints the GDB-200 and GBA-900 hybrid connected watches in a striking red color.

Casio G Shock Burning Red models. — G-Shock Burning Red GBD-200RD (left) and GBA-900RD (right). Image used with permission by copyright holder

The square GBD-200RD-4 red case is attached to a red urethane band, while the bezel around the MIPS LCD screen is black, as is the G-Shock logo. For a G-Shock it’s modestly sized at 45mm wide and 15mm deep, making it suitable for more wrists. It’s suitable for all-day wear too, as it’s very light and comfortable. The Bluetooth feature connects to the G-Shock Move app on your phone, and despite this, the watch doesn’t need regular charging as it relies on its own internal battery, which should last for around two years before it needs changing.

Ideally suited to runners, the GBD-200’s connected features include a workout mode that shows distance, pace, and calories burned, plus interval and lap data, a fitness goal tracker, and an intensity meter. There’s a step counter for everyday use, and the watch shows notifications from your phone too. All G-Shock’s expected toughness is built in, with shock resistance and water resistance to 200 meters.

Casio G Shock Burning Red models. — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If the GBD-200’s design isn’t for you, perhaps the GBA-900 is a better choice? Again, the case and urethane strap are in red, and the same mix of black and red colors are incorporated into the analog-digital dial, but the case is larger at 49mm wide and almost 17mm deep. It has the same connected features as the GBD-200, the same battery life, and the same degree of toughness as well.

Prices are reasonable for both, with the GBD-200 costing $130 and the GBA-900 $150, making them a great alternative to the recently announced Garmin Vivomove Sport, which has a similar hybrid design, but more fitness tracking ability. Both new hybrid Burning Red G-Shock watches will be available in January through G-Shock’s online store and its retail boutiques.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Senior Mobile Writer

Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

Wearables

Awesome new Gorillaz and G-Shock limited-edition watch gets Bluetooth tech twist

casio g shock gorilaz 2019 news gorillaz collection

You can’t keep a good Gorilla down, and to prove it, British band Gorillaz and Casio G-Shock are back with another two limited edition watches, following up on last year’s highly successful collaboration. The really good news is that one of the two new models has Bluetooth connectivity, giving an extra high-tech edge to the exciting lineup.

Casio G-Shock Gorillaz DW-5600 watch and box. Image used with permission by copyright holder

Wearables

Carbon fiber is making Casio’s new connected G-Shock watches even tougher

Casio Mudmaster review

Casio is expanding the range of materials used in making its exceptionally tough G-Shock watches, and has introduced carbon fiber on several of its connected watches for 2019. The GGB100 Mudmaster and the GWR-B1000 Gravitymaster are two of them -- I got the chance to wear the two watches at Baselworld 2019, and talk to Casio’s research and development team about them.
Advantages of working with carbon fiber
Casio started off using resin to make its watches in the early '80s, then added metal in the '90s, and now it has added carbon fiber -- a material that is 10 times stronger than iron, at one-fourth of its weight. Paired with titanium on some models, it even helps add rust-proofing to the already tough G-Shock range -- joining protection against impact, gravity, vibrations, and even centrifugal forces to make sure they remain functional in the harshest environments.

It's not the first time carbon fiber has been used on a G Shock. Models in the G Steel and Frogman range have carbon fiber reinforced straps, and carbon fiber bezels too. However, here it's used throughout the case for the first time. The advantages aren't just structural. It also impacts design.

Mobile

This $4,000 titanium beauty is the ultimate square G-Shock

The G-Shock MRG-B5000B.

Do you want the very best Casio offers in manufacturing, design, and technology from your new G-Shock, all wrapped up in that highly recognizable square case? In other words, the ultimate version of a truly classic G-Shock watch? If so, the new MRG-B5000B is exactly the model you will want, provided cost is no object. We’ve been wearing it.
What makes MR-G so special?
Although Casio is best known for tough watches that won’t break the bank, Casio also has decades of watchmaking experience, and it showcases its talents most effectively in its highly exclusive MR-G family of watches. These models, its most luxurious, are assembled by hand on Casio’s Premium Production Line located in the Yamagata factory in Japan, where only the company’s most experienced, specially certified technicians work on the top MT-G and MR-G models.

The square G-Shock is one of the most popular models, having been around since the G-Shock brand first started in the early 1980s, and bringing it to the luxury MR-G range is going to see a lot of people reaching for their wallets. What makes it so special? It’s the first time the classic, beloved square G-Shock has been given the MR-G treatment, with most other MR-G models over the past few years featuring an analog dial. There's a huge section of an already large fan base waiting for this.