Everybody bought the CasiOak on hype. Six months later, a lot of them stopped wearing it because they couldn’t read it. The G-Shock 2500 has the same kind of dials. So before you buy one, I checked, starting with my own work: I got 4 of the 9 wrong in my first video.
This time I took the color out and measured it. Five of the nine 2500s are hard to read at a glance. One passes both tests in any light. Here’s which, why, and a test you can run on any watch with your phone before you spend a dollar.
Not sure which test is yours? Take the free quiz:
AI concept renders in this video are my own dial ideas, labeled on screen. They are not real Casio watches.
Chapters
0:00 Six months of regret
0:13 I got four of nine wrong
0:41 Two tests: the look and the read
1:20 Take the color out
2:58 The fix I’d make
3:56 In the dark
4:18 Which one should you buy
Models in this video
GAC-2500-1A · GAC-2500-3A · GAC-2500-7A · GAC-2500-9A · GMC-2500-1A · GMC-2500-1A8 · GMC-2500G-9A · GMC-2500D-1A · GMC-2500D-1A2 · GA-2100-1A1 (CasiOak)
Check my work
– Casio module 5757 operation guide (LED light, battery-life conditions):
– Notebookcheck, GAC-2500 launch (Neobrite lume, dial, date wheel):
– Notebookcheck, GMC-2500 metal-bezel tier (Neobrite, amber LED with afterglow):
– G-Central, 2500 series specs and weights:
– Contrast ratios: WCAG 2 relative luminance formula, measured on Casio’s own GAC-2500-9A press image.
– The CasiOak readability complaints are aggregated from public owner threads. No individual posts quoted.
Nobody sends me these watches, which is exactly why I can tell you not to buy one.
#GShock #GShock2500 #CasiOak
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You fixed the readability, but ruined the look😂
Of some reason a lot of G-shocks have bad contrast between dial and hands/markers. I don't know why and I like contrast, not only for the readability but also because it looks better.
The contrast between hands and dial is more important than between markers and dial. You actually can be without markers and still read the time pretty good.
This was informative and gave me a perspective I did not think of until I saw this! Well done!! 💯🫡
To be honest I don’t remember reading my casioak I check my phone
no bluetooth or solar. im out
Thank you. To see the time in the dark is also importent. I prefer glowing dials instead of push button lumination digital watch.
The hands have luminosity its readable even in night
If you cant read analog altogether without 1 2 3 4 … mark then use the phone not a watch
as someone who bought an all black casioak early on, this is great. i love the look of the watch but its more fashion than function when i wear it. it's often illegible in most conditions
Great video, these G Shocks look good but have various issues regarding reading them, not only the time, but also date and day, setting the watch up is also tricky imho
Olive green was always my 1st pick cause it seemed the easiest to read. Once it's in stores I'll try it on & see how it fits & looks on my wrist.
Why would anyone in 2026 buy a watch to actually read the time, just pull out your phone to look at the time hahaha
Good work here. Took notes.
One can argue you only need the dials to read time, you don't actually need the markers cos they don't change.
I would prefer G-shock GA-010
These can be modified. Wouldn’t touch the 2500 unless it has solar.
I’m assuming there will be after market parts to upgrade these watches
Read. Always the read. Thank you for your videos.
You are right, 100%
Good point on the yellow. That's the one that I'm most interested in, but now that you've pointed out I see I'll have a hard time reading it just like my forest green 2100. Real shame, maybe if the indices are modular like the 2100 I can count on some aftemarket colors.
Just found your channel on YouTube, great videos and looking forward to more content. Will you be looking at the new mudman?
Much like the 2100, casio is laughing their way to the bank for copying other watch brand designs. Instead of upgrading their GD350, they do this. They even copy and pasted the GB 200 and called it the new Mudman but focused all of their marketing on this. Pathetic.
This is one of the best watch analyses I've seen in recent memory. Great work with the pacing and packing it with concise information. This is my first time seeing the AI tag on a video, but I feel like you used it well to enhance the video, not replace anything important. Keep up the good work, I wish you analyzed other brands too cause I would definitely subscribe for those
I love my Casioaks, but I never use or look at the digital dial, it is the analogue hands that I use.
I like the watch the design look amazing im going to buy 5 of them ! 👍🏾
Well, it's about time someone stated the obvious about readability.
Very nice video and thoughtful analysis. I am not planning to buy one of those anytime soon, simply because the design is not appealing to me (at first sight).
However, I think legibility is also influenced by texture and materials, and how light interacts with them. To my experience the 2D images Casio publishes do not make justice to the watches, and every single watch I bought from Casio so far looked way better in real life. The only exceptions I have encountered were the negative displays, which look great on picture but in real life require you to find the right angle to read.
I have also changed my mind a couple of times about some models I did not find appealing by looking at photos but bought them on sale anyway and really loved them once they were on my wrist.
Skill issue
Great analysis, thank you! Yes the in-person test is the final say but you can tell a lot by breaking down the pictures. Looks like Olive wins for me on both legibility and looks.
The face on the green watch is the best, would be better with the black resin strap
Yes, great modifications that Casio should have done before sending them for sale. Also knowing and having experienced Casio watches they don't have great lumens on the markers or on the hands like the Seiko watches have them.
Overpriced 😂😂
This is AI. Good analysis but as always, the true test is when you see and wear the actual watch.
i have two 2100 CasiOaks. The analog dial is easy as hell to read at all times. The digital window is a bit tiny for my squintin' eyes. But i still wear them often; the solar bluetooth version is an amazing watch, and they both get compliments from non-watch ppl regularly.
why does the "yellow" you say look orange?
This was made with AI?
Agree with your observations however if the price drops on the resins it is going to sell well, simply because Casio does not have a whole line up of these.. the green resin and the blue steel are a safe bet – but for sure collectors are going to buy the orange the white, the all black ,, your corrections are spot on