You guys predicted this. In the comments of my video about the big, basic, and bold GA-010, some of you said G-Shock would release a solar version. The more cynical among you said it would be after we all bought the regular version. Well here we are about a year after the GA-010 and G-Shock has brought the world the GA-B010 featuring Tough Solar.
Solar is not all that G-Shock has added to the base model. As the “B” in the model name suggests, the GA-B010 connects to your smart phone via Bluetooth. Additionally, G-Shock has managed the energy consumption of the step counter in such a way that the watch can track your activities powered completely by the sun.
Some of you wish that G-Shock took the GA-010 and only added solar charging. I get it. With the GA-B010 we get additional functions to the GA-010, but also some modifications.
I’m not sure that it’s possible to just add solar without subtracting and rearranging the subdials. Solar panels require surface area. The GA-010 may not have had enough space for solar. On the GA-B010 the whole upper left quadrant of the dial is cleared out to maximize the amount of sunlight the watch can absorb.
There are so many camps of G-Shock fans. Some want Bluetooth. Some don’t. Others are Tough Solar absolutists. A few insist on the ten year battery without solar. G-Shock can’t please them all!
The good news is that there are a lot of options. The GA-010 is still available in several different colors. So if the GA-B010 goes too far, just stick with it. But if you can’t do without solar or bluetooth time sync, your watch is right around the corner. So stay tuned. If I get my hands on one, I’ll give you a review.
In the meantime, click here on this affiliate link to buy a G-Shock GA-010. It will tide you over until the release of the newly updated GA-B010. This previous version has a lot going for it, especially that big LCD subdial.
AI Video Summary
If you hear news of AI data centers going down, it’s because they have been tasked with making sense of my YouTube videos. I fed Gemini AI my preview video of the G-Shock GA-B010 and here’s how it summarized it:
G-Shock Announces GAB-010: The Solar Upgrade We Knew Was Coming?
In a recent video, Jim Kinkade discusses the release of the new G-Shock GAB-010. This watch is the long-anticipated update to the popular GA-010 and GD-010 “Big, Basic, Bold” models from the previous year.
Kinkade notes that many cynical G-Shock fans predicted this release, suggesting Casio was “stringing consumers along” by first releasing a 10-year battery version, only to follow it up with the solar model that many were demanding.
More Than Just Solar: New Features and a New Look
While the GAB-010 adds the highly-requested Tough Solar charging, it also brings other significant changes, moving the watch into G-Shock’s “Move” lineup of fitness-oriented timepieces.
- Tough Solar: The watch is now fully solar-powered, a first for a G-Shock “life logging” (fitness tracking) model that isn’t just “solar-assisted.”
- Bluetooth Connectivity: The “B” in the name signifies Bluetooth, allowing the watch to connect to the Casio Watches app for time synchronization and activity tracking.
- Pedometer: A new, more efficient pedometer (step tracker) has been added, which reportedly uses 40% less battery than previous generations.
- Design Changes: The most notable design change is a “smooshed” LCD screen. Unlike the large, wall-to-wall digital display of the GA-010, the GAB-010 features a more compact, dot-matrix style sub-dial, similar to the GBA-900 series. The upper-left quadrant of the watch face is now a blank space, presumably to maximize the surface area for the solar panel.
First G-Shock Fitness Watch with Full Solar Power
The video highlights reporting from “Great G-Shock World,” which states the GAB-010 is the first G-Shock to power its “life logging” functions (like the pedometer) entirely with Tough Solar. Previous models with fitness features either required a battery or were “solar-assisted,” still needing to be plugged in eventually. This is seen as a monumental step for Casio’s fitness watch category.
A Watch for a Different Audience?
Kinkade points out that these new features fundamentally change the watch. The original GA-010 appealed to users who wanted a simple, affordable, “old school” analog-digital watch with a 10-year battery and no connectivity.
The new GAB-010, with its solar power, Bluetooth, and pedometer, is a more complex and (at a retail price of around $180) more expensive watch aimed at a different user—one who wants fitness tracking and smartphone integration. While many will be happy about the solar charging, others who wanted only solar without Bluetooth or fitness features may be disappointed.
AI summed up the video pretty well. But how many gallons of water did it take to cool its processors? What it said is true. The G-Shock GA-B010 may look similar to the GA-010, but it’s totally different watch in its offerings. It’s new school.