Casio Smart Outdoor Watch Review
The Casio Smart Outdoor Watch is a recently-released smart watch that runs Android Wear. Is it the right smartwatch for your active lifestyle? Take a look at our Casio Smart Outdoor Watch review.
What is the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch?
The Casio Smart Outdoor Watch is a new durable smartwatch created by Casio for outdoor enthusiasts. Priced at $500, the Smart Outdoor Watch runs Android Wear and it takes the platform in places it’s never been before.
The watch goes by the name Smart Outdoor Watch, although the official model number is WSD-F10.
Whatever you call it, the watch is earning great reviews from all across the internet, where users have praised the practical functionality of the watch.
The Casio Smart Outdoor Watch is particularly useful for hikers, as it comes with a slew of sensors and features designed to help you climb mountains – like an altimeter, barometer, and compass (making this an “ABC” watch).
Casio has created similar watches like this in the past. By melding their popular outdoor watches with smartwatch capabilities, they’re hoping to attract new legions of smartwatch fans. Let’s take a closer look at the features.
Casio Smart Outdoor Watch Features
-Compatible with smartphones running Android versions 4.3 and later as well as iPhones 5 and later running iOS 8.2 or above (functionality with the iPhone is more limited)
-Built-in quad sensors that give you real-time notifications for activity tracking while also delivering information via the altimeter, barometer, accelerometer, gyrometer, magnetometer, and compass without needing an attached smartphone
-Comes with a button on the side you can press to show charts on your current direction, sunrise and sunset times, and tidal charts for your region
-MIL-STD-810G military standard compliance in environmental performance, including water-resistant performance to 50m (165 feet). The watch is advertised as being suitable for short periods of swimming but is not specifically designed for diving or snorkeling.
-Dedicated Casio apps to track outdoor activities like trekking, cycling, and even fishing
-Hundreds of other third party apps available via Android Wear
-Soft urethane wristband
-One month of estimated battery life using Timepiece Mode (which just displays the current date and time), or about 2 days of battery life when all sensors are activated
-Available in green, orange, black, and red colors
-Comes preloaded with apps like Runkeeper, Viewranger (a GPS assistant), and an app that lets you use your wrist as a viewfinder when paired with Casio’s Exilim FR100 action camera
-1.32 inch, 320×300 LCD touchscreen (332 ppi)
-Approximately 2 days of battery life under average use when hiking
The watch itself is large in size, weighing in at about 90 grams. It will intently feel heavier than an average watch in your hands, but it’s not so bulky or heavy to feel uncomfortable.
It’s important to note that the watch does not come with a GPS built-in. you’ll need to pair it with your phone for GPS functionality. However, the extra sensors will provide non-GPS-based location tracking.
The screen won’t blow you out of the water, but the pixel density is surprisingly sharp, putting the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch right up there with some of the sharpest smartwatches.
It’s also important to note that the screen comes with two different displays: you can use the standard smartwatch display, which consumes battery life and displays all sorts of information and notifications from the sensors and your attached phone. Or, you can use the standard monochrome display, which can be used instead of the color panel. The monochrome display can last for up to one month, according to Casio. After enabling the monochrome display, all of the extra sensors are deactivated, so it just turns into a normal watch.
Casio Smart Outdoor Watch Pricing
The Casio Smart Outdoor Watch is priced at $500 and is on sale now. You can order it in one of four different colors, including red, green, black, and orange.
So far, Casio has only released the watch in Japan and the United States, and they have not yet announced any release plans for the rest of the world. However, we expect the WSD-F10 to be released worldwide sometime in the next few months.
Should the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch Be Your Next Hiking Partner?
The Casio Smart Outdoor Watch is a powerful outdoor watch that comes outfitted with all sorts of survival tools you need to stay safe in the wilderness. There are some notable restrictions with the watch. It doesn’t have GPS functionality, for example, nor does it come with a heart rate sensor. However, aside from these limitations, the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch manages to be a powerful watch that is attracting rave reviews from across the internet.
It comes outfitted with a bunch of sensors – including a magnetometer, accelerometer, barometer, and altimeter – that help you know where you’re going in any wilderness. The dual display feature, which lets you turn your smartwatch into a simple, monochrome display, is also very useful. Under standard outdoor usage, the watch lasts for 2 days on a single charge. On the monochrome display, you can extend battery life up to 30 days.
If you like Casio’s build-quality and don’t mind paying a premium for a rugged outdoor watch, then the Casio Smart Outdoor Watch may be the smartwatch you’ve been waiting for.
