5 reasons why I prefer this $89 Casio Baby-G to the latest Apple Watch or Pixel Watch

Tom's Guide

a day ago

Sure, the latest Apple Watch 10, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Google Pixel Watch 3 are all nice, but sometimes, nothing scratches the 'wrist candy' itch quite like a semitransparent, baby blue Casio Baby-G watch.
In fact, the Baby-G BG169R-2C (Casio has never been one for cutesy names) has five major advantages over even the best smartwatch models available today.
It's as if the 1990s never left us, Hammer Time, the Macarena, and all. This $89 gem is big on nostalgia and brimming with fun 'easter eggs,' namely, random animations of doggies, puffer fish, etc. that generate on the LCD (more on that below).
'But, Dan, isn't that a girl's watch?' Uh, who cares? In 2025, you can have your cake (pretend it's still the 1990s) and eat it too (wear whatever you want).
The Casio Baby-G 'dumb' watch in baby blue boasts 200 meters of water resistance, a three-year battery, and all sorts of 1990s nostalgia.
This brings me to the first advantage this Casio Baby-G has over the best Apple Watches and best smartwatches for Android. Whenever you press the LCD backlight button (the one with the big G below the display), a silly little animal animation occurs at the top of the screen, briefly replacing the day of the week.
This little surprise also occurs every time the seconds counter reaches 30. Four animal animations are generated at random, including a dog wagging its tail and barking, a cat playing, a dolphin swimming, and a puffer fish inflating.
Is this feature groundbreaking? Maybe back in the early '90s, but that's fine by me. I smile every single time I press the backlight button, and you probably will too.
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Like most 'dumb' digital watches, my Casio Baby-G should last for roughly three years before needing a battery change. While this will likely require a trip to a local jeweler to ensure proper waterproofing post battery swap, the CR1616 battery it runs on can be picked up for around $1.
On the flip side, you'd be lucky to get two days of battery life out of the best Samsung smartwatch or Pixel Watch, and closer to one day from the latest Apple Watch 10.
50 meters of water resistance is par for the course on most smartwatches, except for the Apple Watch Ultra series and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which cap out at 100 meters. While 50m might seem like solid protection, what it actually means is that your smartwatch is rated for 'shallow-water activities' only (Apple's words, not mine).
Here's a deeper dive into what smartwatch water resistance ratings really mean. Meanwhile, 100 meters of water resistance clears you for watersports and shallow water scuba diving. Want something that can go even further?
This Casio Baby-G boasts a deep-sea-approved 200-meter water resistance rating, greater than not just the 'Ultra' smartwatches of the world, but also my favorite outdoor adventure watch, the Garmin Instinct 3 (also 100m rated).
In 2025, it feels like everyone's rocking something 'smart' on the wrist, whether it's an Apple Watch, Android smartwatch, Fitbit or Garmin. You know what's much rarer to spot in the wild? A semitransparent, baby blue Casio Baby-G. It's also a compliment-generating machine.
I already touched on the nostalgia factor; I was born in 1988, so the 1990s were the heart of my childhood heyday, and I was all about that pre-Millennium colorful, semitransparent aesthetics, from iMacs to Yak-baks.
Maybe my obsession with the Baby-G BG169R-2C is really just a physical manifestation of my subconscious yearning for 'simpler' times, before the mass adoption of smartphones, back when Nintendo 64 still reigned supreme, and Carson Daly was still playing music videos... but I digress.
Casio Baby-G watches come in a wide array of styles and bold colors, and few cost more than $100. The BG-169 model shown here can also be picked up in semi-transparent pink, clear, minty green, smoky black and green, and so many more.
The latest Apple Watch Series 10, meanwhile, starts at $399. The Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 8 start at $349. Each of the devices is available in a small selection of case colors, ranging from silver to rose gold, but for something more colorful and bold, you'll either need to opt for one of the best Garmin watches (like the Instinct 3) or dress up your boring smartwatch with a fun strap.
Which brings me to my final point. If Apple does indeed launch an all-plastic Apple Watch SE 3, as some rumors suggest, I'd love to see a limited edition, transparent version. Now, that might actually get some compliments. Until then, I'll keep rocking my baby blue Baby-G.