In this article, we are going to review the Casio Dw290. This is an interesting offering from Casio. Casio is a popular Japanese brand known for producing a wide variety of watch types. They are especially well known for their G-Shock series of watches.
The DW290 has also been dubbed the “Mission Impossible” due to the fact that it was featured in the 1996 film of the same name starring Tom Cruise. Cruise was seen wearing the watch in this film.
Now, despite appearances, this is not technically a G-Shock. Rather it is a simple sports watch. So, is this watch any good? Is it worth a purchase? We already know that being backed by the Casio brand probably means that we are looking at a solid and reliable timepiece.
Nevertheless, let’s find out for sure. We are going to be looking into this watch by examining the build quality, design, features, and pricing. After it is all said and done, we should be able to come to a reasonable conclusion about this watch.
With all that being said, let’s get into it! The first thing we are going to look at though is the specifications.
Casio DW290 Review
Specs
- the display is digital
- this watch is powered by quartz movement
- the case is 14mm thick and has a diameter of 45mm
- the band is men’s standard length and has a width of 14mm
Now that we’ve covered the basics, we can get into the depth of this review. The first aspect of this watch that we are going to look at is the build quality.
Build Quality
The Casio Dw290 may resemble a G-Shock, but is it built like one? Surprisingly enough, it is actually quite similar to a G-shock! The case itself is made of resin. The back of the case is stainless steel.
Its dial window is made from mineral crystal, and the band is resin. Water resistance is 200 meters, which means that you can swim, shower, bathe, and even go diving with it on and it should be ok.
So, as you can see, the quality of the build, does, in fact, mirror Casio’s own G-Shock line of watches. All in all, this is a good thing. The Casio Dw290 is a sports watch, so while it doesn’t have to be one of the toughest watches in the world, it needs to be tough, and durable enough to handle rugged environments.
The Casio DW290 doesn’t possess the same level of impact resistance as G-Shocks, but it is still suitable for outdoor activities and the like.
Next, we’ll be looking at the design.
Design
This is one of those areas where the DW290 stands out from a G-Shock. The case has a more hexagonal shape to it, with 4 buttons protruding from four sides of the case itself. The band is segmented, with a bit more distance between each section than what you will find in other similar watches from Casio.
The case and band are all black, and there is, of course text written around the case that describes its functions. In particular are the “illuminator” and “water resist” texts on the north and south edges of the dial. These stand out from the other text on the watch face, as they are neon green.
Admittedly, the overall design here is not the best we’ve seen from Casio, but it is not entirely horrid to look at either. This style will appeal to some, and not so much to others.
Now, we will move onto the features.
Features
As you would expect of a sports watch, it has the typical features of most digital chronographs of its kind. You have the calendar displays, both 12 and 24 hour time formats, stopwatch features, timers, and backlight.
Points to note in the features, are that it does have a split time feature for 1st and 2nd place times. Additionally, the calendar comes pre programmed all the way up to the year 2029, so you probably won’t have to set it. There is a downside to the alarm feature in that you can only set 1 alarm. Other Casio watches allow for multiple alarms to bet set.
Other than that, all of the different features and settings can be accessed and changed using the 4 buttons around the case.
Now the last thing we are going to look at is the pricing.
Pricing
If there is one thing that is great about Casio watches, it is the fact that they produce good quality, durable, functional watches at extremely affordable prices. The Casio DW290 is one such watch.
It is priced on the lowest pricing tier of watches. While it stops just shy of being a truly bargain bin priced watch, the price is low enough that it shouldn’t be a burden on anybody’s wallet.
So with all that being said, what is the final conclusion on the Casio DW290? Should you buy this watch?
Casio DW290 Review: Final Conclusion
What we can conclude here is that this is yet another solid watch from Casio. In terms of build quality, and pricing, you get a pretty decent watch at a very affordable price.
As far as style goes, however, it leaves much to be desired. While not really necessarily an ugly watch there are similar looking watches from Casio that are easier on the eyes.
So, should you get this watch? If you are looking for a good, inexpensive sports watch, and you like this style in particular, then yes, The Casio DW290 will work for you.
On the other hand, if you have more money to spare, it would be highly recommended that you go ahead and get a G-Shock instead.
And on that note, this completes our review of the Casio DW290. Hopefully this article has provided all of the information that you were looking for. And if you liked this review, then we have many other reviews of watches and brands. You can find those here
