Featured image: Simon Le Bon, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Casio G-Shock DW-5600 is the square-faced digital G-Shock that Casio introduced in 1987, with a 200 m water rating, a resin case and a battery rated for about five years. In the US it is usually sold as the DW5600E-1V, and it remains one of the cheapest ways to own a real G-Shock.
Quick answer If you search “g shock dw5600” or “g shock 5600”, you are looking for the classic square G-Shock. The standard black version is about $100 list in the US but is often discounted well below that. It is a good pick if you want a tough, simple digital watch, and a poorer one if you want solar charging or automatic time sync.
What is the G-Shock DW-5600?
The DW-5600 is the long-running “square” of the G-Shock family. It follows the shape of the very first G-Shock, the DW-5000C from 1983, which engineer Kikuo Ibe designed with one goal: a watch that would survive being dropped. The 5600 series debuted in 1987 and has been in production in one form or another ever since, according to G-Central and Gear Patrol.
G-Central lists the nicknames “Square” and “Speed Model” for the series, the latter because of a famous 1990s film appearance, which we cover below. Over the years the series has carried several modules, and the current one is module 3525, introduced in 2023, replacing module 3229 from 2011.
The naming can be confusing. The US-market DW5600E-1V is, according to G-Central, the same watch as the DW-5600UE-1 sold elsewhere, and it uses the newer module. Search results for “dw 5600”, “dw-5600e” and “g shock 5600” mostly all point to this same basic black model.
Why does that matter for a buyer? Because the 5600 is not a retro reissue dressed up for nostalgia. It is the same basic design that has been refined in place for decades, with the module, backlight and strap updated while the shape stayed put. That continuity is why a 2026 DW5600E still looks like the watches in 1990s photographs.
DW-5600 key specs
The specs are modest on paper, and that is part of the appeal. Everything is in resin, including the case, bezel and strap, with a mineral glass crystal. The watch is light, flat enough to slip under a cuff, and cheap enough that you will not worry about scratching it.
| Spec | Casio G-Shock DW-5600 (DW5600E-1V) |
|---|---|
| Case size | About 48.9 x 42.8 mm, 13.4 mm thick |
| Weight | About 52 g |
| Case material | Resin case, bezel and strap; mineral glass |
| Movement / power | Digital quartz, module 3525; CR2016 battery, about 5 years |
| Water resistance | 200 m |
| Functions | Stopwatch, countdown timer, one alarm, hourly time signal, LED backlight, auto calendar to 2099 |
| Approx. price | About $100 list in the US (raised from about $75 in 2025); often sold for much less |
Specs here come from G-Central’s DW-5600 page, and the case size and 200 m rating match Gear Patrol’s review of the earlier DW-5600E. Casio’s own site blocks automated access, so we could not check Casio’s product page directly.
Where to buy
Compare the same watch on both sites: eBay for pre-owned and vintage pieces, Amazon for new stock.
Casio G-Shock DW5600E-1V
Casio G-Shock GW-M5610 Alternative
Casio A168 Alternative
Prices and availability change; check the listing before you buy.
Strengths and trade-offs
Based on the specs and long-term reviews from Gear Patrol and G-Central, the strengths come down to value and toughness. You get a genuine G-Shock with a 200 m rating at a price that is a fraction of most smartwatches. The battery lasts years, the shape fits almost any wrist and the watch is easy to read at a glance.
The trade-offs are just as consistent. Gear Patrol called out the clunky controls: the small recessed buttons make setting the time, date and alarm fiddly, and the stopwatch and alarm are not intuitive. The watch also has no solar charging, no radio time sync and no Bluetooth, so you will replace the battery every few years and correct the time yourself.
It is also a plain watch. There is one alarm, one timer and one stopwatch, and the display is small compared with newer G-Shocks. For some buyers that is the point, and for others it is a reason to step up.
The DW-5600 on screen: Speed and Stranger Things
Screen appearances for the 5600 are harder to verify than the internet suggests. The best-documented one is Speed (1994), where Keanu Reeves, playing LAPD officer Jack Traven, wears a G-Shock that G-Central identifies as the DW-5600C-1V. G-Central also reports that the watch was not a supplied prop but Reeves’s own, though it does not name a source for that, so we treat it as reported.
That film is the reason the 5600 is sometimes called the “Speed model.” The DW-5600C is an early version of the series with a stainless steel inner case and a screw-back, which is why collectors prize it. The modern DW5600E is a close descendant in shape, though not the same watch.
The other connection is a licensed one. Casio released a DW-5600STT-1 tie-in with Stranger Things for the final season, announced for a December 2025 release with a Vecna-inspired dial, a red backlight and a case back engraved with the show’s logo, and an expected US price around $140. That is a collaboration edition, and the coverage we found does not say that any character wears it on screen.
We did not find reliable sourcing for other 5600 appearances in film or television, so we are leaving them out. If you want other Casio screen watches that are documented, see Walter White’s Casio and Selena Gomez’s G-Shock for people who wear the brand.
How it wears day to day
At about 52 g and 13.4 mm thick, the 5600 is a light watch with a modest footprint. The case is longer than it is wide, so it reads as a small square on most wrists rather than a chunky block. The resin strap is flexible and sized for wrists from roughly 145 to 205 mm, per G-Central, which covers most adults.
The display is a simple monochrome LCD with a backlight, and the stopwatch and timer modes still show the current time, which is a thoughtful touch for a cheap watch. Recent versions use an LED backlight in place of the older electroluminescent panel, so the light is brighter and more even than on 1990s examples.
The usual advice from owners and reviewers is to treat it as a set-and-forget watch. Set the time once, ignore the alarm and timer unless you need them, and replace the battery when the display fades. If you plan to use the functions often, the recessed buttons are the main thing you will notice.
DW-5600 vs GW-M5610: is the upgrade worth it?
The GW-M5610 is the nearest sibling, and the comparison is mostly about convenience. It shares the square case shape but adds Tough Solar charging and multi-band radio time sync, so it never needs a battery and corrects its own time. G-Central lists it at about $165, which is roughly $65 more than the list price of the DW5600E-1V.
If you wear the watch daily and dislike maintenance, the extra money is well spent. If the watch will live in a drawer, a gym bag or a toolbox, the cheaper DW5600E-1V is the better value, because a five-year battery is already long and the watch is inexpensive to replace.
Which DW-5600 should you buy?
For most people the answer is the plain black DW5600E-1V. It has the current module, it is the version most retailers stock, and it gives you the true square-G-Shock look without paying for extras. Prices vary a lot, since Gear Patrol saw it at about $33 against a $75 list price in 2018, and G-Central notes retailers often discount it today even after the 2025 list increase.
Other colorways, such as all-black or the Stranger Things edition, follow the same design with different finishes. They cost more, and the collaboration version in particular is a collector item. If you want the lowest price on the standard watch, wait for a sale rather than paying list.
One caution: make sure you are buying from a reputable seller. Our guide on how to spot a fake watch applies to low-cost watches too, because the G-Shock is heavily imitated.
Alternatives to the DW-5600
If you want the same square shape with better features, Casio’s GW-M5610 is the usual step up. G-Central lists it at about $165 with Tough Solar charging and multi-band radio time sync, which removes the two biggest day-to-day chores of the basic 5600.
If you do not need a G-Shock, a cheaper and slimmer digital is the Casio A168, which keeps the retro look at a much lower price. For a bold budget alternative with a different style, the Casio AE-1200 is another popular pick, and the wider Casio coverage has more options.
FAQ
What is the difference between the DW-5600E and the DW-5600UE?
According to G-Central, the DW5600E-1V sold in the US is the same watch as the DW-5600UE-1 sold elsewhere, with module 3525. The names differ by market.
How much does the G-Shock DW-5600 cost?
The US list price rose from about $75 to about $100 in 2025, but retailers frequently sell the standard black model for much less than list.
Is the G-Shock DW-5600 waterproof?
It is rated to 200 m water resistance, which is enough for swimming and snorkeling. It is not a dive computer, so do not use it for scuba depth tracking.
How long does the battery last on a G-Shock 5600?
G-Central lists a CR2016 battery with about five years of life. It is not solar, so it will need replacing.
Which movie character wears a G-Shock 5600?
The best-sourced example is Keanu Reeves as Jack Traven in Speed, reported to be a DW-5600C-1V. We found no reliable sourcing for other characters wearing the 5600.
Sources
- G-Central: G-Shock DW-5600 specs and history
- Gear Patrol: The Cheapest G-Shock You Can Buy Is Also One of the Best
- G-Central: The Speed G-Shock Worn By Keanu Reeves
- G-Central: Stranger Things collaboration includes G-Shock DW-5600STT-1