Casio SGW-450H-2B
My Favourite ‘So Far’ Ana-Digi Outdoor Tool
The Casio SGW-450H-2B is another great example of Casio producing a feature-packed outdoor watch without requiring you to move into the more expensive Pro Trek range.
It follows a similar formula to the earlier SGW-400H, combining analogue hands with a digital display and a collection of useful outdoor sensors.
However, the revised dial design and distinctive blue and orange detailing give the SGW-450H-2B a character of its own, especially with the negative display.
It is large, rugged and unashamedly functional, but the lightweight construction makes it far more wearable than its dimensions initially suggest.
A Distinctive Ana-Digi Design
The SGW-450H combines traditional analogue hands with a digital display.
The large hands provide an immediate indication of the time, while the digital display takes care of the date, world time, stopwatch, timer, alarms and sensor readings.
It is a useful combination. You can read the basic time without changing modes, while the digital section provides access to far more information than would be possible from an ordinary analogue watch.
The hands and hour markers also have a luminous coating, helping them remain visible after exposure to light.
As with most ana-digi watches, the hands can occasionally obscure part of the digital display. That is an unavoidable compromise, but I think the visual character they give the SGW-450 makes it worthwhile.
The Blue and Orange Colour Scheme
What I particularly like about the SGW-450H-2B is its use of colour.
The black case and strap provide a rugged base, while the blue bezel, orange detailing and negative display make the watch stand out from the many entirely black outdoor models Casio has produced.
The orange hands and accents add another layer of contrast and improve the visibility of the analogue display.
It is a fairly bold combination, but it does not feel childish or excessively bright. The colours have been used to highlight the different sections and controls rather than simply being added for decoration.
For me, the blue and orange give this version much more personality than a conventional black outdoor watch.
Outdoor Features Without the Pro Trek Price
The main attraction is Casio’s Twin Sensor technology, allowing the watch to measure altitude, atmospheric pressure and temperature.
Although three types of information are available, Casio describes it as a Twin Sensor because the pressure sensor is used for both the altimeter and barometer.
These functions give the SGW-450 genuine outdoor ability rather than simply making it look like an adventure watch.
It is not intended to replace professional navigation or meteorological equipment, but it can provide genuinely useful information when walking, hiking or spending time outdoors.
The Altimeter
The altimeter has a measuring range of -700 to 10,000 metres.
It calculates altitude using changes in atmospheric pressure, which means the reading can be affected by changing weather conditions.
For the most useful results, it is worth setting a reference altitude before beginning a walk. This allows the watch to provide a better indication of changes in elevation during the route.
I would treat it as a useful reference rather than an exact navigational measurement.
Used with that understanding, it can be a very interesting feature for monitoring climbs, descents and general progress during a walk.
The Barometer
The barometer measures atmospheric pressure from 260 to 1,100 hPa and includes a pressure-difference indicator.
Watching whether the pressure is rising or falling can help provide an indication of changing weather conditions.
Falling pressure may suggest deteriorating weather, while rising pressure can indicate improving conditions. It should not be treated as a replacement for a proper forecast, but it is a useful additional source of information.
This is probably one of those functions that many owners will not use every day. However, it suits the outdoor purpose of the SGW-450 and gives the watch more genuine capability than a typical everyday Casio.
The Thermometer
The built-in thermometer measures from -10°C to 60°C.
As with other wrist-mounted temperature sensors, your body heat affects the reading while the watch is being worn.
For a more accurate ambient temperature, the watch needs to be removed from your wrist and given enough time to adjust to its surroundings.
That makes the thermometer more of an occasional reference tool than something that can provide a constantly accurate reading from the wrist.
This is normal for watches of this type and is not a specific fault with the SGW-450.
Large but Lightweight
The SGW-450H measures approximately 51.9 × 50.8 × 14.9mm, so it is undoubtedly a large watch.
It has plenty of wrist presence and will not appeal to somebody looking for a small or discreet Casio.
However, it weighs only 51 grams.
That low weight completely changes how the watch feels. It looks substantial, but the resin case and strap prevent it from feeling heavy or cumbersome.
For walking or extended outdoor use, I would much rather have a large but lightweight watch than something smaller made unnecessarily heavy by its materials.
The SGW-450 gives you the visual presence of a rugged outdoor watch without the weight of a similarly sized metal model.
Suitable for Everyday Outdoor Use
Water resistance is rated at 100 metres, making the SGW-450 suitable for everyday use, swimming and general outdoor activities.
It is also designed to continue operating at temperatures down to -10°C.
Those specifications reinforce the fact that this is more than a watch that has simply been styled to look rugged.
It may not have the shock-resistant construction of a G-Shock, but it still feels suitably equipped for walking, hiking, travelling and everyday wear.
The aluminium bezel also adds a slightly more substantial appearance than you would get from an entirely resin design.
Plenty of Familiar Casio Functions
Alongside the outdoor sensors, the SGW-450H includes plenty of traditional Casio functionality.
World time covers 48 cities across 31 time zones, making it useful for travelling or keeping track of another location.
There is also a 1/100-second stopwatch capable of measuring up to 24 hours, a 24-hour countdown timer, five daily alarms and an hourly time signal.
The full automatic calendar runs through to 2099, while the digital time can be displayed in either 12 or 24-hour format.
Illumination comes from an electro-luminescent panel with afterglow, lighting the digital display in darkness.
It is a good combination of everyday functions and outdoor technology without making the watch unnecessarily complicated to use.
Three-Year Battery Life
The SGW-450H runs on a CR2016 battery, with an approximate battery life of three years.
That is not particularly impressive when compared with simpler Casios offering five or ten years of battery life.
However, this watch is powering analogue hands, a digital display, electro-luminescent illumination and multiple sensor functions.
The shorter battery life is therefore understandable, even if it remains one of the less impressive parts of the specification.
Three years is still manageable, particularly for a watch offering this amount of functionality.
The Compromises
The most obvious compromise is the size.
Although its low weight keeps it comfortable, the SGW-450H remains a large watch and may overwhelm a smaller wrist.
The analogue hands can occasionally cover parts of the digital display, while the negative LCD used on this version may not be as immediately readable as a conventional positive display in every lighting condition.
The altimeter is affected by changes in atmospheric pressure and works best after calibration, while the thermometer is influenced by body heat when worn.
The three-year battery life is also fairly ordinary by Casio standards.
None of those drawbacks is unusual for this type of watch, but they are worth understanding before buying one.
The Casio Collector Verdict
The Casio SGW-450H-2B is a capable and somewhat underrated outdoor Casio. It’s certainly my favourite so far.
Its altimeter, barometer and thermometer provide genuinely useful information for walking, hiking and monitoring changing outdoor conditions.
The ana-digi layout gives it a very different personality from fully digital models such as the SGW-100 and SGW-300, while the blue bezel and orange detailing make this particular version especially distinctive.
It is certainly large, but the 51-gram weight keeps it surprisingly comfortable. The 100-metre water resistance and low-temperature capability also make it well suited to everyday outdoor use.
The sensor readings need to be understood and treated as useful references rather than professional measurements. The hands can occasionally obscure the display, and the three-year battery life is not exceptional.
However, those are reasonable compromises for the amount of character and functionality on offer.
For me, the SGW-450H-2B is another one of those older SGW models that deserves more attention from Casio collectors. It offers plenty of Pro Trek-style capability while retaining the simplicity, affordability and distinctive styling that make the SGW range so appealing.
Bold, lightweight and packed with outdoor features – a distinctive ana-digi Casio that deserves more recognition.
Specifications
Model: Casio SGW-450H-2B
Module: 5450
Display: Analogue-Digital
Analogue Display: Two hands for hours and minutes
Case and Bezel: Resin case with aluminium bezel
Band: Resin band
Glass: Resin glass
Dimensions: 51.9 × 50.8 × 14.9mm
Weight: Approximately 51g
Water Resistance: 100 metres
Low-Temperature Resistance: -10°C
Sensors: Altimeter, barometer and thermometer
Altimeter Range: -700 to 10,000 metres
Altimeter Functions: Current altitude and reference-altitude setting
Barometer Range: 260 to 1,100 hPa
Barometer Functions: Atmospheric-pressure reading and pressure-difference indicator
Thermometer Range: -10°C to 60°C
World Time: 48 cities across 31 time zones
Stopwatch: 1/100 second, up to 24 hours
Countdown Timer: Up to 24 hours
Alarms: Five daily alarms
Hourly Time Signal: Yes
Lighting: Electro-luminescent panel with afterglow
Luminous Hands and Markers: Yes
Calendar: Full auto-calendar to 2099
12/24-Hour Format: Yes
Battery: CR2016
Approximate Battery Life: Three years
Accuracy: ±30 seconds per month
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