Casio Launches New G-SHOCK and G-LIDE Watches with Heart Rate Monitoring and Advanced Fitness Features

Casio has announced the release of the G-SHOCK G-LIDE GBX-H5600, a new model in its G-LIDE line of watches designed for extreme sports, featuring the first-ever integration of a heart rate monitor in a G-LIDE timepiece.

The GBX-H5600 combines optical heart-rate monitoring with existing G-LIDE functions tailored for seaside activities and water sports such as surfing, including a tide graph that displays tide levels and moon data indicating lunar phases.

Equipped with an optical heart rate sensor and an accelerometer, the watch enables real-time monitoring of physical condition during exercise and tracks distance, calories burned, and other workout metrics.

Training functions are available for four activities — running, walking, gym workouts, and interval training — with data processed using science-backed algorithms from Polar Electro, a global leader in wearable sports and health technology.

Results from the sensors are viewable in the CASIO WATCHES smartphone app, where users can access detailed data and insights to help manage health and improve performance.

The watch features a high-definition memory-in-pixel (MIP) LCD display, ensuring clear visibility in direct sunlight and various outdoor conditions regardless of viewing angle.

The GBX-H5600 includes a step counter and is powered by a rechargeable battery that supports both wired USB charging and solar panels on the watch face. While labeled as “Solar Powered,” the watch does not feature the full “Tough Solar” capability to power all functions solely by solar energy, and wired charging may be necessary for frequent use of the heart rate monitor and other features.

Despite sharing the same length and width as the DW-H5600 model and being 0.1 mm thinner, the GBX-H5600 is 12 grams lighter due to a carbon-reinforced case back instead of stainless steel, resulting in a total weight of 47 grams.

The watch offers Bluetooth smartphone connectivity with automatic time correction and phone notifications, along with a vibration option for alarms and alerts.

On the fitness side, the GBX-H5600 provides activity tracking for walking, running, gym workouts, and interval training, supported by advanced training analysis from Polar, including cardio load status, sleep recovery analysis, blood oxygen level measurement, and guided breathing exercises.

For watersports use, the watch includes 50 preset ports in its memory for the tide graph function. When connected to the Casio Watches smartphone app, users can access up to 3,300 tide points and specify any location as a custom point for tide tracking.

The GBX-H5600 maintains the classic 5600 square case design and delivers the same core functions as the DW-H5600 and GBX-100 models, integrating heart-rate monitoring, fitness tracking, and tide/moon capabilities into a single device.