G-Shock GWM5610U - Did Casio Ruin a Classic?

Why Casio? I finally decide to buy a classic G-Shock 5610-1 and it turns out you messed it up! I bought this on Amazon several days before Black Friday. The good news? It was on sale for $80 (Canadian) and this is by far the cheapest I've ever seen it! The bad news? They recently updated the model to a new variant called the 5610U-1 that changes the smooth bluish green Electroluminescent EL blacklight that it has been using for decades to a single side lit white LED instead! Booooo! That glorious EL backlight is part of the charm of these vintage Casio watches! The Amazon listing still shows images and descriptions saying it has an EL Electroluminescent backlight so not only did they change the model but it seems no one noticed!
Now, to be fair to Casio they did upgrade a few other features and it's possible the switch to an LED actually saves battery life meaning a solar charge will go even longer! But is that worth loosing the iconic cool glow?

[@m4t7eo]

A little insight: the reason why Casio is abandoning el backlight on most models is pretty sensible: it has a limited lifespan, and it lowers display clarity. The el backlight uses a film, that’s either in front or behind the digits, depending on the model, and it’s not completely transparent, lowering contrast in both cases. This model in particular already suffers in the clarity department because of the solar panel, which is a continuous sheet of glass (it goes over the display, even where there’s no panel), so reducing the number of layers between the surface and the screen is a positive.

[@tydshiin5783]

I believe the new one has another film for making the LED shine more evenly, which ironically makes viewing angles a tiny tiny bit worse

[@raf.b]

power consumption?

[@dsfgasdgqweq3456t534]

I don't care, it worked fine before. You cannot beat the EL! The LED backlight looks like garbage

[@jackchueh1231]

Backlight all day!

[@X85283]

@@dsfgasdgqweq3456t534 EL wears out....

[@waltwearswatches3056]

It’s objectively false to call the led backlight a “downgrade”. You can rightly say you don’t prefer it, but the fact is that the led has a longer operating life and a lower energy consumption than the el light. Additionally, the new backlight lets you determine the length of illumination, which the old module did not allow.

[@BlissBatch]

It also has a far greater lifespan.

[@justmeeagainn]

Why don’t you make your own review video Mr. Knowitall.

[@waltwearswatches3056]

@@justmeeagainn you first ;-)

[@SPNKr16]

@@justmeeagainn My GW-M5610R has the "old" LED backlight. It's that full backlight with even projection as the OP said in the above vid. Superior to any other modern G-Shock backlight. I believe my watch was first released in 2019 since it's out of production and I obtained it second hand, seldom used. Saved a tonne of cash on this one, very very happy about it and thus the hunt for it has finally ended. A guy in season 4 or 5 of Miami Vice wore the same one (c. 1987), otherwise they wore the G-Shock II with the orange trim. Also the jet black resin is an amazing black, unlike the boring gray/black on the regular 5610.

[@ricardoronaldo837]

@@justmeeagainn lol how old are you child

[@whodeycinbengals]

I agree about the Illuminator backlight being better than LED, but for me, it’s a small price to pay because the newer version is better then the old in every other way

[@TheBronzeKnight]

I actually am a huge fan of the new LED, overall the 5610U fixed almost every gripe I had about the previous 5610 that made it not worth me wearing. Thanks to the updated module the 5610U is now my everyday watch. The only thing I wish they had changed was the alarm, the single multifunction alarm like the 5600E has would be far more practical to me than 5 alarms and a snooze.

[@acid4acid]

I returned the new 5610U as soon as I saw the LED, and quickly ordered the old 5610 from EL ;). For me, LED is unacceptable. Led is cheaper to produce ;) ... Cost cutting ...

[@turbo108]

Me too I ordered the older one for the light

[@johno4521]

I recently turned off the time signal receiving on mine to see how accurately it functioned as a normal quartz watch, and discovered something amazing. After a week of keeping time 'on its own' it is still spot on - not even out by a fraction of a second. What a watch!

[@simba9725]

I had the 5610U, could not hear the alarm while on my wrist, even if I set it on the table and watch it go off, so faint. Sent it back next day I got it.

[@Rick-ve5lx]

@@simba9725 You must have had a bad one. The alarm on mine is ok.

[@PieterWycoff]

One of the reasons I bought this watch was for that classic ‘80’s design, but the solar and atomic time sync won me over.

[@ReauDog]

I just picked up a 5610 and I was actually disappointed that it didn't have the full Electroluminescent. Like you, I really like the full EL of my 5600.

[@NunoxFerreira]

I own both versions. Changing the date format from month/day to day/month is a HUGE improvement for me😅 Just loved then soooo much❤😊

[@TheChadWork2001]

The electro luminescense was changed because over the long term, the backlight burns out, whereas the LED doesn't. This can be seen as an upgrade.

[@LiamsTaxi]

How long does the average back-light last? Have mine 3 yrs strong

[@DIDOS]

That's true, it becomes weaker. I think it's a cool upgrade.

[@mariostaylor7820]

Not true. I have many Casios over 20 years and the backlight is still strong.

[@neillchippett655]

Had my EL Casio for 10 years and working well. GWM5610 with an F91 backlight.

[@waltwearswatches3056]

@@mariostaylor7820 yes true. An el feature on a watch weakens over time and eventually will stop working completely. It’s science :-) LED lasts longer.

[@johno4521]

The duration of the back light was a big gripe for me but with the new model you can choose from 2 light on duration settings. Living in the UK, the date format option is a bonus too.

[@garylist7412]

That is my exactly the two features that kept off the page for me and the reason I’m upgrading to one of these too.

[@user-hj6uf6nr9b]

Here in the UK, the price of the 5600E is about 80GBP, the 5610u I got for 95GBP, so it was a no brainer really. I'm very pleased with it, finding the LED light functional and the radio synch and solar mean totally maintenance free. The similarity in appearance to the original is great, too.

[@JonathonForest175]

I belong to the camp who likes the old EL light. Have anyone seen the black negative display version gw-m5610u-1B? How does the led light looks like? Does it also shine a bright spot from the side, making an uneven look ? I really want to get the negative display but held back when I read about EL being replaced

[@CockroachMunchingKrabbyPatty]

I know the feeling you're describing. I have a 5610 from a couple years back with the EL lighting, and I enjoy it. I upgraded to a GMW-B5000 because I liked the all steel case, but it's got a similar white LED lighting instead of the previous blue lume- far from a deal breaker, just a nitpick.

[@pinch-of-salt]

I know lot of people have already mentioned this in the comments. But casio have improved the whole "tough" character of this watch by moving to the LED light. There is a GW-5000 which has a metal core and screw back, if you want even more toughness but that watch is 3x the price of gw-m5610u which is not worth it for me. The resin core is tough enough to be ran over by a tank and waterproof to the same amount, you don't really need anything more than a gw-m5610u. I am saying this as the gw-m5610u is quite cheap, the gw-m5610u is the best square g shock currently. I wouldn't be comfortable throwing around the other costlier squares like gw-5000u, gmw series watches, etc.

[@erosqing]

I owned it since one month and absolutely love it. I'm very glad of the retros style with the red label, mustard letters and blue water resist info. Maybe I will prefer a fade in/out light to be less agressive on dark environments. Previous to this i had purchased a gw-b5600 that was a pain in the ass, a very poor legible inverted display, a totally useless bluetooth connection with a crappy app. This is absolutely the best valie/price squared.

[@robertfeast7691]

IMHO the new back light is fine and the update for the date configuration is great. It's a great update on the classic square.

[@totallyfrozen]

Yes, I find this backlight “upgrade” to be a bummer. Having grown up on Timex watches, I like the Indiglo lighting. I was disappointed that they removed that smooth, soft lighting from the newer version.

[@twoedc4202]

I agree the EL looks better. However, the transistor makes a high pitch noise, drains the battery much quicker, has more environmental cost with the powder layer of zinc sulphide with copper, and it can burn out quicker(3k-5k hours as opposed to 50k-70k hours with LED). I think LED when done well, is the way to go.

[@totallyfrozen]

While China and India are basically billowing smoke 24/7 with no environmental controls to speak of, I doubt the trace quantities of minerals and chemicals used in the backlights of these little screens is making much difference at all.

[@NFS-shade]

@@totallyfrozen wicked sick. Lol

[@leinadyon]

I think you need to touch some grass

[@abegranderson4253]

You convinced me with the longer life, thanks.

[@SpikeBachman]

Thanks for the additional info. Helps me accept and actually appreciate the change from EL

[@BL-yj2wp]

I've had issues with the battery runtime on a very cheap solar powered Casio watch (AL-190), but never with a G-Shock. Either the solar cell or the module is more efficiant, but they charge up quickly and can run for a long time without getting much light. Same goes for the Citizen Eco-Drive, those too work very well and for a long period of time without much light. Especially on a very water resistant watch I would want to avoid opening it up if at all possible. So I do like solar charging on these.

[@lars-fenin]

citizen promasters ecos are a solid upgrade since the older ny 0040 models.(great dive watches) i own both a casio 5610 and a citizen.. love both of them.

[@matsrosenqvist]

Excellent review; it's interesting to hear about the new "GWM5610U" model.

[@DR-nw3ct]

EL has a lifespan significantly shorter than LED. EL to LED is more a sidegrade than upgrade/downgrade depending on your preference whether the saturated lights coming from the sides bothers you or not. UV adds to the degradation of EL films. I can see why Casio made this decision to replace EL with LED since they're supposed to be "Tough". My heavily used GW-7900's EL is dimmer than my 5610 even on new batteries. It's funny to think that tough solars came with EL.

[@patiphankorsrisuwan2788]

This is on point

[@orlandobetancourt41]

hello! which version would you recommend?

[@varghejo]

The original also has the auto illumination feature, but I would imagine the new version draws less power. It also let's you view the current time when using the stopwatch, and it has 5 world time selections. I prefer the blue-green EL over the white LED on the new one, and the new features don't really improve the watch by that much. Both are great options.

[@Djwhiskers]

I have a gw5610. wanted to get the 5000 for a while. I check back and see that they've released an updated version which fixes the date issue i have with the 5610, but the led is a bummer. The new gw-5000u with an EL backlight would have literally been the perfect watch for me. Shame 🙁

[@CliffR]

So what is the difference between the 5610-1 and 5610U?

[@TheFlyrodder68]

Dude, the Bluetooth with Multiband 6 ad Tough Solar models are awesome. Great timekeepers and always tough. Always on time, all the time.

[@PierreMontgomery]

The fact that you can see the current time in chronometer/ countdown modes with the updated module make it an upgrade.

[@RoMusic2011]

Can you adjust light time on new model or its still very short?

[@Glubok]

You can choose between 1 (too short) and 3 seconds (which is perfect imho)

[@ashwinoashwin]

I have the U and i love it! It’s such a worthy upgrade to the 5610

[@CAborn1112]

What about the 5610-1? What’s the difference?

[@enriquejosekravetzmalabud8530]

I have a 5600 with EL, and few years later, it starts to fails, but my GWN with LED it's waaaay more bright and las longer. I think the only bad thing with the 5600 models are the small buttons, which are almost impossible to press them with gloves.

[@MN12BIRD]

Weird I've had my 5600E for like 6 years and the EL backlight is still as bright as ever or at least it's close enough I can't tell the difference. I only use the light a few times a month. I doubt I'll "wear it out" in my lifetime!

[@totallyfrozen]

I’m skeptical of that story. Casio has poured decades of R&D into their G-Shock technologies. Timex had been selling the heck out of Indiglo watches for 30 years (and I’ve owned several of them and abused them underwater). I’ve never known an Indiglo light to fade nor a G-Shock EL light to fade.

[@melvincan7761]

@@totallyfrozen the issue about the EL is the deterioration. Had mine gsw5600, auto el on for almost 3 yrs and now the light can't almost be seen even on pitch black sorrounding. I may have the fault but didn't expect that it would only last that long

[@faroles83]

Todo lo contrario. El led tiene mejor vejez respecto a los paneles electroiluminados, gastan menos baterias y ademas le da un mejor contraste a los numeros con respecto a la pantalla cuando la luz no esta encendida. Sin mencionar el cambio de modulo en el nuevo modelo, el cual es mucho mas completo

[@BAR-ct7ti]

The EL switch to LED is a reasonable trade off, even if you’re not happy with the LED. Yes, it doesn’t look as even when lit, but what you lose in unevenness, you gain in more energy saving function , which is a preference for me. It definitely shouldn’t be a deal breaker for anyone, in my opinion. I keep the auto light function turned off. The novelty wore off for me in under a week. When it unintentionally goes off, it just becomes annoying, especially considering the energy waste.

[@barreltech8949]

I purchased mine from Amazon about 3 months ago, and my caseback says 5610U with all the same features of the original. So I must have the second generation and you must have the third

[@usa68355]

Purchased mine in 2012 love it

[@KabobHope]

The differences between the two modules aren't enough to matter. I happen to like the green light a little more, but if something happened to my watch I would probably just "upgrade" to the U version. I don't care about the additional U features, though and none are compelling enough for me to spend $100 on a new watch.

[@ELEVOPR]

I also prefer the EL to the New LED light. So what if it dims, at least its uniformed. It may dim but not to the point you eyes can't see the time on the watch. The U is pretty kool also. I sure they are both great. lighting is just a preference.

[@totallyfrozen]

I suspect the dimming is theory. I doubt anyone has actually had one that dimmed to the point of being unusable.

[@ELEVOPR]

@@totallyfrozen Agreesed. I have 15 year old EL Light and still looks fantastic.

[@fuballarena7829]

Hii, I also buy 5610u at amazon like you. But why the watch came with condition cartoon box? Is the watch fake?

[@golbalhelmut8442]

Your mentioned downgrade is actually a huge upgrade: The lifetime of the EL blacklight is 5000 h. The lifetime of the LED is 50 000 h. Also it uses less energy and the light is brighter. The funcationallty of the world time makes also a huge difference.

[@JudasIscariot81]

They gave us the option to lengthen the afterglow time but took away the green light. I'm glad I snatched the non U model

[@metallitech]

Interesting. On the plus side, the LCD should be clearer for not having the electroluminescence.

[@MN12BIRD]

I think it might be a little bit clearer but also it uses a little less power. I'm just a sucker for the EL glow.

[@metallitech]

@@MN12BIRD Yes it's a strange decision by casio.

[@db.5811]

This is another reason why I went for U version of the 5600. I prefer the contrast on my led casios over the EL casios. Before finding the U version I was simply gonna buy the DW5600 since it had all those features people said were missing from higher end Square g shocks. With the U versions I get all those features plus better contrast, tough solar, and an led that does exactly what it’s meant to do… allow me to read the time in the dark. Should be delivered to me this Monday and I can’t wait.

[@ue9348]

The gw-b5600 have 4 corner LED it look more uniform, but still that EL is still pretty nice.

[@stephanossigma3459]

The alarm is very low on noise than other models...

[@davidrlifts]

Is it true that the sound is very low?

[@MN12BIRD]

Doesn't seem quieter than my 5600E to me from what I remember anyway

[@emiliano9204]

It is a functional update, the LED is less aggressive on the battery. which will extend its useful life by using it fully.

[@bravenkind7843]

No. It’s basically perfect now. Has the same light as the Rangeman, it’s much more efficient and won’t wear out like an el backlight. And then different date formats alongside current time in the stopwatch and timer mode? We’re talking about one of the greatest watches ever made hands down, and the old one was already a contender for that!

[@totallyfrozen]

How many EL lights have you worn out or seen worn out?

[@bullfrogboss8008]

@@totallyfrozen came here to ask this exact question

[@cambotechgaming9554]

EL on these watch will outlast your lifetime mate. It’s not on 24h a day.

[@mojo_dojo_]

i can guarantee you’ve never had an EL go bad lol goober

[@2006chame]

hard to find but check any of this: WVA-M650, ECW-M300

[@Red_Bearded_Dad]

I have a G-Shock GW-M600A and the new 5610 model you have. Both are solar/atomic. The M600A has electroluminescence and like you said the new (upgraded) 5610 has an LED light. I prefer the LED. It's brighter. If you look at the full functions and settings between the old 5610 and the new one, you'll see there are some upgrades. I think one is light duration. Before it had no choice for light duration and you only had 1.5 sec of lume. Now you can choose 1 or 3 sec. There are other differences too.

[@MN12BIRD]

Yeah, there's a lot of small improvements. I do like the fact you can set the backlight duration. I didn't realize the older model lacked that option. But the main thing that I wanted was the EL backlight. The Amazon listing still shows it in the images and description as having an EL backlight to this day. They sent me the wrong watch as far as I'm concerned. But that's not Casio's fault. I'm just a sucker for the EL glow. I know it's harder on the battery and I know they can fade over time but I still want it!

[@Red_Bearded_Dad]

@@MN12BIRD Very valid. If you bought it with expectation of it having EL, I can understand and definitely respect your disappointment. You want to look for a GW5610 with the 3159 module. Sometime in the last quarter of 2021 Casio went to the 3495 module. They can probably be found in stores that still have slightly older stock. Easiest way to tell at a glance is the label on the watch face for the upper right button will say "EL BACK LIGHT >" vs "LIGHT>" below "

[@Oleg__]

@@Red_Bearded_Dad _"upper left button"_ Upper right button.

[@Red_Bearded_Dad]

@@Oleg__ thanks! Fixed it.

[@TegPi]

The update version is an upgrade for most people, having the dual time display on solar, longer backlight, dd:m option, etc... Its fair that the backlight changing is a difference, but thats subjective, worse for some people better for others

[@davidbergquist234]

I like this new one. Im gonna pick one up when my old model ones break

[@MN12BIRD]

Well it is a classic G so that might be awhile 😂

[@davidbergquist234]

Yeah hehe

[@7775Kevin]

I just ordered the 5601-1 from Amazon and was concerned that it would NOT be the new upgraded version. The features they have added far outweigh the difference in the backlight. Plus it sounds as though the LED is more efficient and will last longer.

[@kevn22]

defeats the whole purpose of the watch going from EL to LED. Its supposed to be a retro classic sticking to its roots with that smooth cool blue green, sad they changed away from EL

[@TheMMAVOICE]

Exactly!

[@no-zo3ps]

I was about to buy the gw5610u-1 and wanted to see a review and found out about the green backlight one (gw5610-1) and now I want only this one but in can't find it without it being overpriced😅

[@rainernunritter]

I had/have three of them and would have bought the U if I hadn't bought the GW-5000U. The new model is such an big improvement with date format, day of the week in German and shown time in count down and stop watch mode. The light is different sure. But maybe it doesn't drain the battery as much as the EL does. I could never use the auto illumination because the battery could never be charged quick enough.

[@marduj2768]

I'm one of the few who prefer led light to background light and I like the color too. I have watches with green and amber light and this white bluish one is better for me.

[@ALIMU]

Trust me the LED light on the 5610U will grow on you, I really like the new led light it feels futuristic and hits the eyes nicely.

[@bullfrogboss8008]

I'm glad to own the "old" GWM5610

[@kronos0316]

For me 1987 g shock is the best because it was my first one.

[@Oleg__]

• Adjustable 1.5 or 3 second afterglow for light (versus 1.5 second non-adjustable afterglow on module 3159) - Important to me; • Current time display in stopwatch and countdown timer mode - Important to me. Finally they eliminated this nonsense, which was not present even in the simple classic DW-5600. • 24-hour countdown timer is settable in units of seconds and not only hours and minutes - Important to me. Finally they eliminated this nonsense, which was not present even in the simple classic DW-5600. • Adjustable date format (M.DD or DD.M) and adjustable day of week language (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian) - Important to me (I'm not an English speaker). • Quick return to timekeeping mode by holding down Mode (C) button for more than 1 second - good to have. • Home city time and world time display swap in world time mode by pressing the top two buttons (A and B) at the same time; • 5 world time settings (48 cities), 31 time zones, the additional 2 time zones are for the cities of Fernando de Noronha (-2) and Kathmandu (+5.75). For me it is much more important that the backlight can now last 3 seconds. I have no problem with the backlight itself, especially since LED is more long-lasting, does not lose brightness over time like EL, and consumes less power. I can only complain about the display, which has one of the worst viewing angles of any G-Shocks (the same in the old 5610 version).

[@MN12BIRD]

I get there's a lot of small improvements. But most of them don't do anything for me. I don't need to change the date format, I rarely use the stopwatch or WT if ever. I do like the fact you can set the backlight duration. I didn't realize the older model lacked that option. But the main thing that I wanted was the EL backlight. The Amazon listing still shows it in the images and description as having an EL backlight to this day. They sent me the wrong watch as far as I'm concerned. But that's not Casio's fault. If the Amazon page was up to date and showing the correct model and specs I would have known ahead of time. I'm just a sucker for the EL glow. I know it's harder on the battery and I know they can fade over time but I still want it! I have no complaints with the viewing angle. Vertically speaking I actually think it's fine. Good actually. Horizontal viewing angle? That doesn't bother me in the least. I would have never even noticed until I saw some video pointing it out. Anyway, like I said getting the wrong model sucked but again that was not on Casio. I guess at the end of the day I still got a great watch and at a better price than I've ever seen. So I'm happy. I still have my 5600E if I need my EL fix.

[@Oleg__]

I have three G-Shocks (and Apple Watch). So I noticed the worse viewing angles right away. Even compared to my basic DW-5600. If I didn't have something to compare it to, I wouldn't pay attention to it.

[@michaelgoebel9370]

I got a 5610 from Amazon and was immediately disappointed. It felt very small on my wrist and the display looked horrible. I sent it back the same day.

[@konstrakph]

The backlight is not a problem as long as it's readable.

[@GESGSHOCK]

I prefer the led light, the updated version is a greeeat watch. Good video.

[@johnfadds6089]

I have both EL and LED g-shocks. The LED is much brighter and has 3s duration (vs 1.5s EL) so I often use it as a lantern when I don't want to turn the lights on.

[@Rickky007]

The old model Electroluminescence will fail in time while the new led will be more durable lasting longer.

[@Baruch-Hashem]

I liked the El-Backlight appearence too, but it is no less ledgible with the Power Saving LED that stays on longer. All in all, its a tradeoff I will gladly take for the new features and longer light on period. Now if they could just locate that LED behind the display. An expensive and superior solution would be an OLED display, but that is a price doubler at a minimum. Starts looking like a smartwatch then, losing its 80s appeal and OLEDs currently are not as tough.

[@shawnadams1965]

Going to be honest, I like the led better. And the 3 second light timer is a win.

[@sixteenbitter]

It's a shame about the EL backlight loss but they fixed my main gripe with the 5610 - Now you can actually see the current time (in the date window) when using the countdown timer. EL backlights have a shelf life and severely dim over the years so the LED, while uglier should last longer too. Still, I'm bummed to hear Amazon misrepresented the product on the website.

[@MN12BIRD]

They still haven't changed the product page last I checked. The new model has some good updates for sure. I'm just a sucker for that retro EL glow!

[@totallyfrozen]

@@Simon89Jeppesen Irrelevant. It’s a solar powered watch.

[@jimblack8104]

I will swap mine for yours anyway, I’m in the uk and the date format is the only thing I would love to change on my watch

[@BAR-ct7ti]

Just sell your old one on eBay, take the cash and put it towards an updated one.

[@jimblack8104]

@@BAR-ct7ti I got a new one now jdm

[@retromario6130]

Solar power is meh to me. I’ve collected many g shocks throughout the years and only once did I change the battery; and it was a model that was known to have dead batteries anyway.

[@MN12BIRD]

Yeah I agree for the most part on the solar. The battery life usually lasts 5-10 years on most Casio's these days. But I still like the looks of the 5610 with the red accents. I guess if the 5600E looked the same I'd have no reason to want this one.

[@yogiyoda]

I think the new white led light sips less energy than the old tech so it makes the watch more efficient. Also, it supposedly allows the digits to be more crisp. I just wish it was amber like the Casio Royale. I love those amber LEDs

[@thetylife]

Thanks for the info. I picked up the DW5600E on black Friday , it was only $35 usd, it's still selling for $39 now. I think the solar toughs or the Citizen eco-drives etc... are more or less a gimmick . The solar batteries can go bad too and it's very cheap and easy to just change out the regular batteries especially on a Casio. I much prefer the old EL light too... but that auto light up feature is pretty cool I must admit, and you got it at a great price.

[@totallyfrozen]

Have you ever had to replace the solar battery in a Solar Tough G-Shock?

[@thetylife]

@@totallyfrozen I've never owned a solar battery watch. I don't really have anything against them. I would like to pick up an Eco-drive Promaster sometime.

[@DenStoraVargen]

This elektric green is amazing but it fades out or give up after some years. So I had old watches without backlight out of this reason. The LED does not look as good but last longer. So it is not as nice but hold up longer.... So it is a pro and a con at the same time I guess.

[@Tdr-jv2nc]

I love this new updated model

[@nq28153a]

I like more EL ilumination but i have bought the new model "U"

[@vincenzostr4488]

For me that i work in a office it's better to have european date format. US date format was a problem for me

[@Tdr-jv2nc]

The LED has a much better lifespan than EL. EL has tendency to dim over the years

[@nq28153a]

True

[@acid4acid]

Maybe after 10-15 years how often you use it EL. I bought a model from EL. Led is unacceptable for me ;).

[@totallyfrozen]

The EL looks better than the LED. A woman’s looks have a tendency to dim over the years too, but that doesn’t mean I want to start off with an ugly one.

[@swizacx715]

On new model you can choose 3 sec light duration vs 1 sec which is an upgrade for me.

[@alaindeleon5417]

Actually if you want the real retro vibe led is the way to go, EL Backlight i think came in the 90´s, as for the 80´s there were only led lit and not as clear as it is today

[@travisharrisphotography]

The biggest thing I have noticed about the 5610 and the 5610U is the terrible viewing angles. Driving, typing, sitting on the couch anything where I would normally just glance down to read the time, now I need to really turn my wrist to see the face straight on. This is not the case on the 5600e. Terrible.

[@Phyxsius_85]

EL is an outdated technology, it looks visually better and that's it. In any case, I support the LED update. We don't use lighting to admire how beautiful it is, but to see information in the dark. In the end, I guess the engineers at CASIO know better than we do

[@MN12BIRD]

@@Phyxsius_85 Sure but I can admit something is technically better but still want the old outdated tech simply because it looks cooler to me. I drive a 6 speed manual car when a DSG dual clutch 7 speed automatic was an option that's faster than I could ever be but I still wanted it. TBH the issue isn't that Casio updated the watch obviously that's fine but that Amazon was, and still may be showing pictures and saying in the description that it's EL. It's more Amazons fault I didn't get what I was expecting.

[@gabegonza]

I will trade you my el backlit I bought from Amazon for your U version lol. Seriously I will I was hoping I got the U but I got the regular EL

[@gyges5495]

Electro is old, this watch is the best G Shock - it is cheap, doesn’t look like a huge toy, has solar and automatic setting so it is perfect!

[@-----REDACTED-----]

Actually after some time I got behind the LED, especially since the EL will apparently degrade faster over time than the LED. I hope to get even more time out of my watch and this is in line with that goal.

[@kevinbeckett2181]

Love the led over the old light. It doubles as a little light if you are in pitch black to help you see. Also the time view on the stopwatch and timer make this a perfect square. I would love to have seen one more page with sun rise and set times (and maybe tide to somehow, but I have gulfman, gulfmaster, rangeman and frogman for those things but I do love the square).

[@fabiandee8178]

i prefer the new light. the interface and having the time on the screens is a HUGE improvement. You're entitled to your opinion but seems rather overdramatic to me.

[@KennySouthPark86]

Removing EL is a terrible move, i agree. I was about to get this watch until i noticed this change, now i'm looking into other G-Shocks (that aren't 200 USD) and it's hard to find something as good as this for the price

[@shinraorg]

I want the old lighting with the new technology :( but, ill settle for the new lighting it theres no other way.

[@pauloverby1]

Thanks for the video. And "no", is the correct answer. :)

[@UAL320]

Look at the original from the 80s…..it’s just the same with the light source from the left, except that was much more noticeable and of course the new LED is a thousand times more reliable than the tiny incandescent. Nothing to complain about here at all!

[@SpeedDog]

The LED is poorly implemented in this model and doesn't diffuse the light well. There are G Shocks with better LED backlighting such as the full metal squares and I kinda prefer those LEDs to EL. Nice fade in/out and very even. But the LED in this one and the GW5000U sucks. Casio went cheap on the implementation. If they're going to "upgrade" at least make it better. EL lifespan may be shorter but it's already long enough. I've got 20+ year old G Shocks and the EL is fine.

[@sh4969]

Brought My GW-M5610-1ER has a blue back light if you buy the 2018 model.

[@mohdfairuzahmad2516]

The EL backlight will burnout overtime ... like my 9300 mudman lcd its not sharp as it used to be ... Casio moving into the right direction

[@kamatchinmay]

The led backlight is supposed to have 10x the life of el backlight

[@dannicatzer305]

For me the light feature begins and ends on one thing.. Can I see the time in low light or none.. If the answer is yes colour or direction of the light = I don't care, a tad nit picky of you dude the watch is awesome..

[@MrDanijelho]

Light last longer an this model i like it.

[@redflag4781]

A bunch of objective upgrades vs a subjective "downgrade" = a better watch

[@cm1971it]

The new 5610 is much better, I can live with the LED light.

[@inSaNe_44]

Well I'm with you in this case! I have a big collection of G-shocks! I got to say I love the old A El illumination! In my rangeman model also this uneven led illumination... So ugly.. Way too much light just in one corner... Not good! . But all green light screen is so beautifull! Also meet in my G-9300-1ER! And belive me the A El light will live more than you, not a problem! Personally I love the old retro Casio style. So it's a matter of choice! 3:09 say it all! 💪. Cheers.

[@adalas293]

It is Dissapointing they did Not make timer with Repetitions option 😔. We have 2023 allready.

[@michaelo5400]

I like everything about the 5610u better (including the backlight). I guess it’s a matter of preference, but the new feature of allowing you to see current time in different modes is very good. I have ~15 g-shocks (including 2 rangeman and 3 5610s). The new 5610u gets used more than all of the others combined.

[@frankula540]

White light will save power.