RETRO digital watch SHOOTOUT: Casio A168 vs Armitron Rubik - which comes out on top?

I am tempted to stray from Casio by the all stainless steel Casio Rubik retro digital watch... but can it hold a candle to the classic Casio A168 with its electro luminescent backlight and classy finishing?

[@noisepuppet]

The A168 is an easy call. You see one in the store, you buy it. Can't go wrong. Basically disposable, dresses up or down, great backlight. An infamous gateway watch. Great review, thanks for posting.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Oh man, gateway watch is so true! Abd before you know it you have a drawer full of Casios and you've spent £500 servicing a Breitling that was an extravagence in the first place! Thanks for watching 😃

[@themidcentrist]

LOL Gateway watch. My gateway was the DW-5600. I loved the look and simplicity of it, plus it was qualified by NASA for use on the Space Shuttle.

[@noisepuppet]

@@themidcentrist that's truly a great one.

[@user-hj6uf6nr9b]

Good review, thanks. The poor finishing of the Armitron puts me right off it. What I'd really like is for Casio to produce an all-metal A158.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Thanks 😊 Yes, I’ve never understood why they don’t do it as they’ve done all metal G Shock squares instead of resin etc

[@carlosw1687]

​@@wildtimeadventures Casio painted plastic is such a vile and ignoble procedure to increase profit.

[@PomLimey]

A very good in depth comparison. Very useful.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed!

[@nakapaa]

I am a Casio Collector myself and the best one is the A158A in regard to how it" hugs" my wrist. It is snug and very lightweight. My second choice is the A168, just like you I wear it when I go to sleep to check the time as the backlight is decent to actually illuminate the display. I purchased the Armitron Rubik thru Amazon and had to return it because the bracelet lock is broken and the pushers are not working. I was disappointed. Best of luck to your channel and more power!

[@janetboxall9708]

Great review thanks, really helpful!👍

[@wildtimeadventures]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@LeroyCReed]

I just got the black and gold version from Amazon and have no problems with its quality like those of this review. I would totally recommend this watch. I like the heavier, more sturdy steel body and think it looks very unique. I have Casio A700s and B640s and find them on par, but in steel.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Maybe I need to give another Armitron a try… maybe it was just unlucky

[@ednammansfield8553]

I have only discovered Armitron watches after seeing several reviews about comparisons between the Armitron Rubik and the classic Casio F91. I have since purchased the Armitron Rubik from Amazon Global Store (Amazon US) as I like here in the UK. I was after a stainless steel retro watch and first looked at the Casio A1000 series but the price put me off getting one. The Armitron Rubik cost only £27 from Amazon US so I pulled the trigger on getting it. I really like the design of the watch and it really is comfortable on the wrist. I also find that the strap on the Rubik is much better quality and wears better because the taper on the Casio straps is much more noticeable and they do pinch if you have a hairy wrist. Because of the closer links on the Armitron this is eliminated and is much more comfortable to wear. Because of the Chinese movement in the Rubik I am not sure how it stands up against a Casio one but only time will tell but so far so good. I also purchased the Armitron Ridgemont since which is an analogue/digital watch and is also fully stainless steel for around £47 and that is a really nice watch to wear and I have had people asking me where I purchased it from. I love the design of it and it has much more wrist presence than the Casio equivalent. The Armitron Ridgemont has a Japanese movement which gives me more confidence in wearing it hopefully over many years. I believe it has mineral glass also and is not acrylic. Finish overall is very good and the light on the digital readout is really good also. Notably also the Casio equivalent doesn't have a back-light which is a bit of a disappointment and is more expensive than the Armitron. I have the Casio gold version though and I really like wearing that also tbh but can't complain at the price I paid for it at £29,99 from Argos so much cheaper than Amazon and from other retailers. Thanks for your honest review about the Armitron Rubik though and I am sorry you have had the experience of bad QC on your watch, I agree with you that the back light of the Rubik is not very good and could have been better but to me it just adds to the charm of owning a retro watch of the 1980's design.

[@wildtimeadventures]

As a value proposition in comparison to the equivalent Casio, yes, the Armitron is undeniable. I was bummed that I had the QC issues - if I didn’t stare at it through a macro lens, maybe I wouldn’t have noticed… I think perhaps I’ll try another model in the future. Thanks for your thoughtful and helpful comments 👍🏻😎

[@bala8oo]

Straightaway that wonky dial would be a deal breaker, could be the best in the world but that display is a something you look at everytime.

[@DerekMcCoyMusic]

Muscle Men. I used to love those as a kid! I love the A168. I would never want to change a thing, including the resin case. I don’t think I could bring myself to even try a non-Casio for digitals. Never seen a single one that turned my head.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Muscle Men were the best - you could easily sneak them into school - heh! I'll always go back to Casio. Whenever you look at affordable watches through a macro lens, nothing matches up to Casio.

[@Overlord277]

This is a really good and thorough review. If it were me, I'd get a better bulb for the illuminator.

[@IlluminatingWatches]

Good to see some quality digital content!! Armitron not so commonly reviewed ex-US

[@wildtimeadventures]

Thought it was worth a punt! I really wanted it to be good! I actually love the dial, case shape etc. Shame about the grim QC issues 🫤

[@rocketpunch12210]

The Rubik has it's charm, especially the watch face's printed graphic is always crooked on every watch 😆. All steel aside, it is surprisingly light on the wrist and comfy and has a good very high pitch alarm which is very noticeable. If you need to have good back light, go with A168. If you need Dual Time go with Rubik.

[@wildtimeadventures]

I think that’s a fair enough summary! I get a bit carried away with the backlight thing !

[@TechBaffle]

My A168 is so dependable - the display is so easy to read, it doesn't get in the way when you're wearing it, date and day are visible at all times and the backlight is awesome. The only grudge I have is I wish the backlight stayed on for a few seconds after pressing it.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Pressing and holding can be annoying - I have just seen that they have released a model with a clear resin strap so have ordered that too!

[@jacobpohlabel4156]

Armitron is every bit as robust and reliable as most casio offerings, aside from G-Shock. However, when it comes to accuracy, build quality, and value for money, i think armitron takes the cake. I love casio, and i love their dependability. And armitron watches do seem to exude a lack of finesse with their quality control. But i have like 5 or 6 of their offerings and they seem to have accurate quartz movements that seems to meet or sometimes exceed the accuracy of a lot of casio offerings. To each his own. I like switching up my daily driver from one day to the next and im usually not disappointed in any one particular watch from either brand.

[@wildtimeadventures]

I hadn’t considered the accuracy of the module actually - that IS interesting…

[@simone.Lmo.639-2]

@@wildtimeadventures Compared to my F91W it’s showing the same difference (over 2 weeks), about 2 seconds per week or less

[@TechBaffle]

Does the Armitron have any easter eggs? On the A168 you can hold Start/Stop for 3 seconds to get "CASIo", hold all the buttons to test the display, and hold Start/Stop in alarm mode to test the alarm

[@wildtimeadventures]

I haven't heard of any - I got so annoyed with it that I got rid of it before investigating fully - perhaps this was rash!

[@valueink]

The Armitron's display seems crisper with better contrast. Is that correct?

[@rsg5850]

Do they make a larger case around 40mm? Found 34mm too small

[@wildtimeadventures]

Yes sir they absolutely do. Check out the Casio W217 series etc.

[@kubicajakub]

Is it adjustable (trimmer inside)? Cheaper CASIO's don't have that so they tend to be quite inaccurate.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Hmmmm that’s something that I’ll have to check out!

[@LamarFaciane]

Muscle men?! Absolutely incredible!!!

[@wildtimeadventures]

They were the absolute must have toy back in the 80s 😎

[@FOURTYFIVERS45]

Wow.. I remember those characters !!!

[@wildtimeadventures]

What the little toy men? 😁

[@starcade90]

Love the Street Fighter 2 background.

[@wildtimeadventures]

I'm a 1990s kid - it had to be done!

[@carlosw1687]

Great video. Are you sure Casio A168 is 30 meters water resistant? Nowhere I can find that information. I have Casio A168 and I thought it only resists drops of water over it.

[@wildtimeadventures]

I fully submerged it in water for 5 minutes in the video and it was fine. I wouldn’t dive in it but overall I think water won’t be a problem

[@juanlrivera9161]

I’ve been to the beach, pool and given baby baths and have taken showers with my a168. It’s indestructible…lol

[@TheGrenadier97]

The A168 is one my favourites, but i have to say that technically the Rubik is superior. Sole thing i didn't like is the lug design, which looks like something of an afterthought; on the other hand, i wonder how it looks with fabric straps etc.

[@philboxall]

Muscle Men mini figures!!

[@wildtimeadventures]

Hell yeah!!! Seemed appropriate 😁😎

[@christopherjohnson4276]

I bought the mesh strap Rubik and the very cool Rogue, and am very happy with both. The light is unfortunate though. 😢😂 Great video, you got a new sub!

[@wildtimeadventures]

Ah thanks man, appreciated! I want to like the Rubik so bad… the steel case is great! Wish they could just put a couple of cents more investment into the light! Admittedly I’m a bit obsessed with backlights!

[@etow8034]

Is the Rubik's and Rogue's crystals really mineral glass ? Armitron's website shows them both as acrylic resin. Normally if it is glass the bevel on the crystal is normally opaque white, but photos shows it as clear which leads me to believe it is indeed acrylic.

[@randyhutchings373]

YOU are RIGHT. acrylic glass. He kinda botched one 1⃣ of the major would-be selling points on this watch! I just ordered one. Edit: not bc of this video 😅 but $27 on Amazon so ..

[@etow8034]

@@randyhutchings373 Even at $27.00usd is a bit too rich for me if it is just acrylic glass. I am currently having too much fun with my $1.84usd Synoke 9620 that does something that not even a $400.00 G-Shock can do ! ...LoL kzbin.infoTjzPNEIlnkQ

[@maipful]

I have both and i love them. I think the Casio would be perfect if it were all stainless steel and the Armitron would be perfect if it had a better backlight. Käännä

[@Xanduur]

I prefer the Casio backlight, but I prefer the extra functions of the stainless steel construction of the Armitron. The solution for me was to buy a Timex T80 steel model.

[@wildtimeadventures]

I have one of those in gold tone colour - I think that you've hit on a good solution there

[@user-pf8ph3eq6j]

One of the best is Casio mother

[@carlosw1687]

By the way I had a Casio F91 ruined by water poured over it. I did not submerge it at all. I think f91 can not be submerged. I bought another one but I'm very fearful about getting it submerged.

[@nomanejane5766]

🎉🎉🎉

[@Magnetar83]

The LCD is lopsided on the Armitron

[@wildtimeadventures]

One of the things that really drove me crazy with it... no excuse for poor quality control like that

[@robedmunds7163]

Well not sure about the poor finishing, the one i have is very impressive for the money, lovely brushed finish and i have a particular hatred for chromed plastic, it is just fake really. Agree about the light, but it is retro correct. For me the Armitron is the winner in this retro class. Love my g-shock more though 😂 btw think the Rubik is discontinued now

[@wildtimeadventures]

I may have to give another model a try... perhaps a current one would be better finished

[@fuzzywuzzy0549]

acrylic?

[@wildtimeadventures]

The Armitron is stainless steel and the Casio is painted plastic

[@fuzzywuzzy0549]

@@wildtimeadventures is the crystal mineral?

[@dunderhay9169]

Interesting comparison, it seems QC is poor on the Armitron 👎

[@wildtimeadventures]

Perhaps I should seen it coming but yeah… it’s pretty inexcusable 🫤

[@JohnFrumFromAmerica]

I really like my rubik

[@wildtimeadventures]

So many things about it are cool… I just wish the light was more usable. I love the case design though

[@JohnFrumFromAmerica]

@@wildtimeadventures agree the light is rubbish it would have been a slam dunk if it had a half decent light. I don't use lights on my watches much though so not the end of the world for me.

[@jpkatz1435]

❤❤!!❤❤

[@wildtimeadventures]

Hope you enjoyed the video!

[@Boogeyman734]

I have both, and while I wish the 168 had a steel case like the Rubik's, the quality of the Casio is much higher (and more durable). As i sat here pushing the buttons on the Rubik, one of the buttons actually popped out. What a waste.

[@zwussow]

I'm been very pleased with the armitron. The plastic Casios always feel like a toy to me and this feels like an actual watch. It is a shame the back light is so garbage but so are the lights on half my Casios so... Not much of a difference.

[@TechBaffle]

Shame because the Stainless Steel was really appealing, but the graphics I always thought looked a bit unbalanced, like the logo needs to be shifted down a bit, and the light is a bit rubbish. Maybe they could improve these things (as well as better QC) and they'd be on to a winner.

[@wildtimeadventures]

I feel like I need to give Armitron one more go with a different model - I really wanted this to be good!

[@washingtondiascorrea7496]

Casio is an icon

[@wildtimeadventures]

I agree - there’s a reason why they are still on top after all these years!

[@annarive2059]

Put a swordfish instead of a swimmer. That will be the dealbreaker.

[@wildtimeadventures]

Bring back the Casio Marlin symbol!

[@kennybacchus1488]

Retro. Digital watch. Shootout. Casio. A168. VS. Armitron. Rubik

[@wildtimeadventures]

I hope that you enjoyed the video

[@AM-zk7pj]

Casio if you don't listen to consumers the market will consume you someday

[@wildtimeadventures]

I feel that they often have too many products out and they should cut it down

[@naiyang888]

Casio needs to step it up.

[@Eksoteric]

b640w vs the rubik is more close to be honest

[@wildtimeadventures]

I see that - case shape and spec-wise, that makes sense

[@carlosw1687]

Casio is actually cheating on us by giving us painted plastic instead of stainless steel. Armitron proves you can make an inexpensive fully metal watch. There is no excuse for Casio giving you painted plastic such an ignoble and dishonest attitude.

[@wildtimeadventures]

It is an acquired taste, that’s for sure… does look terrible when it wears out

[@baldilocks1914]

Totally disagree, I’m a big collector of retro Casios and just purchased my first retro Armitron and it’s so much more superior to the Casios. Aside from the backlight it’s a much better watch the armitron.

[@deanwaller8283]

Casio wins and i didnt even need to watch the video

[@RinRinTinTin]

You cheated on Casio..😠...you will never be the same famboy again....

[@wildtimeadventures]

I'm going to go back to them in the next video - I have learned my lesson for sure!

[@VictorR06061974]

Everyone who ever bought Casio watches have a bunch of them with broken cases and all worn-out to the level to be ashamed to wear - cheap pos. Armitron at least tried to make something different.