Last month, Casio released a new G-Shock series called the GA2300. Its predecessor, the GA2100 "Casioak" quickly became my favorite G-Shock when it was released a few years ago. I've owned and reviewed a bunch of them as Casio keeps releasing fun new variants. Unfortunately, the integrated strap pulls my arm hair and you can't install standard straps on the GA2100.
The GA2300 changes that. It features a 24mm strap secured by traditional spring bars. Although the series is not available in the U.S. yet, I found a website that had them in stock and ships internationally. They had the black, pink, and white variants. I wanted the gray and orange GA2300-8A, but it wasn't available yet. Thus I chose the all-black GA2300-1A that you see in this review. Does losing the integrated strap diminish the Casoiak's appeal? Keep reading to find out.
Casio G-Shock GA2300-1A First Impressions
Although it has similarities, I wouldn't call the GA2300 a Casioak. The integrated strap and octagonal bezel are what gave the GA2100 the Royal Oak characteristics that earned it its nickname. GA2300 lacks those, although its shape puts it in a similar place in the G-Shock lineup.
Details of the Casio G-Shock GA2300-1A
Besides the distinctive (for a G-Shock) lug design, the first thing that you'll notice is the large X across the dial of the GA2300. It divides up the small displays and creates a bold look. The X has small grooves molded in which gives it a reflective look in certain lighting. The rest of the dial is matte black.
The white G-Shock text as well as the day indications stand out, giving the dial some visual interest.
The pushers are polished and easy to press.
Wearing the Casio G-Shock GA2300-1A
GA2300 is 3.3mm narrower as well as 0.2mm thinner than the original Casioak. It looks and wears much more compactly, more like the midsize Casioak GMAS models. Additionally, the articulating lugs help its strap to wrap around the wrist more like a conventional watch, making it more comfortable to wear (and eliminating any hair pulling).
The legibility of analog G-shocks is hit-and-miss. Some are excellent, and others use hands that blend into the dial and are quite difficult to read. GA2300-1A sits in the middle. Its white hands stand out well from the all-black dial, but they are a bit narrow, and the hour markers are gloss black, making them difficult to pick out in low light. Additionally, the X on the dial can be distracting.
The LCD displays are negative but are large, so it's not too hard to read those displays. Negative is my preference against a black dial, especially an analog model. Like GA2100, the new model has an analog day display at 9.
Like other G-Shocks, the Neobrite lume on the hands is good, but not great.
If the lume does fade, GA2300 models all have a white LED "super illuminator" light for the dial and backlight for the LCDs that can be set to glow for 1.5 or 3 seconds.
Original and Replacement Straps for the Casio G-Shock GA2300-1A
It's secured differently, but the GA2300 strap is made from the same resin as other G-Shocks. It's comfortable and durable as well as resistant to fuzz.
A single keeper secures the tail, and the plastic buckle is black to match the case.
If you'd like to replace your GA2300 strap with something softer and more comfortable our 24mm FKM Rubber straps fit! Just remove the spring bars in the original strap.
The Ridge Rubber strap works great...
but I found that the Smooth FKM kept the original look while being more comfortable and providing some different color options.
Keep scrolling at the end of the article to see and purchase different replacement straps for your G-Shock GA2300. You can also view our Guide to Choosing a Watch Strap.
Casio G-Shock GA2300-1A Movement
The module 5725 in the GA2300 has all the features you'd expect of an entry-level G-Shock. It can display world time, a full calendar, a 1/100 stopwatch, and timing features as well as alarms and hourly chimes. You can also shift the hands out of the way to make the "subdials" easier to read.
It does not have solar charging, but the battery life is rated at three years. It doesn't have any atomic of Bluetooth connectivity, accuracy is town to the quartz crystal. It's rated for +/- 15s/month.
Conclusion
After wearing it for a while, I don't believe that G-Shock intends to replace the Casioak with the GA2300. I predict that both models will remain in the catalog. The Casioak is more stylish and better suited for everyday wear, while the GA2300 design is funkier and more distinctive.
The GA2300 is a welcome addition to the catalog. It wears comfortably, and I believe it's a good indication of where the brand is headed. I expect to see other new models with a smoother design like this model. I also think that Casio has recognized the popularity of swapping out watch straps, and will release more watches with traditional, swappable straps. The brand even has a few Casioak models with adaptors to fit 21mm straps!
Next, I'll do a side-by-side comparison between the GA2100 and GA2300. Stay tuned for that!
Specifications:
Name: Casio G-Shock Analog-Digital GA-2300 Series
Reference Number: GA-2300-1A
Price: TBD (~$128)
Width: 42.1mm
Height: 45.4mm
Thickness: 11.6mm
Lug Width: 24mm
Weight: 49g
Movement: 5725
Battery Life: 3 years
Water Resistance: 200m
Crystal: Mineral
Strap: Resin
Shop Casio G-Shock BGA2300 Replacement Straps:
Ridge FKM Rubber
Smooth FKM Rubber
