Casio's $65 F-B100W Matches Apple Watch Ultra 4 on Run Step Count in TechRadar Test

TechRadar said the F-B100W is a cheap Bluetooth digital watch that looks similar to the classic F-91W but is slightly larger, has an additional button, a dual time-zone mode, Find My Phone and a step tracker. It described the watch as a stripped-back smartwatch for people who want to increase activity levels without paying for a full smartwatch or using all the features of a fitness tracker. The publication said the Casio cannot separate its daily step counter into a specific workout. By the time the tester had strapped on both watches, gone up and down stairs to put on shoes and find keys and earphones, and walked to the starting point of the run, the Casio had already logged 269 steps, which were included in its score.

After the run, TechRadar checked both apps immediately. It said the Apple Watch stopped tracking steps once its workout was marked complete, so the tester screenshotted both apps at that moment to avoid inflating the Casio's count. The Casio recorded 4,910 steps; subtracting the initial 269 left 4,641 steps for the run. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 recorded 4,679 steps. TechRadar said the 38-step difference was a tiny margin of error for two watches in different price brackets that relied on onboard sensors. It said the result meant that for step tracking alone, the humble Casio F-B100W was as good a step counter as the most expensive Apple Watch on the market.

TechRadar noted that the Casio does not have the Apple Watch's other advanced metrics, or any other metrics. It said the test was an exercise in checking the Casio step counter's quality, not an objective comparison of the two watches, and that the Casio passed. TechRadar said it would double down on its recommendation and called the F-B100W a great watch.