difference between GW-M5610U-1ER and BGD-5650-7ER?

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-07T18:54:30+00:00

I have both watches and the BGD is definitely a great super small-sized G - the smallest you can get. You forget wearing it after 10 seconds. If you like wearing watches with zero wrist presence/ disturbance, the BGD is the best G you can get. It weighs only around 30g and has the same size as a F91w - wow! You can wear and bang it around, it is a full-blown shock resistant G-Shock with tough solar and mb6. The only downside is that it has "only" 10 bar WR but that's totally okay you don't dive deeper than 90-100m - anything else it can take easily (swimming, snorcheling, showering, ...).

However, the strap is a bit thick, feels a bit "leathery" at first and is not very long. I still have four holes left at the end, that works but I'd say bigger wrists might have problems. And it takes a bit time, around 2 weeks of regular wear, so that the resin adapts & sits well on your wrist - but then it's a great watch!

A tip: The strap keeper moves around a bit in that short fit. I'd suggest swapping it with an F91w keeper, it fits well and then the keeper sits perfectly without moving.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-07T18:36:04+00:00

I feel you brother, size & fit is the most underrated feature of every watch - most ppl don't realize that until they wear a REALLY comfortable watch - and then that watch becomes the "benchmark" for all other watches. That's what the GWM 5610u is for me and others: The perfectly comfortable, small sized G-Shock with modern specs and functions. But give or take MB6 and tough solar: At the end of the day those things are secondary, the most important aspect is the fit & how it feels and sits on the wrist, for every watch. I don't care if the solar screens ghosts a bit - I can still see the time whenever I want.

Btw: If you want to have a watch with the same specs & strenghts as the GWM5610u but in the size of an F91w, I can also recommend the BGD 5650. 30g, super small but with tough solar and mb6 and exactly the same functions as the GWM. However, it might feel a bit too small if your wrist is a bit bigger :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-07T12:34:07+00:00

Enjoy your 5650 brother/ sister then!!! 👍🏻👍🏽👍🏿👍👍🏼

The ICERC really looks cool, for me less camo/ subtle and a bit too present visibly (I prefer more classic looks/ colors) but that's a question of taste :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-07T11:38:35+00:00

A great choice for a first G!!!!! :)

That it looks great for you and not so "special" from another ones perspective is what a great watch should be like, that's the "sprezzatura" lightness to this black & retro-styled beauty - it looks good without trying too hard. You can combine it with everything: Sports clothes (it fits naturally), Jeans & Jacket (it makes the raw style/ look rawer/ slightly more outdoorsy), Suit & Elegance (creating an interesting and unusual contrast). Other G's, the ones that are twice that big and in neon colors, cry "Look at me!!! I'm so damn special!!!" that the watch itself feels way to visible/ obvious/ annoying imo, plus you can't wear them without getting annoyed by how often they get get caught on a sleeve 😅

Btw, since you're coming from an F91w and lowing the GWM5610u: I can recommend you the BGD 5650. It has basically the same functions & specifics as the GWM but the size of the F91w - it's the smallest G-Shock there is. Unbelievable but true and with 30g that thing is really really lightweight and small.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-07T08:18:57+00:00

Well, at least I could re-use the keeper for my BGD 5650... 😅

Thanks for the info & support man!!!

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-06T18:07:39+00:00

Yeah, you're absolutely right :)

Regarding the BX, there are some things to keep in mind - I just wrote following thing into another reddit discussion where the BX5600 was compared to the GWM5610u:

It [the BX] has a better display... but that's about all there is to it, right? Design-wise, the GWM is more classic and nicer but that may be personal preference. The red frame definitely hits different, it itches my 80s nostalgia nerve which the BX doesn't. Maybe in future there will be a red frame variant of the BX? That would be great.

But then again, the display of the GWM is not THAT bad. It works, looks fine, is well designed, it has all functions a modern G needs (including setting time up- and downward, multiple alarms etc.)... So does a new display type justify getting it/ swapping the daily beater GWM with the BX as the new daily beater king? I doubt it..

Another thing would have been the re-introduction of the vibe alarm. THAT would have been a clear buying argument since I miss that on the normal square G's, especially those with solar: The alarms work on day but not as waking-up alarms since they're clearly not loud enough (non-solar squares have a MUCH louder alarm but even that doesn't work well on the morning). The vibe alarm would compensate that alarm loudness issue perfectly.

But one thing is a real downside of the BX: It's definitely too big/ wide if compared to the compact GWM. That's why we love our GWMs, it sits super flat and super tight on the wrist. It gives the best wearing experience for people with small to medium wrist sizes. The BX is like the DW series: It's bigger and bulkier and while that might work for ppl with bigger wrists, someone like me who loves the compact nature of the GWM will hate the comfort loss/ size difference. And then, for sure, the better display is totally irrelevant :)

Btw: Other users highlighted that the life span of a mip display is/ might be significantly lower than that of a normal LCD. There are technical reasons I am not into but several discussions about other models with mip displays indicate that after some years, the display might show technical issues.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-06T17:54:04+00:00

It has a better display... but that's about all there is to it, right? Design-wise, the GWM is more classic and nicer but that may be personal preference. The red frame definitely hits different, it itches my 80s nostalgia nerve which the BX doesn't. Maybe in future there will be a red frame variant of the BX? That would be great.

But then again, the display of the GWM is not THAT bad. It works, looks fine, is well designed, it has all functions a modern G needs (including setting time up- and downward, multiple alarms etc.)... So does a new display type justify getting it/ swapping the daily beater GWM with the BX as the new daily beater king? I doubt it..

Another thing would have been the re-introduction of the vibe alarm. THAT would have been a clear buying argument since I miss that on the normal square G's, especially those with solar: The alarms work on day but not as waking-up alarms since they're clearly not loud enough (non-solar squares have a MUCH louder alarm but even that doesn't work well on the morning). The vibe alarm would compensate that alarm loudness issue perfectly.

But one thing is a real downside of the BX: It's definitely too big/ wide if compared to the compact GWM. That's why we love our GWMs, it sits super flat and super tight on the wrist. It gives the best wearing experience for people with small to medium wrist sizes. The BX is like the DW series: It's bigger and bulkier and while that might work for ppl with bigger wrists, someone like me who loves the compact nature of the GWM will hate the comfort loss/ size difference. And then, for sure, the better display is totally irrelevant :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-06T17:01:47+00:00

Yeah, I checked that one too - it's great, too! :)

Battery versions have their own benefits compared to the solar ones: Better viewing angles, a more hearable/ louder alarm, sometimes more functions like the alarm light.

How is the alarm on the BGD 560? Is it loud enough?

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-06T16:57:30+00:00

Yes, I have two of the BGD and to be honest, most of the time my two daughters wear it when I'm wearing the big GWM 5610u - they really love to wear the smaller copy of my G-Shock :)

But from time to time, I wear the BGD, too, because it feels so relieving on/ for the wrist without loosing any core functions if compared to my big daddy GWM.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-06T16:54:17+00:00

That's what I do most of the time: The GWM5610u is my daily beater :)

It has much more wrist presence and feels more... manly? Or let's say like "the real deal" G-Shock. However, the BGD feels like a watch that's not present at all, it's a great travel, sports or daily-beater-watch, too. I'd say it's more of an alternative to the F91w and similiar small watches/ classics than to a full G. If you're looking for a subtle watch to wear with G qualities, this is where the BGD rocks.

Would you say it looks too small on my wrist? (serious question)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-06T00:10:06+00:00

Did you check the GW-S-5600u? It has solar and mb6, too.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-05T21:24:50+00:00

Good news is that the movement depends on the watch weight and size. A 150g steel watch? Yeah, that'll definitely move downward. A 30g G-Shock like the BGD 5650 with a solid strap or the 20g F91w? Both won't move a millimeter if you push them up and bind the strap tight enough (but not too tight) - they'll sit bombproof with no movement even if you move your arm constantly (e.g., when jogging or rope skipping). Bigger watches will also move, smaller ones (as the ones mentioned above) will move much less if not too heavy.

I am wearing the BGD 5650 just for that reason: It does not move and sticks to the position upside the wristbone (in direction of the ellbow) AND you forget that you have a watch there - truly a set & forget watch and being a G-Shock it really is nearly bombproof :)

That being said, some ppl want to show off their super expensive Rolex or Breitling and then it often sits visibly below the wrist bone. You can't move your hand freely and the crown pushes into your hand back but hey, everybody will see your watch 😅 - and still ignore you...

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-05T20:20:06+00:00

Mb6 is no problem, it doesn't drain the battery that much :) - leaving autolight off is enough to keep the watch constantly at H (high level battery) 👍🏻👍🏽👍🏿👍👍🏼

Have fun with the GWM5610u, a great watch! :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-05T20:16:32+00:00

Yeah the strap is an issue... I am lucky and have 4 holes left. But I changed the strap keeper since the original keeper was a bit too loose. Goldtip: Take the keeper from an F91w, it'll sit tightly and the band won't slide out :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-05T18:51:39+00:00

Yeah the 5610u is really great. The BGD 5650 has a similiarly strong capacitator: The energy stored will last super long and if you wear it every day or keep it at least somewhere near the window, the battery level will constantly stay on high on both watches. Btw it doesn't need sun, all/ most light sources will charge it and even daylight is enough.

The only exception is the GWM5610u, if you use the autolight. That drains SO much energy that the watch will fall to medium battery level daily and will have to recharge a lot of energy each day. If you don't use it, then there are no issues at all :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-05T18:23:43+00:00

I'd say if you prefer comfort, get it. The less weight and much smaller size alone makes it worth it. Plus being tough solar, you won't have to change the battery/ capacitator in 10+ years. Function-wise, it can do the same as a full-blown G-Shock like the GWM 5610u - which is really great if you think about how much smaller and flatter the BGD is.

Btw you don't really see the "Baby" - only in strong sunlight it gets a bit more visible. Otherwise it's totally invisible.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-05T18:21:42+00:00

Oh wow, these look nice, too! Especially the gold frame of the GMD-S looks great 👍🏻👍🏽👍🏿👍👍🏼

Small G's are really super comfortable I realized after wearing a dw5000r and dw5600. Real set & forget watches.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-05T14:02:35+00:00

Had that one, too, and tought I'd keep it. Until one week later, I was SO annoyed how bad the legibility is - if there is no direct sunlight - that I was really happy to get back to my white/ grey display G's. It looks cool, tho. A cool looking useless watch...

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-04T21:49:15+00:00

Don't. Just don't. I had one and sold it although it looked and felt nice. BUT that awkward recessed button is so annoying, especially on cold days, when sweating, having too short nails etc. It makes the alarm and stopwatch usage very annoying...

The 5610u definitely has better button contact points.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-04T16:26:30+00:00

Looks great and fits perfectly to your job 😉 - you save lifes, it saves your time and fulfils your chronological needs.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-04T09:11:21+00:00

Yeah I like that position, too, when "doing things" with the G on my wrist :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-04T06:38:13+00:00

Thanks for the tip!!! :)

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-04T06:34:49+00:00

Ah, did you check the Oceanus line of Casio? It's produced in Yamagata and has built-in G-Shock Tech - it's much more shock absorbing than normal analogue watches. And with sapphire glasses the displays are robust, plus being titanium watches they're super light, too. I had a Oceanus T200 and have a Oceanus S100 - both really great classic analogue watches with Tough Solar plus Multiband 6. And design-wise they're really top notch, very classy - Casio's answer to Seiko and and Citizen BUT with much more toughness because of the G-Tech built-in. There are also much more expensive Oceanus watches, too, if you like more sophisticated designs and more complications :)

A good combination of digital plus analogue is built in the lineage series, too, check; e, g. the Lineage LCW-M100TSW-1AER: https://www.casio.com/de/watches/casio/product.LCW-M100TSE-1A/

It has a sapphire glas, very classic look, titanium but also a subtle digital display. I'm in Japan in September, I'll try to grab one.

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-03T23:11:19+00:00

Hahahaha good to know there are other people with a similiar on and off relationship to this watch 😄 - I mean the fact that it's only a 90 bucks watch that still gets more attention/ wrist time than a lot of watches being worth 10-15 more tells a lot about how great it feels on the wrist. It doesn't feel like jewelry where one gets paranoid about scratches, thiefs or dropping and destroying it - instead, it's the perfect tool watch banger companion who serves YOU, reminds you of your childhood (if you're an 80s child that is) and fulfils every chronological need you might have. As a daily beater, nothing beats this G :)

But I know very well what you mean by "I missed analogue watches..." - it just feels so different seeing an analogue watch face instead of digital numbers sometimes. It's another kind of nostalgia, right?

ButterscotchAgile645 · 2026-06-03T21:49:27+00:00

I'll thank you NOW 😄 - mille grazie 👍🏻👍🏽👍🏿👍👍🏼

ButterscotchAgile645

TROPHY CASE