I tested my Apple Watch Ultra 4 against Casio's cheap step-counting retro watch, the Casio F-B100W

For a modest price of $65 / £55 / AU$119, the Casio F-B100W Bluetooth watch offers some surprising features. This watch, reminiscent of classic models like the F-91W, boasts a few additional smart functions through its Bluetooth capability. These include a handy "Find My Phone" function, a dual time-zone mode, and a simple step tracker. It reminds us of the early Fitbits that were basic step trackers but affordable.

I was intrigued by the Casio F-B100W's step tracking capabilities and decided to put it to the test against the much more expensive Apple Watch Ultra 4, priced at $799 / £749 / AU$1,349. The Ultra 4 is a high-end smartwatch with advanced fitness metrics. I was especially interested in comparing the Casio's step tracking against the Apple Watch's due to the watch's advanced features.

Upon starting my run, I noticed that the Casio F-B100W had already registered 269 steps. This included walking to put on my shoes, find my keys and earphones, and stepping out the door. However, after completing the run, I immediately checked the step counts on both watches.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 recorded 4,679 steps, while the Casio F-B100W showed a total of 4,641 steps. This difference of 38 steps, despite the two devices having vastly different price points and capabilities, was quite small. This result was impressive and reassuring, as it suggested that the Casio F-B100W was just as accurate in tracking steps as the high-end Apple Watch Ultra 4.

In essence, for those who are primarily interested in step tracking and appreciate the retro digital watch aesthetic, the Casio F-B100W proved to be a reliable and accurate step counter. It certainly held its own against the more expensive Apple Watch Ultra 4, even though the Apple Watch offers a wider range of advanced features.