The $20 Casio F-91W might finally be obsolete and overpriced in 2026

In the world of watches, the Casio F-91W is an icon. Since 1989, it has been the "honest" watch - the one you buy for the price of a decent sandwich and wear until the strap snaps or the battery dies seven years later. But seeing how we're in 2026, we are meeting a cold, hard reality: inflation. For decades, you could grab an F-91W for $10 or $15. Today, you’re likely staring at a $20 to $30 price tag at major retailers like Amazon (the watch is currently priced at $19.61). For a watch made of "plastic-ky plastic" with a backlight that barely illuminates its own face, we have to ask: at twenty bucks, is this legend finally overpriced?

If you look at the F-91W purely as a tool, the value starts to crumble there and then. The biggest flaw is the "micro-light" - a single, sickly green LED on the left that struggles to reach the other side of the screen. In a pitch-black room, reading the time is more of a task than anything. Then there’s the water resistance. The dial proudly says "Water Resist," which technically translates to a 30-meter splash rating. While hydromods have definitely pushed that limit, the official word is: don't even take it in the shower. Apart from that, you have a resin crystal that picks up scratches if you look at it too hard - all these are signs of a watch that is actually primitive by 2026 standards.

Should my Casio F-91W on light up from one side?
by u/BlueOtis in casio

The reason the F-91W feels overpriced is that Casio is currently its own worst enemy. For just a few dollars more, the brand gets you watches that make the F-91W look like a museum piece, and rightfully so. Take the MRW-100H (or its ubiquitous sibling, the MRW-200H). For roughly the same $20-$30 investment, the MRW-100H gives you an "Illuminator" dial with an orange backlight that actually works. You also get 100 meters of water resistance - meaning you can actually swim in it - and a rotating bezel for timing your lunch or laps. It’s a beefier, more capable "field" watch that makes the F-91W feel fragile by comparison.

If you want to stay digital, the AE-1200WH (the "Casio Royale") is the ultimate value-killer. For about $10 more than an F-91W (even cheaper after regular discounts), you get a 10-year battery, five alarms, world time for 31 time zones, and a world map display. It feels like a piece of equipment, whereas the F-91W feels more like a souvenir. Even the W-218H has a larger, more readable display and a much better amber light for a nearly identical price.

So why does the F-91W still sell three million units a year?. Because you aren't paying for the specs; you're paying the "Heritage Tax." The F-91W was the first design by Ryuusake Moriai, the man who practically shaped the G-Shock identity. It is "authentically vintage" because it hasn't changed since the Berlin Wall fell. It’s been worn by everyone - from hipsters to soldiers. There is undoubtedly a "cool factor" in wearing the most basic, unpretentious watch on the planet. There are watch fans who own $10,000 Rolexes but still keep an F-91W in their drawer. 

The thing is, Casio knows this. They’ve recently doubled down on the same angle - the company has been releasing "bio-based resin" versions and metallic colorways that push the price toward $30 or $35. They aren't selling you a better backlight; they’re selling you a piece of cultural furniture. And for some, that's perfectly okay.

Is it overpriced? Well, yes. If you walked into a store with $25 and said, "Give me the most functional watch here," the salesperson should point you toward an AE-1200 or an MRW-series analog. Those watches offer 100 m water resistance and actual illumination that doesn't require squinting. But watches aren't always rational. The F-91W is the "gateway drug" of the hobby. It's the watch you buy because it’s iconic, because it weighs almost nothing (21 grams!), and because it’s a tiny bit of history you can strap to your wrist for the price of a movie ticket. 

However, if you want a tool, buy the MRW-100H. If you still want the legend - and you can live with that terrible light - the $20 "tax" is still a price most Casio fans are willing to pay.