Nixon Regulus A1180 Watch Review

Nixon Regulus A1180 Digital Watch Review. Available in the UK, USA and Canada. When it comes to digital watches, especially supposedly tough digital watches, one can't help but compare it against the Casio G-Shock range. Genuine G-Shocks do offer excellent durability and can be found for sale at a reasonable price. The Nixon Regulus A1180 however, does fall into a slightly higher price range (in come countires) than many of the G-Shock models. But In my opinion the Nixon Regulus is priced accordingly.

Pictured: Nixon Regulus A1180 Camo

As well as the super cool Military / Navy Seal style appearance that does a good job of drawing people to the A1180 to begin with, It also has some features that many people will find very useful, so I can see why there is some hype, and a competitive price tag around the Nixon Regulus.

Nixon Regulus All Black / Red

The main features of this watch are the twin Chronographs, water resistance to 100 meters, two stopwatches, countdown timer, 3 alarms, a great illumination light, and a five year battery life. But the main feature for some, is the A1180's overall toughness and durability. It is a solid watch. And like previewed in the video, which basically shows a brand new watch after 1 year of use, it's longevity seems to be excellent.

Video: Watch review after one year of ownership

A wide range of different colours are available. Some of those include: Gold, Grey, Olive, Black, all Black, Clear, Dark Slate, Black/Red, Sand Brown, Multi-Camouflage Tropic Green, Black/White/Lime and Carbon. There's also stainless steel versions out there for sale (Regulus SS A1268). Those models come in Silver, Gold, Black and Gunmetal.

The only negative experienced by the individual in the video review after one year was a slight distortion of the lower part of the LCD, apparently from the pressing of the front button(s) over time. Overall, a good watch for the price.

Here's a few other watches that are also talked about on this blog: Casio F-94WA | Rolex Sea-Dweller | Rolex Datejust 41 | Casio W-800H | Old Seiko

Casio models that could be considered rivals to the Nixon Regulus A1180: G-Shock GX-56BB-1ER | G Shock GW-M500F | G-Shock GD-350-1BER | G-Shock GW-7900-1ER

Classic Casio F-94WA Watch Review

Classic Casio F-94WA Watch Review. The Casio F-94WA is one model that has gone somewhat under the radar when compared to some of the much more well-known models, such as the classic F-91W and W-86 [here]. Maybe one of the reasons for this is due to it being a bit harder to find for sale. Don't get me wrong, it's not super rare or anything. But take a look on Amazon UK, US and Canada, and you won't find the Casio F-94WA on there being sold. It is more widely available in Asia / India. Update: I did find it for sale on Amazon. See the link below for availability.

Casio F-94WA - Check Availability

You can, however, find the F-94WA for sale on eBay, and on the official Casio website (only for India I believe). After some research on eBay, it is clear that some of sellers that have the F-94WA listed are actually selling fakes. I've looked through a lot of feedback, and trust me, there are quite a few fake F-94WA's that have been sold, and also some that are still listed (on eBay UK). So if you are looking to purchase one from eBay be careful. But really, this is the case for all Casio's. They are replicated like crazy.

So, what does the Casio F-94WA offer. Well, other than not looking like your average digital retro Casio, which is a good thing if you want something a bit different to what everyone else is wearing but still remain brand loyal, and packing a much better microlight than the F91W (but not better than the real Illuminators), the bare bones aren't much different. The Casio F-94WA does have the hourly time signal though (beep beep at the hour), which I personally think is great.

A 7-year battery life comes as standard, but do check the age of the stock if you can to see how fresh it is (ask the seller). You can always replace the battery though if it doesn't quite last seven years. This model takes the CR2016. Be sure to buy a decent brand of CR2016 to maximise your chances of getting a nice long battery life from the replacement. I recommend either Sony, Duracell, Energizer or Panasonic. They are very cheap to buy, so that's a bonus.

Two different colours of F-94WA are available: The F-94WA-8, which has the darker / charcoal colour trim. And the F-94WA-9. This model has the yellow trim and is reviewed in the video above. Both are exactly the same other than the difference in appearance. A great little slightly quirky Casio to add to your collection.

Panasonic Toughbook Refurbished UK

Panasonic Toughbook Refurbished Laptops UK. The Panasonic Toughbook range has been around for a number of years now. There are many models to choose from, all with their own set of features. Of course, it's obviously in the name, and a key feature throughout the entire range, but just so you're aware, all the Toughbooks are splash proof, shockproof and generally as tough as old work boots.

 

 

One of the newer, much more expensive models. The high specification Panasonic CF-54

They're not invincible, though, so you should still treat them with respect. And, as mentioned, many of the models have different features to suit different types of people and professions. Some are touchscreen, and some are not. Many have a swivel screen design (display can be turned all the way round), while some models are designed more like a conventional laptop but can still be used as a tablet.

There's even tablet-style models, such as the CF-D1, which are geared towards diagnostics / engineers.

 

Price Vs Spec Vs Condition

 

Brand new Toughbooks, like the CF-54 pictured above are expensive.

The CF-52 on the other hand can now be found for sale at a very good price. However, if you buy either used or refurbished, the savings that can be made are huge. And considering the high specification, coupled with how well suited they are for real life usage, it makes a lot of sense to buy one.

Some older Toughbooks for sale (Used and Refurbished) are extremely cheap. Even though many have very high specifications, such as i5 Processors, 8GB RAM, large internal hard drives, GPS and RS-232 connectivity. There are some good deals for the extremely versatile CF-19 MK6 right now on eBay UK.

Toughbooks are great for small business owners, military personnel, those who work outdoors a lot, car garages, the construction industry and people who are sick and tired of their laptops constantly breaking and want something a bit more tough, rugged and reliable.

 

Be an Eagle-eyed buyer

 

One word of warning when buying used or refurbished in the UK or US.

Be sure to inspect the pictures and read descriptions carefully, as a lot of what's currently out there for sale has more than likely not been well looked after due to the large majority being previously used by employees, not personal owners.

Once they reach what the company deem to be the end of their service life, or the time frame for all the computers to be upgraded under contract, they are then sold to a computer recycling company who will refurbish the computers and resell them. That's where you, the buyer of the refurbished machine comes in.

I'm not saying that they won't work or will have problems, they have been refurbished after all, and should be in full working order. Like I said, just be sure to do your due diligence, view the product images enlarged, check seller feedback and read product descriptions fully so you know exactly what you are buying. Other than that, you can't go far wrong.