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THERE WAS a time when digital watches were the latest and most innovative tech to hit the scene in the watch world. But now digital watches largely command a middle space between analog and smartwatches: not too advanced, but not too simple either. Nevertheless, a digital watch is still a worthy category of watches you should aim to add to your collection. What's great is many of the best digital watches command a price point of under $100, so there's potential to collect many.
Best Gold Digital Watch
adidas Digital 2 Collection Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
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Best Silver Digital Watch
Timex Timex T80 Rainbow Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
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Best Collectible Digital Watch
Bulova Archive Series LED Computron Gold Stainless Steel Watch
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Most Unique Digital Watch
Casio Men's Silver Tone 25 Memory Calculator Databank Watch
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Best Digital Watch Under $50
Casio Classic Japanese-Quartz Watch with Resin Strap
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Best Rugged Digital Watch
Casio G-Shock Quartz Watch with Resin Strap
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Best Sport Digital Watch
Timex Men's T5E901 Ironman Classic 30 Gray/Black Resin Strap Watch, Black/Gray/Orange Accent, One Size
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Best Outdoor Digital Watch
Casio Pro Trek Tough Solar Powered Watch
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Best Dress Digital Watch
Fossil Everett Solar-Powered Stainless Steel Digital Watch
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Even in 2023 digital watches are quite useful, especially in the sense that they promise long battery life and are much more durable than an old school mechanical watch. Some digital watches do more than just tell time, as there are outdoor watches and solar watches that carry compasses, start/stop functions, alarms, and more.
When you know how to pick em', digital watches are incredibly fun to buy. There are a ton of unique models and silhouettes out there, ranging from their inception in the early 1970s to now. Ahead, we gathered a list of our top digital watch models in order to highlight the true gems of this underrated category. There's bound to be something in here to catch the eye of all of watch lovers. Ready to see the list?
Best Watch Brands for Men | Best Fitness Smartwatches | Best Watch Boxes | Best Golf Watches | Best Dress Watches | Best Cheap Watches
Best Gold Digital Watch
adidas Digital 2 Collection Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
Best Gold Digital Watch
adidas Digital 2 Collection Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
Pros
- Under $100
- Cool style
- Alarm and start/stop features
Cons
- Will need a watch kit to size the band properly
Designed by adidas and Timex, this unique gold watch packs an alarm, an auto calendar, and a start/stop mode. It also comes with a ton of sporty style points. A lot of IFKYK energy going on here.
| Case | 36 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 50 meters |
Best Silver Digital Watch
Timex Timex T80 Rainbow Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
Best Silver Digital Watch
Timex Timex T80 Rainbow Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch
Pros
- Easy to put on
- Can be styled with most casual outfits
- Indiglo backdrop
Cons
- Some might not prefer expansion band
A clean, all-silver digital watch is a fun and affordable drag and drop accessory to go with your laid-back, casual outfits. The expansion strap is comfortable on the wrist, and the light-up Indiglo backdrop makes the watch easy to read in the dark. This is a must-add to any watch collection.
Read more: Best Steel Watches
| Case | 34 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 30 meters |
Best Collectible Digital Watch
Bulova Archive Series LED Computron Gold Stainless Steel Watch
Best Collectible Digital Watch
Bulova Archive Series LED Computron Gold Stainless Steel Watch
Now 15% Off
Pros
- One-of-a-kind design
- Can be dressed up with formal outfits
- Good water resistance
Cons
- Expensive
This Bulova Computron watch screams peak 1970s futurism with it's strong lines and red LED display. It's a one-of-a-kind gold watch loaded with style potential.
Read more: Best Luxury Watches
| Case | 31 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 30 meters |
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Best Everyday Digital Watch
Nixon Heat Watch
Best Everyday Digital Watch
Nixon Heat Watch
Pros
- Highly durable
- Super lightweigh
- Several colors available
- Comfortable band and easy to read display
Cons
- Expensive if not used as a sport watch or everyday watch
One of the more up-to-date watches on this list, the Nixon Heat is a rugged-inspired digital piece with features that include a chronograph, a timer, and an alarm. This sport/lifestyle watch is also only 8mm thick, making it feel light as air on the wrist.
Read more: Best Black Watches
| Case | 38 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 100 meters |
Most Unique Digital Watch
Casio Men's Silver Tone 25 Memory Calculator Databank Watch
Most Unique Digital Watch
Casio Men's Silver Tone 25 Memory Calculator Databank Watch
Pros
- Under $100
- Impressive calculator function
- One-of-a-kind design
Cons
- Display can be hard to read for some
Ah yes, the famous calculator watch. You probably will hardly ever use the calculator function, but in the times you do—like at dinner with friends when you need to queue up a tip—the feature will be a fun flex to show off. This is a great addition to any watch collection.
| Case | 32 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 100 meters |
Best Digital Watch Under $50
Casio Classic Japanese-Quartz Watch with Resin Strap
Best Digital Watch Under $50
Casio Classic Japanese-Quartz Watch with Resin Strap
Now 33% Off
Pros
- On sale often
- Long lifespan for the price you pay
- Great water resistance
- Over 5,800 five-star Amazon reviews
- Battery lasts years
Cons
- Virtually none
The Casio Classic carries a stylish retro-inspired look and a durable construction, but what makes this watch stand out even more is the fact it's less than $30. How Casio managed to pack in so many types of features into this watch (100m water resistance, daily alarms, world time reading) for this low of price is a feat in and of itself.
Read more: Best Cheap Watches
| Case | 39.5 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 100 meters |
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Best Rugged Digital Watch
Casio G-Shock Quartz Watch with Resin Strap
Best Rugged Digital Watch
Casio G-Shock Quartz Watch with Resin Strap
Now 32% Off
Pros
- Iconic style and durability
- Under $100
- Can be worn scuba diving
- Comfortable strap
Cons
- Virtually none
A staple in every watch fan's collection, the original Casio G-Shock features its iconic shock resistance and comes loaded with features like a stopwatch, a countdown timer, an auto calendar. and more. This bad boy also is designed to be water resistant up to 200 meters, making it wearable on recreational scuba diving trips.
| Case | 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 200 meters |
Best Sport Digital Watch
Timex Men's T5E901 Ironman Classic 30 Gray/Black Resin Strap Watch, Black/Gray/Orange Accent, One Size
Best Sport Digital Watch
Timex Men's T5E901 Ironman Classic 30 Gray/Black Resin Strap Watch, Black/Gray/Orange Accent, One Size
Now 29% Off
Pros
- Great for triathlon and marathon training
- Small and lightweight on the wrist
- Long lifespan
Cons
- No smart features
Named our "Best Outdoor Watch for Under $100" in our guide to outdoor watches, the Ironman Classic 30 is an easy entry piece for those training for races and triathlons. It's got solid water resistance and an easy to read display, as well as trusted lap tracking for all your running and biking times.
| Case | 38 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 100 meters |
Best Outdoor Digital Watch
Casio Pro Trek Tough Solar Powered Watch
Best Outdoor Digital Watch
Casio Pro Trek Tough Solar Powered Watch
Now 26% Off
Pros
- Large case makes it easy to read
- Loaded with features and readers
- Incredibly tough
- 200 meter water resistance
Cons
- Some might not prefer the 55 mm case size
- Expensive if not planned on using heavily for outdoor use
The Pro Trek is one of Casio's strongest solar powered watches. The price point requires a significant investment, but the good news is you get an incredible amount of functional use for the money. We're talking readers like an altimeter, a barometer, and a thermometer; and features like a 200 meter water resistance, a world time clock, and a full auto-calendar. Consider this for your next outdoor watch.
| Case | 55 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 200 meters |
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Best Dress Digital Watch
Fossil Everett Solar-Powered Stainless Steel Digital Watch
Best Dress Digital Watch
Fossil Everett Solar-Powered Stainless Steel Digital Watch
Pros
- Can be paired with more formal outfits
- Comes with chronograph function
- Stylish design
Cons
- Expensive
Made with a stainless steel case and band, this Fossil watch comes with a digital chronograph display and is designed with a water resistance up to 100 meters. As far as looks go, we see it as a rare success of what can happen when you combine sport features with a dressed up silhouette.
| Case | 42 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 100 meters |
Best Futuristic Digital Watch
Citizen Star Wars ANI-Digi Quartz Watch
Best Futuristic Digital Watch
Citizen Star Wars ANI-Digi Quartz Watch
Now 25% Off
Pros
- Cool gift idea
- List of features includes alarm and temperature reader
- Long lifespan
Cons
- Expensive
A bit of a specialty buy, this Citizen watch is inspired by the Rebel Resistance pilots of Star Wars. The stainless steel watch comes with dual time reading and specs like an alarm and temperature reader. This is for the series fans and the sci-fye buffs.
Read more: Best Gifts for Men
| Case | 33 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 30 meters |
Best Starter Digital Watch
Armitron Sport Retro Men's Digital Bracelet Watch
Best Starter Digital Watch
Armitron Sport Retro Men's Digital Bracelet Watch
Pros
- Solid price point
- Long lifespan
- Large display
- Several band designs available
Cons
- Some might not prefer the barebones look
Armitron watches have been around since the mid-1970s. They aren't as well known as they once were but the brand's watches provide good durability for a wallet-friendly price. Start with this retro sport watch if you're wanting to test how much you like digital watches.
| Case | 34 mm |
|---|---|
| Water resistance | 165 meters |
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Should I Buy a Digital Watch?
Like mentioned earlier, digital watches are kind of overlooked these days. The watch category isn't really define as being "smart" like a smartwatch, yet you still get a level of features on a digital watch that are useful and more advanced than an analog watch.
AFFORDABILITY
The biggest thing digital watches have going for them is they are mostly affordable. Unless you're buying a specialty digital watch or a digital watch from a luxury brand, you can expect to spend around $100 for a quality digital watch (and sometimes much less).
FUN TO STYLE
Due to the fact digital watches have been around for decades now, a lot of them have swung back around in the fashion world and carry a retro-look that many people like these days. There are also digital watches that are more novelty and nostalgic, pointing back to decades like the 1970s and 1980s with quirky futuristic designs that are fun to show off to friends.
SIMPLE DISPLAY
Digital watch displays are typically large and come with backlight functions, making them much easier to read at times over an analog watch. Digital watch also have simple readings, unlike some popular smartwatches where the watch face can look too cluttered or feel too bright.
How We Selected
We researched and tested many of the top-selling digital watches from all the major brands, including Timex, Casio, Nixon, and more. We reviewed digital watches based on their design, durability, price point, and special features. We also considered digital watches with high praise from the watch community that can be purchased on e-commerce platforms we trust.
John Thompson
Senior Gear and Commerce Editor
John Thompson is the Senior Gear and Commerce Editor at Men’s Health, where he covers fashion, grooming, gear, and technology. He was previously the Style & Gear Editor at BroBible.com, and a commerce writer for TheManual.com. His interests include attending concerts, spending time outside, and following his favorite baseball team, the Kansas City Royals.
