9500 are no good. Get some of new GBD-200 in positive or negative. MIPS is superior to anything else by a mile.
There is big digits watchface there. Can't beat it in terms of legibility.

https://www.casio.com/ca-en/watches/gshock/product.GBD-200-1

For anything else Garmin Instinct 3 MIPS solar. Best ABC in all possible ways. Plus it GPS.
you can get GBDH2000 (GPS timekeeping) if you strictly want Casio, DWH5600 (Bluetooth) or upcoming H3000 when it will be available.

Rest frankly don't hold any candles to ones i mentioned. Especially 9500. It is nice don't get me wrong, but you just can't compare dual layered regular LCD to MIPS.

In terms of accuracy GPS and BT are about as good as MB6 with difference how you get your time. It all goes to atomic at the source.

 

Herein lies the rub. OP specifically mentioned solar atomic. GBD200 are neither if I recall correctly. Solar and multiband 6 are core GShock criteria for me, I've returned every one that I thought I would try to like, the GBD200 included. I'm hoping the trend changes, but... when there is a true Solar Atomic G MIPS I will jump.

The 9500 series are cool. I tried one, wanted to love it, but the overlay compass screen affected the normal viewing more than I was wanting to put up with and it had a ton of empty screen real estate on the normal screen.

I whittled my box of G's down to half a dozen that are either sentimental or specific modules that I love... and am waiting patiently for a model that meets my desires.

Honestly, my best solar MIPS gshock is not a Gshock at all - it's a Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. 🤪

 

I would go for a gwg1000 mudmaster. Can't beat legibility with the hands of the watch. Have one and it's great.

 

This is fact, especially the 1A3(or anything with white indices). I prefer the GWG1000 or my GWF-A1000-1A2 if I am going to be out late.

Even grayed out, stealthy analog is better than digital, unless you want to press the light button.

They're most legible with the least amount of light comparing to digital MIP/STN/LCD.

And do not get any blacked out edition, they only look cool, during the day.

 

No solar and atomic G-Shock has good legibility unless you go to the STN display GMW-B5000 series. Other than that, the G-Shocks with good legibility have been battery powered.

 

I'm not a Casio fan, but really like this one, both legibility and functions. And the size, that's not comically large

 

I'm not a Casio fan, but really like this one, both legibility and functions. And the size, that's not comically large
View attachment 19338967

That may be one of the ugliest watches artifacts I‘ve seen this year.

 

What about the gab2100 or ga2100?

 

Those do not have atomic time sync.

 

Solar and atomic. It’s easier for me to read this one than my digitals.

 

As others have said the most legible solar atomic is an analog watch. I have several mips watches including Instict solar 2. I can read my analog watches during night with minimal lighting where with any digital including mips watches i need to hit the back light.
Also the majority of new watches these days are BT watches, the new mips squares might be the exception to the rule.

 

BT works, GPS works and MB6 work too. In different positions though.
I like garmin since it combines all ABC and GPS and decently legible. Even in polarized sunglasses.
sure as any digital it not as good as full analog with lume on other hand analog set up has it's downsides too.
It all comes to what is most important feature. Sadly despite all technological advances we don't have one watch combining it all in one. There is analog digital and solar and ABC and GPS Garmin though.

Garmin Instinct® Crossover | Rugged Hybrid Smartwatch

Instinct Crossover is a rugged hybrid GPS smartwatch featuring luminescent analog hands & digital display, Apple & Android compatible & battery life for months.

www.garmin.com

It even comes with lume and such.

 

It has long been since discontinued but the GW-M850 is the absolute best in clarity of a solar G shock. I’ll let you look up the image on Google. It has not been matched in clarity since it was produced then discontinued.

 

I still have one, and I agree with you. I believe the GW-M850 has excellent display contrast because the solar panel is not mounted on a glass sheet.

 

MTG-M900DA-8

 

MTG-M900DA-8
View attachment 19339295

LCD ghosting is pretty apparent in that stock image as well. The issue with these solar atomic G-Shocks is that the screen is placed far from the glass which results in bad viewing angles.

 

GWM530

 

Another vote for an analog-digital watch.
It not have to be expensive or large.

AWG-M100

A little bit larger the GAW100:

 

These are both sweet watches and quite cheap too.

 

This Gulfman is quite legible.

 

Are you talking about radio or satellite synchronization? My analog Seiko Astron 7X52 GPS Solar is pretty easy to read.

 

Either. Just looking for something you know will be ready to go* when you grab it.

* - with the understanding you have to have it someplace where it gets enough light to keep it topped off and can receive an atomic clock or GPS signal.

 

Thanks for all the input everyone. Guess I should have mentioned that I find my old Pathfinder/ProTrek with the multi-level LCD plenty legible. My main concern is being able to read it with or without readers on. As an example - there are a couple solar atomic Citizens I like but their dials are so busy they'd be all but useless to me if I don't have reading glasses on.

 

Get analog digital one.