Review of Huawei Watch 2 - how did the second generation smartwatch turn out?

My attitude towards wearable technology has evolved over the past few years. Three years ago, I was sure that smart watches were a product invented out of nothing to do, or rather with the goal of “what else could I sell people?” Completely redundant and without a future. Like, I always have my phone in my hands, why do I need notifications on my watch, why do I need to pay by the watch and blah blah.

At the beginning of the year I tried to start using a fitness bracelet and came to the conclusion that it was a useless thing. For those interested, I recommend my summer guide to fitness bracelets, there are many interesting models there. I also have a guide to smartwatches, it was published in the spring, but is not very out of date yet.

In the summer I got AmazFit Bip from Xiaomi. In her review, she called the gadget “either a fitness bracelet or a smart watch.” At that moment, I wanted to try the smartwatch format, but I didn’t want to pay as much for it as for a decent budget phone. I started with a simpler device and it turned out that it was useful. Moreover, by that time I had firmly embarked on the path of a healthy lifestyle, I regularly do workouts and run.

Now I would still classify Bip as a bracelet. Although successful, with expanded functionality. But a smart watch, as I said in the materials mentioned above, is essentially a smartphone in a watch format.

Why do I need a smart watch?

I used the AmazFit Bip for two months and was satisfied, but the desire to get something more functional grew. What did you want? Full notifications, the ability to respond from the watch (often you don’t need to write tirades, but a few words or phrases, especially since I often ride a bike or scooter), the ability to pay from the watch in the store. And in general I wanted autonomy. So I went for a run, I don’t take my phone, but I stay in touch if something happens. And then I can go to the store and buy something, again without a phone.

I won’t say that I was determined to buy a smart watch; rather, I came across them myself. I was visiting Russia and came across the Svyaznoy website, where they sold Huawei Watch 2 Sport in an orange case in a version with LTE (that is, a slot for a SIM card). They cost several thousand lower than in any other store. And even a 7% discount for paying online. I didn't even think about it. Well, more precisely, I ran to AliExpress, made sure that even there this model was more expensive, and ordered it. Lucky. Although, I suppose I would have bought them anyway, only later.

Why Huawei Watch 2? Because I wanted a smartwatch on Android (the most functional OS, best combined with my Android smartphone), with NFC and Google Pay (pay in store) and preferably a SIM card slot (to be independent from the phone). There are still few of them, in fact, less than a dozen. I liked the option from Samsung (even if it had Tizen), but in Poland Samsung Pay is not supported, and they do not have Google Pay.

Review and features of Huawei Watch 2 sport

Not so long ago, Huawei presented its 2nd generation smartwatches, which have acquired new features and received an updated design. The Huawei Watch 2 review showed that it now looks more sporty, has LTE support, Android Wear 2 versions and a wear-resistant ceramic bezel. I tested Huawei smartwatches and am ready to share my opinion about their functionality, design, technical characteristics, battery life and other important points.

Characteristics:

• Screen: AMOLED, 1.2″, 390×390, 326 ppi
• Processor: quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100, 1.1 GHz
• Graphics accelerator: Adreno 304
• Operating system: Android Wear 2.0
• RAM: 768 MB
• Built-in memory: 4 GB
• Memory card support: no
• Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 BLE + BR / EDR, NFC
• Navigation: GPS, GLONASS
• No camera
• Sensors: accelerometer, microgyroscope, barometer, heart rate monitor
• Battery: 420 mAh, non-removable
• Dimensions: 48.9x45x12.6
• Weight: 40 grams

Huawei Watch 2 design

The first generation of watches was distinguished by premium manufacturing materials, of which metal was chosen. This solution looked premium and very attractive, but when developing the second generation, it was decided to change the approach. Now the emphasis is not on the premium quality of the product, but on the strength of its design. In this regard, the design has become more sporty.

By the way, now the case is assembled from high-quality plastic, which is why the watch no longer looks so attractive. Huawei Watch 2 classic review showed that although the model cannot be called a work of art, the design is thought out from the point of view of ergonomics and functionality. The focus is on sports and health, and the design of the device hints that it can withstand harsh conditions of use and will not let you down in the middle of a workout.

The included strap is very comfortable and looks stylish, but if desired, it can be replaced with any other. For this purpose, the design contains convenient latches, due to which it is possible to quickly replace the strap.

The Huawei Watch 2 sport review showed that classic 20mm grips are used here, and accordingly the choice of straps will be limited to specialized straps from Huawei. Smart watches have become more comfortable to sit on the hand when compared with the previous generation. At the same time, the dimensions of their body have increased - 48.9 x 45 x 12.6 mm. But even despite the fact that the case turned out to be quite large, the model turned out to be light - only 57 grams. The back panel is completely flat, so it does not rub the skin and does not cause any discomfort. It contains a sensor that detects your heart rate. It is made flush with the lid.

A review of the Huawei Watch 2 introduces the location of the keys. There are two buttons on the right side, one is located at the 2 o’clock position and is used to launch programs and return to the home screen. The other is located at the 4-hour mark and is programmable, so you can set any functionality to it. For example, set it to launch the application you use most often.

As standard, when you click on it, the training mode is activated, but you can assign any other application, for example Android Pay for fast contactless payments.

It's disappointing that the new model does not have a rotating crown, which Android Wear 2.0 is designed for. This would make the watch even more comfortable to use. But Huawei is not the only brand that has decided to abandon rotating elements in the design. This also includes the latest smartwatches from LG, Tag Heuer and many other brands. A review of the Huawei Watch 2 showed that there are two versions of the device on sale - Sport and Classic. The latest version costs more and weighs more.

System and functions

It should be emphasized once again what I wrote at the beginning - the Watch GT 2 is not a typical smartwatch from Huawei. Instead of a lot of everyday features, they focus on long battery life and heart rate, sleep or sports monitoring functions. The main competitor of this product from Huawei is not Samsung smartwatches, but sports gadgets from Garmin and Polar.

Huawei Watch GT 2 falls somewhere between cheap sports bracelets and equipment designed for demanding professional athletes. The feature that distinguishes it from typical smartwatches is the presence of the original LiteOS operating system; it does not allow the installation of applications. Therefore, if we want to add widgets for our favorite applications that we use on our smartphone, GT 2 is not the best solution.

However, here new, very important, from the point of view of use, opportunities have appeared that were not present in the previous generation. Incoming phone calls can be answered from your wrist and done through speakerphone. The call quality is surprisingly good. We can also select specific contacts and send them to the watch. Then call these selected people directly from Watch GT 2 without touching your phone.

The second new feature is the ability to control the music played on the phone. You can conveniently adjust the volume, change songs and check the title of tunes from your wrist, even if our headphones do not have a dedicated remote control. It is strange that this function was not present in the first version of the device, since it can be found even in cheap sports bracelets.

There is also the ability to send music directly to the watch's memory and play it without a smartphone at all. You can also switch between remote control mode on your smartphone or music playback from your watch. This allows you to train without taking your phone with you.

Another feature that appeared on the older Watch GT after the update is the ability to download new watch faces. The trouble is that most are almost unreadable, and attractive templates were not added to the first version of GT. Apart from dials that imitate elegant classic analogue watches, the selection was modest and unremarkable. The situation has improved significantly in the GT 2, we have at least three very successful and interesting watch faces that make the smartwatch more pleasing to the eye. However, I can't explain why they didn't make it to the old version.

The changes also affected the settings. GT 2 allows you to change the vibration intensity from strong to delicate, as well as assign any function to the bottom button. In this way, with one click we can call up the stopwatch, timer, contacts or anything else, which is very practical. Earlier models did not have this. The list of available functions is as follows:

• Exercise - available separately on the second physical button.
• Exercise registry - basic information.
• Exercise status.
• Heart rate - with inf. about heart rate zones.
• Actions - with additional inf. about distance and calories.
• Sleep - sleep time with information about the phases.
• Stress under load.
• Breathing exercises.
• Music.
• Contacts.
• Call log.
• Barometer - with graph, max. and min. pressure + separate altitude screen.
• Compass.
• Weather.
• Messages.
• Stopwatch - the 59-minute limit has disappeared, it is still available in the Watch GT.
• Countdown timer - up to 23 hours 59 minutes.
• Alert.
• Flashlight - the screen glows white.
• Find phone.
• Settings.

As you can see, in addition to the addition of music features and connection selection, the physical activity statistics have been significantly expanded. You can view the entire daily schedule broken down by hour and week.

There is also a voltage measurement function based on measuring heart rate and breathing exercises, which include choosing the frequency of breathing, its duration and the exercise from 1 to 3 minutes. On the screen we will find breathing tips, and after the exercise the pulse and summary will be displayed. I hypothesize that high levels of stress may cause us to automatically be encouraged to perform certain breathing exercises.

Huawei Watch 2 display

The smartwatch uses a 1.2-inch round AMOLED screen with a resolution of 390×390. The result is a pixel density of 326 per inch. The Huawei Watch 2 4g review showed that this is more than enough for a smartwatch, making it convenient to use for receiving notifications, changing watch faces and many other functions.

The display brightness can be set manually, but there is the possibility of automatic adjustment, which is more convenient. The reserve is enough for comfortable work with the watch even on a bright sunny day. There is an Always On Display function, typical for AMOLED panels. With its help, notifications are displayed on the locked screen with minimal battery consumption. Multi-touch supports up to two simultaneous taps, and wide viewing angles make any watch face look great.

Genius of pure beauty: Huawei Watch GT2 Classic 42 mm review

Huawei is pushing into the electronics market in all directions and is gradually achieving results in all of them. Despite the sanctions, the company is moving towards first place in the smartphone market, thanks to the sanctions it is intensively developing its own application store and services for developers, and in its spare time and resources it manages to produce wearable electronics at a frantic pace. Last November, we reviewed the Huawei Watch GT2 Sport 46 mm smart watch (there is a similar model not in a sporty design), and today it’s already a new product. With Huawei Watch GT2 42 mm, although they are closest relatives in terms of nomenclature, in fact they are a completely different model. Simpler and smaller, but more elegant.

What is this?

A smartwatch in a classic form factor with a diagonal of 1.2 inches, a minimalistic and elegant design, a week of battery life, the ability to listen to music and track sports activity. Compatible with Android and iOS. In addition to the size and autonomy, they differ from the older model in that there is no option to use the watch as a Bluetooth headset. But there is a pleasant difference in price. If the older ones at the time of writing the review cost about 7,000 UAH, then the younger ones cost about 5,000 UAH. And this is a completely different story.

Who is this for?

Using this model as an example, we can examine the marketing genius of Huawei. During the New Year's rush, the company released to the market an overpriced, albeit flagship model by the standards of the smartwatch capabilities of this manufacturer, a model with a diagonal of 1.39 inches (46 mm). Even though it has much better battery life than anything else on the market, and a second strap is included, and you can listen to music and make calls from it, the price of 8,000 UAH is still too much. The brand's watches do not yet support third-party applications, cannot respond to messages, and do not have contactless payments. Today, all these characteristics are the market norm in this price category and even cheaper (with contactless, however, only in more developed countries than Ukraine).

This device with more feminine forms (but only compared to the older model, in principle, a unisex design) and simplified characteristics was released on the eve of the holidays on February 14 and March 8. At the same time, the company did not skimp on either the design of the device or the packaging design (photo below).

There is no longer an additional strap in the watch box, as in the 46 mm non-sport model, and battery life is not as brilliant. But against the backdrop of the flagship model, on the one hand, and more affordable, but very simple last year’s options (or strange Xiaomi models), the Huawei Watch GT2 42 mm for its money is a fire without options. Sleight of hand and still no support for third-party applications and no response to messages.

The same smarter, but not nearly as beautiful and nimble Fitbit Versa 2, which can be bought for exactly the same amount, also cannot withstand the competition when compared not on paper, but in hand. Because the design is visible, the box with the device shines like a diamond, and who cares what they can do, the main thing is that they exist and not for all the money in the world, but on March 8th.

What is inside?

Inside is the same Kirin A1, familiar from the older version of the watch, 32 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory. The model runs LiteOS - a beautiful, but not yet very functional (when compared with such giants as Apple, Samsung, Fitbit) operating system of the manufacturer. But with such modest resources, it can give a head start to smartwatches on WearOS with 512 MB of RAM. The interface responds instantly!

As far as I understand, there have been few updates (critical ones, in any case) since the introduction of the Watch GT2 Sport 46 mm, which means that the capabilities of the watch have not changed fundamentally compared to its predecessor. However, taking into account the price and design, it is no longer possible to evaluate them so strictly. In the price category of 4000-5000 UAH it is still decent not to respond to messages and not to act as a wireless headset. Especially if you're pretty.

For those who don’t want to follow the links, I’ll briefly describe the capabilities of LiteOS and this watch in particular:

• Tracking 15 types of sports activities with constant heart rate monitoring, including swimming, triathlon, various types of running, etc.; there are “running courses” and a countdown for the next workout (at least 12 hours of recovery; there are no separate strength training courses with such detail as Google Fit, but in principle the “free workout” mode is suitable. If headphones are connected during the workout, then the application will periodically report on its success, albeit in English.

• Constant monitoring of heart rate and stress levels based on resting heart rate variability. I don’t understand the last function from the bottom of my heart, but, probably, there is simply little stress in my life, although judging by the measurement results, there is something to worry about.

• Sleep monitoring according to various TruSleep 2.0 parameters with phase detail. As I already wrote in other texts, data from different smartwatches over one night have little overlap. I don’t know which manufacturer is right. This watch has the second generation of technology, I didn’t notice any differences in the indicators, but there really are more descriptions. There are also tips on how to sleep better - but any person who was interested in the question already knows everything - the regime, early bedtime, no caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, etc. In addition, a parameter such as breathing assessment has appeared. This is a total score (ranging from 0 to 100, with anything above 90 good) that takes into account the number of breathing failures per hour. If less than 10, then everything is fine.

• Several desktops (heart rate, stress, weather, music control, daily activities). Not configurable.

Listening to music via a Bluetooth headset; The memory holds up to 500 songs in MP3 format, there is no external speaker. The transfer occurs via a mobile application via Bluetooth, which is probably why it is not very fast. But we can bear it.

• Smart alarm clock with the ability to go off within a range of up to 20 minutes. And you can configure several of these.
• Timer, stopwatch, breathing exercise, barometer, compass, flashlight and GPS for tracking outdoor activity.
• Notifications from various applications plus notification of incoming calls, but they are not allowed to answer them. Messages only show the subject and sender.

In addition, this model now has alerts for heart rate problems. If the heart beats too slowly or too fast for 10 minutes, the algorithms will recognize this and notify the user. I don’t have any complaints in my heart, so I can only appreciate in theory that it’s great that she appeared.

Recently, I noticed a strange feature in the behavior of Huawei/Honor wearable devices when connected to Samsung Galaxy A50 smartphones. The watch only displays daytime sleep (even when it is not sleep). This started in January with some kind of update, apparently, and still continues with different devices of the brand (and the problem was noticed not only on my smartphone). It is not paired with other smartphones.

Update: to fix the problem with displaying sleep, you need to update the application to version 10.0.2.332. If automatic updating does not occur, you need to do it manually.

What's outside?

One of my favorite smartwatches on the market in terms of design is the Honor Watch Magic. They even made it into the selection of the best smart watches precisely because of the price-to-design ratio. But the Watch GT2 42 mm outdid its younger relative.

The design of the device tends to be frameless. Two buttons, the strap fastening and the edging are minimal and made of metal. There is still a frame around the display, but it is hidden under 3D glass (now called so in the company's PR materials) and is black. When the display is off, it is not visible. When turned on, in general, too, because black AMOLED is blacker than night. So the non-working area of ​​the display looks like “air”, which makes the interface lighter. It only becomes noticeable on some watch faces where there are a lot of blocks of color.

The screen diagonal is 42 mm or 1.2 inches, whichever is more familiar to you. The colors are saturated and there is automatic brightness adjustment, it works correctly. Resolution is 390 x 390 dpi, which is normal for a smartwatch. In the summer it will probably do the same, I tried turning the brightness up to maximum - it’s more than noticeable indoors. Apparently, the display has a good oleophobic coating, because fingerprints are not visible on it and the finger glides over the surface very easily.

There is an Always On display, but it is not very functional by modern standards. You can enable active screen operation for five minutes in the settings or a screensaver with time (in one of three colors, analog or digital). But this is not the same. But it helps that the watch instantly responds to a hand gesture and turns on.

We reviewed a model in “silver” (the case is made of metal) with a light brown leather strap. There are two more versions on sale - an “elegant” golden version with a metal strap and a black sports version with a silicone one. The first one is 1000 UAH more expensive. Democratic, considering how much money Apple charges for its straps or how much Fossil, which are very similar in design, cost. The strap is removable, can be changed, standard width, 20 mm. It’s a shame to swim in something like this, although there are appropriate training regimens and protection from water ingress.

What about autonomy?

The manufacturer promises up to seven days of operation under normal use. As usual, I don’t know what he means by this, I’ll share my observations (especially since with the older model everything turned out to be many times worse than the two weeks stated).

My typical load on the watch: notifications from mail and all instant messengers, but there are not many of them, since I set most of the communications in Telegram to Mute; three hour and a half workouts a week, sometimes plus running for about 40 minutes, vibration mode - at maximum (on the clock it is rather weak, but at maximum settings it is good, the alarm clock can wake up in the morning), alarm clock, test music for the sake of listening to music for 30-40 minutes at a time day. The screen backlight time is at maximum (20 seconds), a screen saver with a clock and a not-so-energy-efficient dial (about half of the display is occupied by pictures with bright colors. GPS is on. Heart rate monitor and sleep monitoring are with maximum detail. In this mode, the watch worked for about four days. This less than the declared spherical performance in a vacuum, but still better than competitors.

Yes, by the way, charging is fast. It takes about an hour and a half until resources are completely restored, but the first tens of percent are gained very quickly. The charger is not massive, but has good magnets.

What are the alternatives?

The alternatives depend on what's important to you in a smartwatch. The watch is compatible with iOS and Android, but for iOS it is better to buy an Apple Watch, no options. There is no money for the latter - buy those for which you have money.

If the main thing for you in a smartwatch is support for contactless payments, then now Android owners should not count on it, especially if they are not geeks. I hope it will appear in the foreseeable future, especially since Ukraine is already, by some miracle, in the top 10 in Europe for payments using wearable devices. But even then, this will require NFC, so such users are not the audience for this model.

If you need a smartwatch with all the stuff: answering messages, headset function, third-party applications, etc., then it’s more likely to be a flagship Samsung or something on WearOS, but the latter may have problems with performance and stability. Fitbit Versa 2 is also quite functional and affordable, but they have another problem - lack of localization. They even have NFC, but I think that the brand will never officially enter our market, since the key part of its income is subscription to services, there is simply nothing to offer our users.

Huawei Watch GT2 42 mm is the best choice for those who, on the one hand, are scrupulous about design and quality, and on the other hand, are not ready to splurge on a smart watch. There are not many interesting offers in this price category. Xiaomi is not doing very well so far. Both the design and capabilities are lame (in any case, I have only had experience with one model so far and it’s rather disappointing). Younger Huawei models or Honor Watch Magic can compete with this device in design and execution, but it seems to me that the Watch GT2 42 mm is already worth paying about 20%-25% extra and getting something more modern.

In any case, when choosing a smartwatch, you need to base it on the capabilities you need. For some, it is critical to listen to music from a watch (in the hall, for example), for others it is not, for others they will want to receive notifications in case of heart problems or to monitor their stress levels, for others it is not. This is what we should build on.

Bottom line

Huawei Watch GT2 42 mm is not the smartest watch on the market even in its price category; it is still a grown-up and matured fitness tracker in stylish clothes. But the watch's sporting capabilities continue to grow, and its sleek design and cool materials make it a good choice for those who don't need to respond to messages from their watch and don't need third-party apps. Thanks to the simplicity of the operating system, the watch demonstrates autonomy and speed at the top level of the market.

5 reasons to buy Huawei Watch GT2 42 mm:

• price/design ratio (not a typo, no);
• alerts about heart rhythm problems;
• still excellent battery life;
• high speed;
• you are looking for a gift for a girl for the upcoming holidays.

3 reasons not to buy Huawei Watch GT2 42 mm:

• you need more from a smartwatch and are willing to pay for it;
• no support for third-party applications;
• There are no contactless payments and there is no chance that they will appear (since there is no NFC).

Huawei Watch GT2 Classic 42mm

An elegant sports watch with good battery life
All the advantages of this watch - high battery life and fast response - are a consequence of Huawei's proprietary operating system and the new Kirin A1 processor. The downside of high speed and autonomy is the lack of installed applications. What makes this watch the most advanced fitness tracker, the capabilities of which are constantly growing thanks to the development of smartphone software.

Buy from Huawei Buy from M.Video

ode to design

For those who want to know more

• Choosing the best smartwatches: buyer's guide
• Huawei Watch GT 2 Sport review: a long-lasting watch with a sporty design
• Apple Watch 5 review: a smartwatch at the price of a starship
• Amazfit GTS review: Apple Watch for the poor?
• Honor Watch Magic review: magic kick
• Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 review: smart and sports watch now with touch bezel

Huawei Watch 2 interface

A review of the Huawei Watch 2 sport 4g smartwatch showed that they were among the first to receive the Android Wear 2.0 shell. The application menu opens when you press the top physical key, which is a little unusual. Swiping sideways on the display switches dials, of which there are a huge number, and most of them can be customized. So, they can display additional information - world time, weather, quick launch of some applications and much more.

By swiping down the screen, you can open the curtain, which contains quick switches. These include offline mode, sound control, do not disturb mode, settings, and also force the display to turn off. The date, battery charge and network status are also displayed. To access notifications from your smartphone, you need to swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Notifications are displayed in a general list for quick and easy viewing. When you click on any of them, more detailed information is displayed, which allows you to read the entire correspondence and respond to your interlocutor directly from the watch. There are three options available for replying to a message—pre-prepared quick reply templates, voice input, or the on-screen keyboard. The keyboard keys, although small, are quite comfortable to use. To do this, there is a swipe input option, which works perfectly.

Huawei Watch 2 sport lte review showed that these are not all the features of the device. The Always On option deserves special mention. It involves turning off the display after a certain time of inactivity, but it does not turn off completely, but is switched to an economical mode, in which the minimum brightness is set and only the most important information is displayed - a dial without unnecessary graphic elements. Each watch face has its own special version of Always On.

The review of the Huawei Watch 2 smartwatch showed that, among other features, there is Google Assistant, which works in Russian. To access the assistant, you need to say the key phrase “Ok, Google” or hold down the top physical key. This greatly simplifies working with the device, because you can use voice commands like “write SMS”, “wake me up at 07:00 am” and the like. The assistant's capabilities are very great and they continue to improve.

To ensure that only its owner can use the watch, a screen lock function is available. Using sensors, the system determines when the smart watch is on your hand and if you unlocked it and then did not remove it, then it will no longer ask for a password for authorization, because it is logical that no one else will have access to it at that moment. But as soon as you remove them from your hand, they are set to lock, which is very comfortable.

How does Huawei Watch 2 synchronize with your phone?

The Huawei Watch 2 classic smart watch review showed that it can be used in conjunction with a smartphone running Android older than version 4.3, as well as iOS from 8.2. To synchronize your phone and watch, you use the Android Wear app, which is very easy to set up. To do this, you must provide all the necessary permissions and follow the further instructions on the screen. Using it, you can install new applications and watch faces on your watch, and you can also configure notifications for which of them will be displayed on the watch screen. In the settings menu, you can make sure that all messages and calls are displayed on the smartwatch, but not displayed on the phone.

Notifications and training

What hasn't changed is the notification experience. They come from a smartphone without any problems and are easy to read on the screen. Messages are much easier to read on the Watch GT 2 than on smaller fitness trackers. However, you won't be able to respond to these notifications from your wrist, mark an incoming email as read, delete it, or reply to a message with even an emoticon. Moreover, you will not be able to send new messages from the watch. Apart from the lack of payments via NFC and WiFi, this is the biggest drawback that remains in the second generation of Huawei watches.

The list of sports modes includes:

• Running workouts.
• Off-road running.
• Treadmill.
• Field walking.
• Walking on a treadmill.
• Climbing the mountains.
• Cross-country running.
• A ride on the bicycle.
• Stationary bike.
• Swimming in the pool.
• Open water swimming.
• Walking tour (hike).
• Triathlon.
• Orbitrek.
• Ergometer.
• Other functions.

Huawei has added several modes that can be useful, especially in the gym. Interestingly, there is a hiking mode regardless of walking in the field. The biggest change is the extensive profile of training regimens for runners. As a result, you can choose a more appropriate learning mode based on your needs, developmental level, and expected results. There are ready-made programs designed for losing weight and improving physical fitness.

What sets the Huawei Watch GT 2 apart from others is how it takes its sports features seriously. Algorithms developed by Firstbeat for typical sports devices like Garmin are available on the Watch GT and GT 2. They allow you to determine your VO2 max and training level, helping you maintain an optimal load that will not lead to overexertion or lack of effects. Algorithms also check whether our condition is improving or in regression. Allows you to perform aerobic and anaerobic exercises. The watch will tell you how long regeneration should last, track calories burned and suggest pre-defined training plans.

Huawei also boasts a new heart rate tracking algorithm called TruSeen 3.5, which is even more accurate.

Specifications of the Huawei Watch 2 smartwatch

Huawei Watch 2 leo bx9 review showed that the watch uses Snapdragon 2100 with a frequency of up to 1.1 GHz as a processor. The overall picture is completed by 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory. With such characteristics, the shell simply flies; only in rare cases does the device think for a split second.

Smart watch Huawei Watch 2 sport review makes it clear that if necessary, it will be an excellent assistant in sports. Fitness functions are presented quite widely - there is a pedometer that accurately performs its assigned function. There is also a heart rate sensor that detects your heart rate at rest and during intense workouts. Of course, there is an error that is not comparable with professional devices, but for most users this will be enough.

Wireless interfaces Huawei Watch 2

Pairing with the phone is done using Bluetooth 4.1 LE. The prefix “LE” means more economical battery consumption. In addition, Huawei Watch 2 sport 4g has Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n on board, which will be useful for Internet browsing from the watch when there is no possibility or desire to connect from the phone. If you can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network yet, you can always install a SIM card in your watch. They can operate in LTE frequencies, which guarantees high data transfer speeds.

You can also consider Huawei Watch 2 as an independent device, because it has a voice recorder and a speaker on its body, which allows you to receive calls and communicate with the subscriber directly from the watch. It's even better to use good headphones with a microphone for this. But you need to take into account that in active SIM mode, autonomy is reduced by approximately 30%. Huawei Watch 2 has an NFC chip, which makes it possible to use it for contactless payments.

GPS and GLONASS resources are available for terrain navigation. This way you can get directions using Google Maps on your watch, which is very convenient. During testing, the navigation performed very well - it works stably, and the body accurately determines the direction of movement. But when working with GPS, autonomy drops significantly.

Bottom line

Huawei Watch GT 2 is better than the first version - it measures heart rate, sleep and effort, while offering amazing battery life. With the ability to receive and make voice calls on the watch, download music and connect wireless headphones, and add additional tutorials, the Watch GT 2 works exactly as it was designed for.

You can listen to music during training, when your smartphone is at home or in the locker room, answer a call if your hands are busy or the phone is in another room. These features were truly lacking, which is why the second version of the Watch GT is significantly better than the first. However, this doesn't make the GT 2 your typical smartwatch. The added features rather support the sporty character. We still can't pay for purchases in stores, mark emails as read, or reply with an emoticon to messages from friends.

We also won't receive notifications when the watch is within range of your home Wi-Fi network but out of Bluetooth range. There is no way to install apps or widgets, navigate with GPS using the watch, or read GPS coordinates. As a sports watch, its main drawback is the inability to export data to other services like Strava.

Is it worth buying?

If you're looking for a digital watch with the ability to receive calls, notifications, and advanced health tracking, and are also concerned about long battery life and price, Huawei's Watch GT 2 is a great choice. However, if you are looking for a typical smartwatch and want to install apps and widgets, the GT2 is not the right choice.

Advantages

• New watch face screensavers.
• Large readable AMOLED screen.
• Attractive, modern look.
• You can assign any function to the bottom button.
• Two types of straps included - silicone and leather.
• Water resistant to 5 ATM or 50 meters.
• More plans and additional training modes.
• Friendly and legible Huawei Health app.
• New function for measuring stress and breathing exercises.
• Continuous heart rate monitoring and detailed sleep monitoring.
• More extensive activity statistics are available from the wrist level.
• Additional backlight settings, including Always On.
• Built-in speaker and microphone allows you to receive voice calls.
• Long battery life in daily use and during training with GPS.
• The ability to copy music to the watch's memory and connect wireless headphones.

Autonomy of Huawei Watch 2

The Huawei Watch 2 4g review shows that a battery with a capacity of 420 mAh was installed in the compact case. But the battery life results are not impressive - with constant synchronization with a smartphone, you can only count on 1.5 days of use. By the evening of the first day, no more than 40% of the charge remains. If you actively monitor your heart rate or use GPS, the watch will last no longer than 10 hours. Fortunately, it takes an hour to fully charge using the included magnetic connector. If necessary, the watch can always be recharged during the day before leaving home. But autonomy can’t exactly be called a strong point.

You can use Huawei Watch 2 for a week without recharging; the maximum battery saving mode in the settings is designed for this. But in this case, the functionality of the system will be severely limited. All that remains is to display the time and count the number of steps.

Working hours

Huawei Watch 2 Sport is equipped with a fairly capacious, by smartwatch standards, 420 mAh battery. But I would not say that the device works for a long time. It barely lasted me 2 days, or even less. On a mountain hike, where the watch was used actively, the charge lasted for 1.5 days or so.

If you turn off heart rate detection, you can achieve about 4 days of operation on a single charge.

Conclusion

The Huawei Watch 2 smart watch is a universal model that will be convenient for most users. It has a nice design and a durable body that can withstand a shock or fall. I was especially pleased with the functionality; there is GPS, the ability to use mobile Internet from any operator’s card, and the new Android Wear 2.0 shell. Despite its enormous functionality, the watch has only one drawback - it will have to be constantly charged, its autonomy is very poor.

Advantages:

• Stylish and durable housing, protected from moisture and dust;
• New Android Wear 2.0 shell;
• Possibility to install a SIM card and support for LTE frequencies;
• Convenient body;
• Can be used as a standalone device without pairing with a smartphone.

Flaws:

• Autonomy.

Where can I buy?

You can buy watches at a profit using the following links:

Aliexpress

Comments for the site
Cackl e

Huawei Watch - smartwatches have never been so stylish