Huawei Watch GT 2 Review

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The wearable market has shown steady growth, but the major contribution comes from low-cost fitness trackers. Smart Watches, especially those on the Android side of the table, are yet to define themselves, more so in a market where the majority of consumers expect them to be economical. 

The Huawei Watch GT 2 addresses some basic Smartwatch peeve points and tries to push what matters at a very reasonable price. And it does so while promising a 2-week battery mileage and on-wrist calling! 

We have been testing the GT 2 for more than a month now and we will now share our experience in our detailed review. 

Page Contents:

Huawei Watch GT 2 India Price and Specifications

Model Huawei Watch GT 2 (46mm)
Display  1.39-inch AMOLED screen, 454 x 454 pixels

1000 Nits bright

Processor  Kirin A1
Storage 4GB (2.2GB available to users)
Sensors Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Air Pressure, Heart rate (optical), Ambient light
Connectivity Bluetooth 5.1, Built-in GPS
Software LiteOS (No app store)
Compatibility Android 4.4 + ; iOS 9.0 +
Battery 455mAh
Price in India
  • Huawei Watch GT Matte Black – Rs. 15,990
  • Huawei Watch GT Pebble Brown – Rs. 21,990
  • Huawei Watch GT Titanium Grey – Rs. 21,990

Huawei Watch GT 2 Review: Design and Interface

More than any other portable gadget or wearable, a watch has to look fabulous. And the Watch GT 2 does. It has a substantial, circular dial with an engraved metal bezel that tapers outwards. There’s also a slim, black ring border around the periphery but we barely noticed it.

Huawei uses a good quality AMOLED display. Blacks are deep and colors pop nicely. Even with our clumsy handling, the glass has managed to successfully resist scratches to date. Speaking of durability, you can also wear it underwater to depths of 50 meters for up to 30 minutes. 

There are two crowns or buttons, one opens the main menu and the “down button” can be mapped to any of the preset watch functions. You can swipe between various activity counters to the left and right of the home screen or the main clock face. 

The watch pairs to a compatible Android or iOS phone via Huawei health app and Huawei Mobile Services are also need to be running in the background. We had no issues downloading these apps and services and pairing them with Realme and Vivo phones. With Samsung phones running Android 10, it took us multiple attempts. Hopefully, Huawei will fix this with an OTA update.   

The UI is fairly simple and easy to navigate. The number of watch faces available to users is very limited, though. You may still add images from your phone gallery using the ‘Gallery’ watch face option in the Huawei health app. 

We have the Matte Black variant with us that has a rubber strap and currently starts at Rs. 15,990. Titanium Grey option with metal strap and Pebble Brown GT2 with a leather strap are also listed in India for Rs. 21, 990. The GT 2 has standard 22mm straps and you can easily replace them with any third party option of your choice. 

Huawei Watch GT 2(left) vs Honor Magic Watch 2 (right)

All of these options that we have mentioned have 46mm dial size. At the launch, Huawei talked about the 42mm variant coming in later, but we are not sure when. The Honor Magicwatch 2, that costs lesser, has almost the same set of features but isn’t quite as premium – something we could clearly make out when we put them next to each other. 

Also Read: Huami Amazfit GTR Review

Huawei Watch GT 2 Review: Activity Tracking

Watch GT2 has 13 running courses, a bunch of running and walking modes, and can track activities like cycling, hiking, climbing, rowing, trail running, elliptical and swimming. The general popularity of running and walking and the priority assigned to these workouts are likely to make Huawei Watch GT2 meaningful to a larger audience.

I was also hoping for a mode that could keep track of jump rope count on my watch, but there’s none. For such unlisted workouts, you can use the ‘others’ workout mode that helps track time, monitor heart rate during workouts, and calculate calories burnt. 

Tracking accuracy seems to be at par with Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Watch Active – as far as we could tell.  

It must be mentioned that we found ourselves using breathing exercises quite frequently. Huawei Watch will guide you through your inhales and exhales, and this did tend to make us feel more relaxed. The watch also has a stress test that needs to be enabled from the Huawei Health app (for the first time). 

Sleep tracking seems to work very accurately. Huawei health app shows details like light sleep, deep sleep, and REM. 

Huawei Watch GT 2 Review: Smart Features

Apart from activity tracking, the smartest thing you can do with Watch GT 2 is to manage and attend calls. While I have always considered calling from wrist an unwarranted gimmick, I will have to admit I was wrong. Maybe its because I mostly take calls with the phone speaker turned on, but attending and making calls right from the watch without lugging out my phone proved to be a huge convenience. 

 

The GT2 has storage, which is again extremely valuable in a fitness-centric wearable. This way you can keep your music on your watch and don’t have to carry your phone when you go for a run or are working out. 

Apart from calls and music, the Watch GT2 can also sync notifications, help you find your phone (works even when your phone is on silent mode), and be used to read incoming messages. Of course, these are things you can also accomplish on the Honor Band 5, but the bigger watch screen and better interface make a difference. 

Also Read:

Huawei Watch GT 2 Review: Battery

Battery longevity is another area where the Watch GT 2 hits it off the park. The 455mAh battery on the Watch GT2 easily lasts for 5 to 7 days with heavy use and with the display always on. I see little merit in wearing a watch that isn’t always on, but if you do, you can extend the mileage to around 2 weeks.  

The Watch GT 2 doesn’t support wireless charging. You will need to use the proprietary magnetic charging dock that attaches to a USB Type-C cable. And that w

Huawei Watch GT 2 Review: Should you buy it?

The Huawei Watch GT 2 doesn’t aim to compete with Apple Watch or Samsung’s premium offerings, and it delivers almost everything I’d expect of a smartwatch priced under Rs. 20,000. 

It looks great on my wrist, has an enticing OLED display, delivers reasonably accurate and diverse activity tracking, helps manage notifications and calls from my wrist, and -most importantly – doesn’t require daily charging.   

What’s missing is an app ecosystem – which is currently an expected limitation of all competent smartwatches in this budget. 

The Huawei Watch GT2 stands its ground really well and it’s the biggest rival is its sibling, the Honor MagicWatch 2, that passes on nearly the same experience and hardware for a lower price, but doesn’t have quite the same design finesse.  

In life or on any other voyage, it’s the unexpected that truly charms. We didn’t expect BT Calling to work as efficiently for a watch in the price bracket, and you surely wouldn’t want to miss out on the convenience.  

Pros 

  • Premium looks 
  • Gorgeous OLED display 
  • Bluetooth calling is helpful
  • Excellent battery 

Cons

  • No app store support 
  • Limited watch faces 

Huawei Watch GT 2 FAQ answered

Question: What activities does Huawei Watch GT 2 Track

Answer: Huawei Watch GT 2 has a bunch of running and walking modes (indoors and outdoors). It also tracks cycling, hiking, climbing, rowing, trail running, elliptical and swimming. 

Question: Does Huawei Watch GT2 have a jump rope counter?

Answer: No, it does not. 

Question: Does Huawei Watch GT 2 have in-built GPS to map runs?

Answer: Yes, it does. 

Question: Is Honor Magic Watch 2 the same as the Huawei Watch GT2?

Answer: Huawei Watch GT2 looks more premium of the two. The difference is in the design of the metal bezel or tachymeter around the display.

Question: Does Huawei Watch GT 2 have eSIM or independent calling?

Answer – No, GT 2 has Bluetooth calling, so your phone still needs to be nearby. 

Question: Can you install apps on Huawei Watch GT 2?

Answer: No, you can not.

Question: Does Huawei Watch GT 2 allow users to add gallery images as wallpaper?

Answer: Yes, you can add gallery images as wallpaper for watch faces.

Deepak SinghDeepak Singh
Deepak has more than 8 years of experience in covering technology for several eminent publications in India. He currently leads an enthusiastic team of young writers at Smartprix and tries to uphold the highest quality standards.

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