Smartwatches are hard to get right. Some of Huawei’s past offerings have been lacking, sometimes in terms of software and sometimes in terms of battery life. Further company has tried too much – putting a small smartphone on your wrist – with mixed results. Apple WatchOS and Google Wear OS surely offer more tackle and features than Huawei Lite’s operating system, but is it always superior? Watch GT 2 is designed to remove all unnecessary from smartwatches and get closer to the basics. Has Huawei improved its software, or is the Watch GT 2 OK? Find out in this Huawei Watch GT 2 reviews by Android Authority!
The big picture
The world of smartwatch software is a bit confusing nowadays, at least on Android. I’m sure you’ve heard it over and over again, but it needs to be said. Tizen, Wear OS, Fitbit OS and Huawei Lite OS just couldn’t compete with Apple’s powerful wearable operating system for raw functionality and seamless connectivity with phones. That hasn’t changed yet, but the overall smartwatch experience has improved significantly over the past few years. What’s more, some of my biggest complaints regarding Android compatible smartwatches have been resolved. However, while I praise Huawei for its excellent hardware, the software can still be improved.
Last year’s Huawei Watch GT had some issues, especially with the slow interface. The differences in hardware this year aren’t as big as you might expect – the Watch GT 2 and its predecessor are housed in similar outer cases. The main improvements to Watch GT 2 are performance, stability, and health tracking and battery life. GT 2 is not a major upgrade to GT, so the question arises if there are enough improvements made to recommend it.
Design and equipment
Huawei Watch GT 2 Face captured on a table at an angle
- 42/46 mm models
- 46mm: 1.39 inches, 454 x 454 AMOLED
- 42mm: 1.2 inches, 390 x 390 AMOLED
- Stainless steel materials
- 5ATM
- Kirin A1 chip
This smartwatch is great. The typical version takes a additional managerial move toward than the previous model, and with its leather strip I’m really digging for an manufacturing design. The 46mm version strikes me as a much prettier piece of equipment in the two size options – yes, the design of the two sizes is slightly different. The smaller option is sleeker and sleeker, with curved glass and minimal bezels, while the model I own looks smarter and more business-friendly with a chrome bezel and a minute diver’s watch around the display. There is also a large edition sports version with a standard silicone strap.
Huawei Watch GT 2 is a very beautiful watch
The GT 2’s display is incredibly sharp. The AMOLED panel is nice and bright outdoors, but might be a little brighter at maximum settings. It doesn’t bother me here in the bleak UK, but it could be a problem for those living in sunnier places. The watch doesn’t feel massive to me or too bulky on my wrist. It fits comfortably under the shirt sleeves and does not interfere with your workout. If you are accustomed to wearing a standard size men’s watch on your wrist, you will feel right at home in the GT 2. If you have thinner wrists, you should go for the smaller model.
Fitness and health tracking
- GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO
- Accelerometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, optical heart rate sensor, ambient light sensor, air pressure sensor
- Fitness, sleep and stress tracking
The first Huawei Watch GT has been praised for its fitness tracking capabilities. This sequel easily lives up to its predecessor with the same precise set of sensors for detection and tracking. This watch is a great fitness tracker despite its business style. The GPS signal has always been accurate (verified by comparison with Google Maps for distance and with my Moto 360 Sport for speed) as well as the altitude readings to ensure accurate training tracking.
The watch will automatically track your steps, heart rate, sleep and stress level if you allow it through the app. The way it displays these metrics is pretty clear, albeit a little primitive. You can’t install third-party apps that you might already be linked to, such as Strava, Google Fit, or Komoot, but you can share data from your watch with Google Fit or MyFitnessPal. Huawei has announced an SpO2 monitoring feature that can measure blood oxygen levels. This is activated on the watch and in the add-on app after updating the watch firmware to the latest version.
Value and competition
The 42mm Huawei GT 2 Watch starts at €229 ($250), while the 46mm starts at €249 ($279). The Huawei Watch GT 2 offers a lot of value over the competition, and when you consider the beautiful exterior hardware combined with efficient interior hardware, they represent a fantastic value proposition. The 46mm version will go on trade in the UK this week and the 42mm version later this month.
