In 2024, wearing a smartwatch every day is as ordinary as donning a tie to go work was in the 80s (RIP). Ubiquitous and an established part of our lives, fitness wearables are quite literally always on hand to help us boost our workouts, better understand our sleep and bestow an accurate picture of our overall wellbeing.
However, few brands have managed to marry performance with upscale aesthetics, either opting for the ‘mini computer on your wrist’ look, going full utilitarian, or sacrificing key data sets for all-out style.
This, my friends, is where HUAWEI comes in. Yes — that HUAWEI, the super advanced tech brand and makers of cutting-edge smartphones, tablets, laptops and headphones, as well as some seriously sophisticated smartwatches.
Launching globally on the 19 September, the HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Series and HUAWEI Watch D2 take different, but equally comprehensive, approaches to health and fitness tracking. The former blends performance and aesthetics for those who want all the features of a top-grade smartwatch in a luxury timepiece package, while the latter (the brand’s first medically-certified smartwatch) puts health monitoring front and centre, boasting pro-level blood pressure monitoring alongside all-round health management capablities — all in a light, slim silhouette.
The even better news? If you buy either watch between now and 22 October, you’ll receive a free pair of HUAWEI’s FreeBuds 5i, plus a £40 voucher for an extra watch strap or band.
To help you make your mind up, we’ve broken down the key features and upgrades of each smartwatch below.
HUAWEI Watch GT 5 and GT 5 Pro
| Sports features | 100+ |
|---|---|
| Professional modes | Free diving, cycling, cross-country running, golf |
| Compatibility | EMUI, Android and iOS |
| Battery life | 46mm: up to 2 weeks, 41/42mm: up to 7 days |
| Water resistance | 5ATM and IP69K rated |
| Extra features | Colour maps, medical grade ECG analysis (Pro only), full keyboard input, running coach, multiple watch faces, screenshot function |
Available in two editions (the GT 5 41mm/46mm and GT 5 Pro 42mm/46mm), the fifth iteration of the Watch GT Series balances timeless design with modern smartwatch technology. The Pro version incorporates titanium alloy, while high quality stainless steel is used in the standard model. Both are available in wide variety of watch strap designs and watch cases, so you can mix and match styles to suit your look.
But it’s not just about aesthetics — here’s what the Watch GT 5 Series can do:
Cutting-edge Health and Fitness Tracking
HUAWEI’s Watch GT 5 Series introduces the brand’s ‘TruSense System,’ which uses three new major technologies to provide more accurate, fast and comprehensive health and fitness data. Heart rate accuracy is improved to within 5bpm of standard measure, the number of blood oxygen channels has increased from four to 12, while the heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring is also enhanced. Essentially, this all comes together to give you a much broader, more complete and more accurate view of your wellbeing, via the HUAWEI Health App.
The holistic health and sports tracking system comes with more than 100 activities, including wind-down exercises like yoga, and captures a broader range of health data, including:
- Sleep cycle trends
- Activity levels
- Heart rate
- Blood oxygen
- Respiratory rate
Professional Golf Mode
Ever wondered the exact duration of your backswing, or the precise angle of any given green slope? Now you don’t have to. The HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro comes loaded with a plethora of nerdy features for golf lovers, including:
- Backswing time, downswing time, swing tempo and swing speed detection in Driving Range Mode
- 3D course maps (covering over 15,000 courses worldwide and over 3,000 in UK)
- High-precision green positioning
- Environmental information, including wind speed, wind direction and green slope
- Scorecards to record your putts
Improved GPS Accuracy
Aptly named the ‘Sunflower Positioning System,’ HUAWEI’s GPS boosts positioning accuracy thanks to a clever adaptive algorithm. In practical terms, this means users can enjoy more accurate and well-rounded cycling and running features, with route accuracy improved by 40%, distance by 30% and pace by 20%, compared to previous models.
This is also great news for trail runners, as the Sunflower system powers HUAWEI’s Trail Running Navigation feature, which allows users of the HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro to:
- Download and browse navigation routes
- Enjoy accurate route navigation
- Make use of the game-changing ‘Track Return feature,’ which leads the user back to their starting point
- Draw their routes with the ‘RouteDraw’ feature
- Browse detailed data post-run or race
Built-in Running Coaching
Looking to improve your pace or overall running performance? The Watch GT 5 Series comes with its own running coach programmed right into the smartwatch, designed to support runners of all levels. An IMU sensor (that’s an inertial measurement unit to you and me) detects ground contact time, vertical oscillation and balance, so you can analyse your form, help prevent injuries and run more efficiently.
Shop the HUAWEI Watch GT 5 / GT 5 Pro
From 19 September to 22 October, get a free pair of HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i and a £40 coupon for an extra strap when you buy the HUAWEI Watch GT 5 or GT 5 Pro.
HUAWEI Watch D2
| Exercise modes | 80+ |
|---|---|
| Compatibility | iOS and Android |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days |
| Extra features | Blood pressure monitoring, Bluetooth calling, music playback, sweat-resistance, ultra-HD screen |
Available in black or gold, the HUAWEI Watch D2 boasts the brand’s most accurate blood pressure monitoring capabilities yet. As well as coming loaded with new features born from HUAWEI’s engagement with chronic disease research, the watch is comfortable and lightweight, and aesthetics-wise heads down the more modern route, with a sleek, pared back design that displays your data via the 1.82 inch display.
Here’s what’s stuffed into that minimalist little package:
24-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring
Being the world’s first medically-certified ABPM (Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring) smartwatch, it should come as no shock that the HUAWEI Watch D2 comes equipped with professional level wrist-based blood pressure monitoring.
There’s no need for inflating cuffs, as the HUAWEI Watch D2 takes measurements at preset intervals over the course of a full 24-hour sleep-wake cycle via the mechanical airbag design — simply raise your wrist when prompted. Not only does this offer more accurate health monitoring, but it can also alert users to early indicators of hypertension, as well as cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease.
80+ Exercise Modes
Whether you’re a gym junkie, outdoors aficionado or zen yogi type, the HUAWEI Watch D2 allows you to track and record your workouts, has on-board GPS and provides data-driven workout evaluations so you can stay on top of your progress.
The HUAWEI Watch D2 comes with over 80 exercise modes, including running, walking, cycling and mountain climbing, plus automatic detection of six common activities. While you’re on the move you can also enjoy Bluetooth calling and music playback from your favourite apps.
Advanced Health Monitoring
Like the Watch GT 5 Series, the HUAWEI Watch D2 is equipped with HUAWEI’s ‘TruSense System’ to provide an in-depth picture of your overall health — including exercise, diet, sleep, weight and stress — and help you develop healthy lifestyle habits.
Generate a ‘health glance report’ with just one tap, which measures nine key body indicators, including heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen, stress, skin temperature, ECG, vascular elasticity and sleep breathing awareness for convenient, comprehensive health insights. You can also compare against a 30-day analysis and spot any changes in your health data.
As well as viewing all your own stats on the HUAWEI Health App, you can share data within the health community, allowing you to view family members’ metrics and receive alerts for abnormal blood pressure.
From 19 September to 22 October, get a free pair of HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i and a £40 coupon for the HUAWEI Band 9 when you buy the HUAWEI Watch D2.
Hattie Parish is the Health and Fitness Ecommerce Editor for Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Runner’s World, covering the best gym wear, latest fitness tech and wellness launches worth investing in, plus the best deals during Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. As well as clocking up the miles in myriad running socks, pummelling her muscles with massage guns, testing out fitness mirrors and donning dry robes every other weekend, Hattie consults leading experts in the health and fitness industry to help readers make informed decisions when shopping online. Brought up by two medics, Hattie worked in health clinics before completing a BA in English at King’s College London. She qualified as a journalist in 2015 and has since written for titles such as Healthy magazine, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar and Red, as well as worked commercially with health and wellness clients such as Holland & Barrett, Lloyds Pharmacy and Superdrug. Hattie is passionate about arming readers with honest, unbiased product reviews and has a particular interest in the role of technology in our wellbeing, as well as gender-based inequalities in healthcare. When she’s not putting gym wear through its paces on the Pilates reformer or kitting out her home gym (garage) with the latest equipment, she’s attempting to make progress on her teetering pile of bedside books, cycling round South East London or sampling wellness retreats for the Women’s Health travel pages.