Many decades ago, when Huawei made its global debut as the latest Chinese brand out there, their lack of focus and quality at that point in time made me point out that their brand name Huawei – loosely pronounced ‘who are we’ – was the apt description of a brand in an identity crisis. It had upmarket pretentions and prices without any of the pizzaz and perfection of upmarket brands.
Cut to 2023, and I’ve been made to eat humble pie. When Huawei delivered its latest Watch GT4 to us for testing, the first thing that struck me was the premium quality, and I was surprised at how substantial the Huawei Watch GT4 was in the look and feel department.
The Design
This sleekly designed 46mm smart watch has a unique octagonal dial with a stainless steel frame that gives it a premium feel. The metal strap that our test piece came with was equally premium in its execution, beautifully brushed, with the edges of each link meticulously shaped to a rounded smoothness. And the clasp engaged with a heavy and substantial click is something you would expect from a premium watch maker, not a smartwatch.
The design makes the GT4 suitable for both casual and formal settings though you’ll need wrists the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger to carry off the 46mm size. Huawei does offer a 41mm variant, but while that sits more comfortably on most wrists, it naturally suffers from a smaller screen size.
The screen on our GT4 was a 1.43-inch AMOLED display with 466 x 466 resolution. The colours were vibrant and the resolutions sharp.
The GT4 will no doubt find favour among fitness enthusiasts with its comprehensive health and fitness tracking. With an array of sensors, including heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and SpO2 measurement, it covers the basics exceptionally well.
Features
The watch also boasts advanced fitness tracking features such as GPS, workout detection, and a wide range of pre-installed exercise modes. Whether you’re into running, swimming, or yoga, the Huawei Watch GT4 is equipped to be your fitness companion, providing insightful data to help you achieve your health goals.
One of the features we found really useful and enjoyable was the Activity Rings 2.0, which tracks your movements throughout the day, including how many times you stand up. And if you meet your movement goals, the watch rewards you with a virtual medal inside the Huawei Health app, gamifying the process of staying active.
If you are a really active person, a hobby athlete, this is the watch for you. There are dedicated trackers for specific sports – tennis, table tennis, padel, badminton, etc. – that measure several parameters depending on the sport you’re playing.
If you like to run to music, you will also appreciate that you can upload tracks to the watch using the Huwawei Health app and then listen to them either on Bluetooth earphones or through the GT4’s small built-in speaker, which actually impresses with sound that’s way beyond its size.
Another impressive feature was the battery life. We got around six days on a full charge, which means that you can use it all week without any worry on the battery front.
The only major gripe we have with the device is the limited app ecosystem it comes with. The GT4 operates on Huawei’s own OS, which restricts third-party app support. This means you won’t have access to a plethora of apps commonly found on other smartwatches.
However, the Huawei Watch GT4 impresses with its striking design, extended battery life, and comprehensive health and fitness tracking. At Dh1,399 it’s a compelling choice as a stylish smartwatch that can seamlessly integrate into active lifestyle.
Huawei has managed to strike a balance between form and function, ensuring that this smartwatch isn’t just a piece of tech but a fashion statement as well.
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