Review on GPS Smartwatch – Huawei Watch 2
The Huawei Watch 2 (link to Huawei Watch 2 on Amazon) promises to stand out and make a difference to the wide range of fitness-focused smartwatches on the market in 2017. Our Huawei Watch 2 review aims to show you what to expect from the second generation smartwatch designed and manufactured by Huawei.
The gadget has been announced by Huawei on Sunday, 26 February 2017. While the first generation of the Huawei smartwatch was targeted to the fashion conscious, the second generation focuses more on fitness and exercise.
Design
When it comes to design, the Huawei Watch 2’s Sports variant is distancing from the fashion-focused original Huawei Watch. That doesn’t mean that the Huawei Watch 2 is not an attractive wearable gadget. However, the product features a generic sporty smartwatch design instead of the traditional watch’s silver stainless steel body. The Huawei Watch 2 comes with a double chrome design and a plastic body.
The circular display is fairly large at 1.2-inch. With a height of 12.6 mm and only one case sized 45 mm available, it may look a bit awkward and bulky on smaller wrists. At 57 g, the Huawei Watch 2 is quite heavy compared to the second-generation Apple Watch that comes at 45 g.
According to Huawei, the ceramic bezel used on its second generation smartwatch is six times harder than stainless steel. While still being relatively lightweight, the ceramic bezel ensures that the sporty gadget is resistant to abrasion. The mirror-finish bezel is also quite resistant to scratches.
The Huawei Watch 2 provides a comfortable fit around the wrist, as its lugs are lower than other smartwatch models on the market. This also provides better stability during heart rate monitoring.
When it comes to the color options, the Huawei Watch 2 is offered in three colors: Concrete Grey, Carbon Black, and Dynamic Orange. The first two are pretty similar in look, with only a key difference: the Carbon Black variant comes with black buttons, while the Concrete Grey features silver buttons. Only the 4G variant of the Huawei Watch 2 features the exclusive Dynamic Orange color option.
Despite featuring a plastic body, the build quality of the Huawei Watch 2 is overall around what is expected of an expensive smartwatch. A more stylish look than other smartwatches that are focused on fitness s provided by the double-chrome design creating a mirror-like look. Especially when worn for long, the lowered lugs also make a difference in comfort.
Features of the Huawei Watch 2
Internals
The latest generation of the Huawei Watch is powered by Snapdragon Wear 2100 quad-core processor that brings several improvements over the processor used in older smartwatches. Aside from the improved speed, the Wear 2100 processor also provides a smaller design and enhanced battery life.
The gadget also features 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of storage space. When navigating between menus, the Watch is responsive to the touch, running third party apps and swiping between notifications with no signs of lag.
Display
When it comes to its screen, the smartwatch features a 1.2-inch circular AMOLED display that provides around 326 ppi pixel density with a 390 x 390 resolution. The display is vibrant and bright, contributing to good visibility even in direct sunlight.
Fitness
The Watch 2 aims to provide a fitness companion, offering professional fitness advice and useful stats. This smartwatch features preset exercises ( fat burning, cardio, etc). Based on fitness goals, in tandem with the Huawei Health App on the smartphone, users can create their own custom workout plans.
The Watch 2 gadget also comes with a continuous heart rate monitor and in-depth stats of your workouts. You don’t need to worry about sweat damage, as the smartwatch is dust and water resistant.
Connectivity
The smartwatch features Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi, GPS, and optional 4G connectivity. The GPS feature can be found only in a couple of Android smartwatches. For a fitness wearable device, this can help to accurate track your cycles, runs, and walks. However, the reliability of the GPS sensor may vary depending on your location.
Battery life
When it comes to battery life, according to Huawei, the 4G-connected Watch 2 is able to last for around two days on a single charge. With average use, the non-4G variant will last an average of three-day battery life. The smartwatch also features a Watch Mode for users who just need to use the gadget for telling the time. The Watch Mode disables most of the smartwatch functionalities but comes with the advantage of keeping the gadget powered on a single charge for an impressive 30 days.
Software
The Huawei Watch 2 features Android Wear 2.0, which is the latest version of Android Wear. This updated operating system is a huge improvement over the original Android Wear, featuring a more easy-to-use and intuitive user interface. The smartwatch also comes with Google Assistant support.
One of the advantages of Google’s latest operating system is the self-locking mode. This useful feature enhances the security of your wearable gadget by locking the device when you remove it from your wrist. This means that in case your smartwatch is stolen by someone, they’d need your PIN in order to be able to use the gadget.
Another interesting feature of the Android Wear 2.0 update is that it provides access to the dedicated app store directly on the smartwatch itself. This way users can directly download new apps on the watch, without having to go first to their smartphone. The most popular apps installed by users on their Huawei Watch 2 wearable gadget are Uber, Spotify, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. All these apps and more are available for download in the watch-based Play Store.
Pros
• Optional 4G
• Built-in NFC and GPS
• Feature-packed
Cons
• Sluggish performance
• Screen a bit too small
• Less premium design than the predecessor model
Final verdict
Our review revealed that this second generation smartwatch model designed by Huawei comes with great improvements over the first generation, despite choosing a sportier look than the classic look of the previous product. Aside of the cheap looking removable plastic straps, the smartwatch sports a premium look due to the double-chrome design. However, what sets apart the Huawei Watch 2 is its impressive hardware. The gadget features GPS, optional 4G connectivity, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, allowing its use without the need of a connected smartphone. Its range of built-in sensors (heart rate monitor, barometer, gyro, compass, accelerometer) allows in-depth fitness tracking and a more holistic view of your regime.
How much does it cost to buy Huawei Watch 2 on Amazon and have it delivered to Thailand?
Huawei Smartwatch for Universal/Smartphones – Carbon Black (at the time of writing: USD 294.98) THB 10,637.47
Shipping & handling: THB 630.36
Total before tax: THB 11,267.83
Estimated tax to be collected: THB 0.00
Import Fees Deposit THB 1,080.77
Order total: THB 12,348.60
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