Huawei Watch Fit review: do you really need to ask for more?
Honor's sister product Watch ES, is certainly more suitable for those with a slender wrist than a real smartwatch that can be bulky. Among the various functions dedicated to health, there is also a sensor dedicated to detecting blood oxygenation and is able to monitor the sleep cycle as well as constantly recording the heartbeat rate. Can you really do better in this price range?
You will forget you have it on your wrist
Huawei Watch Fit has small dimensions, which recall more those of a smartband rather than those of a classic smartwatch. The case is somewhat reminiscent of an Apple Watch narrowed in width: the strongly rounded shapes and the slightly curved glass where it meets the plastic body of the watch are really familiar.That doesn't change the fact that the Huawei Watch Fit is a really nice accessory to wear on the wrist. The dimensions of 46 x 30 x 10.7 mm but above all the weight of only 21g of the case will make you forget you have it on your wrist, an excellent feature since we are talking about a wearable able to withstand several days without recharging and that can be kept at pulse even during the night.
The rubber strap is pleasant to the touch and the many holes present allow for granular adjustment when fastening the watch to the wrist. Thanks to this precision in adapting to arms of various diameters, Huawei Watch Fit is never too tight or too loose and is therefore able to take advantage of the sensors dedicated to health with more precision.
It is available at purchase in the colors Sakura Pink, Mint Green and the one that was sent to us as a test, namely Graphite Black.
All information always available at a glance
The AMOLED display from 1.64 ″ of the Huawei Watch Fit is gorgeous. On the wrist, the deep blacks make it impossible to notice where the display ends and where the frame that surrounds it begins, a frame in which a sensor for the ambient brightness is hidden that allows you to automatically adjust the light intensity of the panel.The resolution of 456 x 280 pixels allows Huawei to really insert an avalanche of useful information in the various screens. It is possible to check the graphs with the trends obtained from heart rate and stress level measurements directly from the wrist, which are accompanied by a lot of data that can be useful without necessarily having to take out the smartphone and check the Huawei Health app to enter in detail.
By swiping left and right with your finger on the touchscreen display you can switch between the favorite panels that we have decided to show in the home from the clock settings. With a gesture from top to bottom we will have access to the quick buttons for activating the DND mode, to keep the screen always on, to find the smartphone and set a new alarm. Unfortunately, these links are not customizable.
The dials are customizable, with a choice between a handful of different pre-installed styles and the ability to download new ones from your smartphone. The catalog of watch faces available for download is a bit sparse but constantly expanding. You can even customize the type of always on display that appears when we are not actively using the smartband, however the choice here is even narrower and, at the moment, it is not possible to download new designs.
Lite OS it's a pleasant surprise but it can still improve
The software used by Huawei for Watch Fit is the now well-known Lite OS that the company is using for all its wearables. The interface is very accurate and overall the watch is responsive, however there is still some work to be done to make the system a viable alternative to Google's Wear OS or Apple's watchOS.For starters, it is not possible to download new applications, and even if they want to, developers cannot integrate specific functions of their apps into the watch. This limits the possibilities of using high quality hardware. The competition, including that of Samsung with Tizen, has already filled the gap with the most popular platforms, allowing for example the use of Spotify without the aid of a smartphone or the download of third-party applications, contactless payments via NFC and much more.
In addition, among the settings of the Huawei Watch Fit there is a lack that, at times, made me really mad: it is not possible to select the size of the notification text. The information shown on the display is too little, and sometimes even not very useful, as the font chosen by the company is really oversized. Comparing the notification panel of the clock with the various main screens containing graphs full of information, it is difficult to understand the reason for this choice of the manufacturer. Fortunately it is possible to adjust the intensity of the vibration in case of receiving an alert, because the chosen moped is sometimes really too noisy.
Full fitness!
What in my opinion the new wearable from Huawei excels is in the presence of many functions dedicated to fitness and personal health. The heart rate monitor positioned in the lower part of the case is able to record your heart rate 24 hours a day, allowing you to better analyze the data collected. Huawei Watch Fit is also able to estimate blood oxygenation SpO2 and, thanks to the presence of an accelerometer and gyroscope, is able to keep track of the quality of your sleep. The stress level measurement function is interesting, even if in my case it did not seem to have been very precise.The real strength of Watch Fit, however, is seen in the fitness functions. Pedometer and GPS, coupled with the sensors mentioned above, will be excellent companions for your morning runs and the more than 12 animated fast training sessions will help you keep fit. There are animations that show you bodyweight exercises, stretching and ab workouts as well as 44 other standard movement demonstrations. Finally, as icing on the cake, it can record your efforts by measuring the data in real time and the consumption of calories in 96 different sports activities ranging from running to yoga, passing through the machine room in the gym and swimming. >
Yes, because Huawei Watch Fit is able to withstand up to 5 ATM pressure, so you can take the watch with you to the pool, carry out heavy exercise sessions and wash your hands often without having to worry about damaging the watch with water or sweat.
How long does the battery last? The choice is up to you
The aspect I loved most about this wearable is the ability to adapt the type of use and therefore also the battery life expectancy to your personal tastes. Personalization has an incredible level of granularity. Huawei promises up to 10 days of autonomy, which can certainly be achieved by giving up functions such as the energy-intensive GPS and the always on display.In my case, Watch Fit was able to last up to 4 days intense using all the functions that I find most useful such as the always on display, a screen timeout of 20 seconds, the vibration for notifications at maximum power and the detection of health data such as steps, stress and heart rate. >
The company describes in the following way, on its website, the expected battery life according to the use:
Traditional use: up to 10 days
Huawei TruSleep activated , continuous heart rate monitoring activated. The screen is briefly checked about 200 times a day and you receive 50 messages, 3 calls and 3 alarms per day, the training lasts 30 minutes a week.
Intensive use: up to 7 days
Huawei TruSleep activated, continuous heart rate monitoring activated. The screen is briefly checked about 500 times a day and you get 50 messages, 3 calls and 3 alarms a day, the training lasts 60 minutes a week.
I didn't really like the charging system: the cable included in the package has a proprietary connection and does not use the charging base system plus the standard detachable cable (Micro USB or USB Type-C) which I personally prefer. If the cable breaks, therefore, what can certainly happen, it will not be possible to replace it with an alternative you already own but you will have to rely on Huawei to replace the broken one. You will also need to remember to bring the cable with you in case you need to recharge your watch on the go. recharging happens quickly enough.
Conclusions: who should buy it?
Huawei Watch Fit is a product that is difficult to categorize. A bit smartband and a bit smartwatch, Huawei has tried to find a balance between the two worlds with this product, in my opinion succeeding. It is not without defects, however overall and considering the selling price of only 129.99 euros it is really difficult to ask for more.The display is colorful and bright, the software has advanced functions for accompany you during your training sessions, the sensor array is complete and even better than some higher priced competitors. There is no NFC for payments but it is an easy to forgive lack. The battery life is able to adapt to the needs of every type of user.
It is an ideal product and that I recommend to those who want a light but at the same time elegant and feature-rich gadget on their wrist, without necessarily having to remember to connect it to the office at the end of each day. It is not bulky even when tied to the thinnest wrists. Certainly more geared towards sports use, Huawei Watch Fit will still look good if worn during an elegant dinner or normal office days.
