The Huawei Watch GT3 has been highly anticipated by many, and after spending significant time with this device, I am ready to provide you with an honest and detailed review.
The GT series from Huawei has always struck a balance between performance, health tracking features, and price, making it an enticing option for consumers. However, Huawei has faced challenges in recent years, particularly with hardware manufacturing.
Despite the delays in obtaining the device, I was eager to explore whether the Huawei Watch GT3’s impressive hardware could harmonize with its software and overcome the limitations the company has faced. So, let’s dive into the review!
Design and Unboxing:
Priced at $250, the Huawei Watch GT3 comes in an attractive box that exudes a premium feel. Upon unboxing, the watch itself is a delight to behold. Visually, it resembles its predecessor, the Huawei Watch GT2, with the addition of a rotating crown.
The back of the watch is similar to the Huawei Watch 3 series, released in the summer of the same year. The package also includes a wireless charger and a rather unremarkable strap. It is worth noting that the watch comes in two case sizes, 42mm and 46mm, and for this review, we will be focusing on the latter. The curved glass on the side adds to the watch’s appeal.
Specifications and Features:
The Huawei Watch GT3 features a 1.43-inch AMOLED touchscreen powered by an ARM Cortex-M processor. It has 32MB of RAM, 4GB of storage, a speaker, a microphone, GPS, a barometer, a SpO2 sensor, a temperature sensor, and an advanced HR sensor.
All of these components are managed and utilized by the homegrown Harmony OS software. Compared to its predecessors, the GT3 introduces two significant improvements: the rotating crown and a temperature sensor. The crown allows for smooth scrolling through apps and notifications, addressing a previous criticism of Huawei watches’ slow scrolling.
Additionally, the temperature sensor, although not equivalent to forehead temperature readings preferred by doctors, provides an interesting feature. However, it is important to note that while the hardware upgrades are noticeable, some essential features are missing, such as NFC for contactless payments, Wi-Fi for quick app downloads and updates, and an LTE-capable version, which is offered by the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 at a similar price range.
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User Experience:
When it comes to user experience, the Huawei Watch GT3 offers a comfortable fit on the wrist, with an appropriate weight and size. Navigating through the interface is smooth and straightforward, with swiping being the primary method of interaction.
Swiping left and right accesses the main cards, each displaying beautifully on the stunning display with high resolution. Swiping down reveals quick toggles, which are highly useful but unfortunately not customizable. The absence of a quick link for frequently used features, such as the torch, is a minor inconvenience.
Swiping up brings up notifications, although the lack of an option to respond and occasional odd queueing can be a bit frustrating. Nevertheless, within the app, signs of pre-configured answer integration can be found, which could significantly enhance the user experience.
The app drawer is familiar, with few significant differences from previous versions. The lightweight system on a chip and the slimmed-down build of Harmony OS provide a fluid experience with good configuration options. However, deeper customization options are lacking.
Health and Fitness Tracking:
The Huawei Watch GT3 offers an array of health tracking apps, including 24/7 heart rate tracking, 24/7 blood oxygen saturation measurement, and temperature tracking. The heart rate tracking is surprisingly accurate, surpassing the performance of the sensor found in the GT2 Pro model.
Notably, Huawei has considered professional athletes by allowing the use of Bluetooth-based HR trackers, such as the Polar HR, for more reliable heart rate readings. However, it is disappointing that the watch does not support the ANT+ protocol. While there are reliable Bluetooth chest trackers available, the lack of ANT+ support limits the device’s compatibility.
The watch also boasts a wide range of workout options, with visually appealing tiles for each activity. The addition of a navigation app, such as Google Maps, is promising but falls short as it can only relay navigation instructions and cannot be used independently from the watch.
Notably, popular apps like Spotify, Shazam, and proper calendar integration are also absent, rendering the Huawei Watch GT3 somewhat limited in terms of expandability.
Drawbacks and Limitations:
There are several limitations to consider when choosing the Huawei Watch GT3. The absence of NFC means contactless payments are not possible. The lack of Wi-Fi and an LTE-capable version further restricts connectivity options. Additionally, the inability to respond to texts is a notable omission.
Furthermore, when it comes to third-party app integration, Huawei faces significant challenges. Strava, a popular service among athletes and runners, is not officially supported, and a third-party app workaround requires manual data syncing.
Other services like Google Fit have been removed, possibly due to security concerns. These limitations, along with the struggles faced by iPhone users in terms of app functionality and features, reduce the watch’s overall appeal.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Huawei Watch GT3 presents itself as a compelling choice, with its rotating crown, external HR tracker support, and temperature measurement capabilities. However, the incremental hardware upgrades may not justify an upgrade from the GT2 series.
The watch excels in certain areas, such as HR tracking and workout options, but falls short in terms of app availability, third-party integrations, and GPS accuracy. Furthermore, the absence of NFC, Wi-Fi, LTE, and the inability to respond to texts are notable drawbacks.
While the Huawei Health app receives praise for its user interface, its lack of integration with popular services like Strava and Google Fit hinders its usability.
Considering the current price points, it is difficult to recommend the GT3 over its predecessor, unless specific features like the rotating crown and external HR tracking are of utmost importance. Huawei must address these limitations and uncertainties regarding software integration to truly compete in the smartwatch market. Check out its latest price here>>
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