Along with wireless headphones, smartwatches represent the bulk of Huawei’s efforts to keep a foothold in consumer tech in Europe. Its new GT 5 watch series targets both men and women.
Failing to be able to offer a truly relevant range of smartphones on Western markets, the Chinese giant Huawei is moving forward at a forced pace in the field of smartwatches. After a successful Watch Fit 3 launched last spring (read our test), it was at an event organized in Barcelona that the firm presented its slightly more high-end models oriented even more towards fashion and health.
The offensive begins with the fifth edition of its GT series watches. It comes in two versions, standard and Pro. Note that Huawei has taken care, in each formula, to offer a more feminine version in size 41 or 42 mm. An appreciable attention as women’s models are rare in the world of smartwatches.
The Huawei GT 5 still sports a very neat design. The 46 mm Pro model in particular, which we were able to wear for a few days, has an octagonal (non-rotating) bezel called Pepsi in the watch world because of its two red and blue colors. The case is made of an alloy of titanium and nanocrystalline ceramic. It turns out to be rather elegant, apparently solid and pleasant to wear.
For its part, the GT 5 is content with a stainless steel case. On the software side, Huawei is betting, like almost all players on the market today, on fitness and health. Like Samsung with its new energy score established from several measurements, Huawei is launching its TruSense to precisely monitor the evolution of several metrics during and outside of physical activities.
On the sports side, the Pro model provides long-distance runners with segment navigation, off-road warnings, contour lines and maps that can be zoomed in on using the crown.
The new Huawei Watch GT Series 5 are available starting today at the following prices:
- Huawei Watch GT 5 41 and 46 mm: from 249 euros
- Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro 42 mm: from 449 euros (ceramic version)
- Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro 46 mm: from 379 euros
In addition, Huawei is also renewing its model dedicated specifically to monitoring heart health, the Watch D, which is arriving in a new version. Remember that this watch (the first model of which was released in 2021) is equipped with a device nestled in the bracelet to measure blood pressure. The Watch D2, that’s its name, allows pressure monitoring over 24 hours.
This watch is worn like any other watch, even benefits from an IP68 and 5 ATM waterproof rating (for swimming in a pool) and is intended to be less invasive than a traditional blood pressure monitor, even if Huawei specifies that the data collected is indicative and cannot be used for strict medical monitoring. The Watch D2 will be marketed at a price of 399 euros.