Gadget of the Week: Huawei Watch barges in

What is it?

Huawei is not messing around in the wearable arena. It has forced its way into the game with what it is calling a “revolutions on your wrist” and is no longer a mere wannabe among watches.

First, the obvious: the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro looks great. The 46mm version really does boast, with a titanium alloy case and sapphire glass, and the 42mm model brings in white ceramic and gold accents to make an entrance. A scratch-resistant face allows it to be both durable and lightweight at the same time.

There was a time when a 46mm version felt oversized, and it may well still be overkill on smaller wrists. The difference today is that the large amount of data and tracking one wants instantly available on one screen brings the larger face into its own. The beauty of the device is that one can still integrate this into an elegant watch face, with the data lurking unobtrusively within the design.

The real proof of the success of this integration came with several people asking me, when I looked at the time, “Is that a smartwatch or the old kind of watch?” Which is another way of saying, this watch attracts attention and looks like an elegant watch. Huawei no longer needs permission to join the smartwatch game.

But that is not what gives this device its edge. Once you’ve used it for a while, it will dawn on you that you rarely have to charge it. I went on a 10-day trip to back-to-back conferences on different continents and forgot to pack the charger and held my breath every time I looked at the charge level. I needn’t have worried: on my return, it still had a few days in reserve.

Huawei claims up to 14 days of usage on the 46mm model and a solid 7 days on the 42mm. That said, I look forward to the day when smartwatches come with the same standard USB ports one now finds on phones.

The key area where the GT 5 Pro excels is in health monitoring, with the new TruSense system promising over 98% accuracy for heart rate monitoring during activities. 

However, its Emotional Wellbeing Assistant — a digital assistant for your emotions, which claims to track long-term stress patterns — is hit and miss. Firstly, I really don’t need a smartwatch to tell me how stressed I am. (Friends and family do that well enough when they tell me to relax.)  The “mood-tracking” panda also feels gimmicky and not always accurate amid hardcore health metrics.

That is quickly forgotten amid a vast array of fitness modes, from cycling and running to swimming and golf: everyone can get in on this game. An upgraded Golf Course Mode offers maps for over 345 golf courses across South Africa.

The Sunflower Positioning System makes sure routes are tracked accurately, and a directional guidance feature can be a lifesaver – and certainly a time-saver – for trail runners. A RouteDraw feature allows one to share routes straight to social media from the Huawei Health app, so the device even offers oversharing!

Water resistance is solid, with the GT 5 Pro capable of surviving up to 40 meters deep. I freely confess we did not test that claim.

Notifications for calls, texts, and social media updates are a given, and a built-in speaker and mic lets one take calls on the wrist. That is no longer a science fiction fantasy, and future wearables will be judged on this capacity. The GT 5 Pro pleads guilty to excellent sound quality and versatility in different settings.

Lack of SIM and LTE support means one is still be tied to a phone for full functionality, and the absence of third-party apps can make the experience feel limited. But for the price point and what it offers, the GT 5 Pro takes to the field with a game winner.

What does it cost?

Pricing for the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro starts at R4,999.

Why does it matter?

The GT 5 Pro represents Huawei’s continued push into the premium smartwatch market, blending advanced health tracking and fitness features with high-end materials and design. It showcases Huawei’s integration of AI-driven health insights, offering features like heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, and sleep analysis, alongside fitness coaching. With a long battery life, it is a versatile device for both fitness enthusiasts and those seeking an elegant smartwatch that can manage daily activities. The watch also emphasises outdoor sports tracking with robust durability.

What are the biggest negatives?

• No SIM or LTE capacity, meaning one is still reliant on one’s phone for calls.
• Large size may not suit everyone, especially those with smaller wrists.

What are the biggest positives?

• Outstanding battery life—no daily charging needed.
• Premium design and materials make it a stylish everyday companion.
• TruSense health tracking is accurate and comprehensive.

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on social media on @art2gee.