Huawei has officially announced the Huawei Watch 5 as its flagship smartwatch alongside the more budget-friendly Fit 4 and Fit 4 Pro activity tracker, smartwatch hybrids.
The Watch 5 arrives in two different sizes, optional titanium casing and a new ‘X-Tap’ sensor while the Fit 4 series offers a very Apple Watch and Watch Ultra-esque styling.
To better rival the likes of Apple, Samsung Galaxy Watch and Google Pixel Watch, Huawei now offers the Watch 5 in either 42- or 46mm sizes.
The 42mm version comes in four different looks with all featuring a stainless steel case. The 46mm model also comes in four colours and including a titanium option if you’re willing to splash out.
All models feature a new generation of the LTPO display technology Huawei has moved to in recent years, which now includes a curvier sapphire glass to offer strong protection against scratches.
New sizes aside, the headline news is the introduction of Huawei’s new X-Tap sensor, which can be found on the side of the watch case and is comprised of pressure, ECG and PPG sensors. This new sensor promises more accurate health tracking, including taking blood oxygen readings from your finger to mimic using a traditional pulse oximeter.
Mike Sawh
The Watch 5 runs on the latest version of Huawei’s HarmonyOS with eSIM support in tow for that more untethered experience. There’s also access to the AppGallery app storefront and you can now make use of new gesture controls that lets you snooze alarms, handle calls or adjust music playback by sliding or double-tapping your fingers.
Elsewhere, you’re getting access to over 100 sports modes with improved GPS tracking for water sports. Huawei also includes dual-band GPS to boost outdoor tracking accuracy when using near tall buildings and in deeply wooded areas.
Battery life on the Watch 5 will depend on case size with the 46mm version offering up to 4.5 days with typical usage, which is up from 3 days on the Watch 4. You’ll get up to 3 days with the 42mm model with both versions offering a smart battery mode that switches to a less power-hungry battery saver mode when you’re getting low.
This enables the watch to last 7-11 days for each size respectively.
Apple Watches or Fit 4?
Huawei
Alongside the Watch 5, Huawei also announced the Watch Fit 4 and a new Watch Fit 4 Pro, with a design and feature set that’s clearly aimed at the Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
The Fit 4 comes in black, grey, purple and white colours while the Pro is available in green, blue or black. All Fit models are waterproof to 50 metres with the Pro additionally offering a design that’s suitable for recreational diving up to 40 metres depth.
There’s a 1.82-inch AMOLED display on all of the Fit 4 series watches, with the non-pro Fit 4 surrounding that touchscreen with aluminium and the Pro with titanium. The Pro’s display brightness maxes out at 3,000 nits compared to 2,000 nits on the Fit 4.
Features-wise, you’re getting watches with built-in GPS and it’s the latest dual-band GPS technology also offered on the pricier Watch 5. Both offer air pressure sensors and enhanced GPS tracking for water sports like surfing and rowing.
Huawei
These are watches that offer the best that Huawei has to offer in sleep tracking, too, with the Pro additionally offering the ability to track heart rate variability to offer richer stress insights.
HarmonyOS runs the software show, giving you access to the AppGallery storefront via the app, a built-in music player and you can make use of an AI voice assistant when paired to a Huawei smartphone.
The big feature gains you make by going Pro are the inclusion of an ECG sensor, richer golf and dive tracking, plus enhanced mapping navigation support for activities like trail running.
Battery life across the Fit series is the same, giving up to 7 days in regular use and 10 days when using the battery saver mode.
The Huawei Watch 5 goes on sale from today with UK pricing starting at £399 and going up to £599 depending on model size and case material. Meanwhile, the Fit 4 is priced at £149 with the Fit 4 Pro coming in at £249.
As usual, Huawei hasn’t revealed US pricing or whether you can expect to easily get hold of the Watch 5 and new Fit 4 series Stateside.
See our list of the best smartwatches and best budget smartwatches to see our top picks.
