If you’re on the hunt for a sophisticated smartwatch that doubles as a health companion, the Huawei Watch 5 should be on your radar. Launched in spring 2025, this latest iteration brings a mix of style, durability, and advanced wellness features wrapped up in a polished package. With its modern curves and titanium options, it feels like Huawei really hit the gym and the boardroom at the same time.
Over the next few minutes, we’ll dive into how the Watch 5 stacks up in design, display quality, software, fitness tracking, and battery endurance. Spoiler alert: it isn’t perfect—but it brings enough to the table to make you pause before you swipe that card on your next wearable purchase.
Design and Display
From the moment you slip the Huawei Watch 5 on your wrist, its rounded, fluid lines stand out. Gone are the octagonal edges from the GT series; instead, you get a seamless blend of comfort and style. We tested the 46mm titanium variant with a leather-like strap that hides a soft silicone inner lining—perfect for sweat sessions and date nights alike.
The centerpiece is its vibrant AMOLED screen, protruding ever so slightly to create a dome-like effect. This curvature not only looks eye-catching but also ensures a nearly edge-to-edge visual experience. And with a sapphire glass overlay, you can rest easy knowing it can survive everyday knocks and scrapes without looking worse for wear.
Brightness is no afterthought here. The Watch 5 cranks up to 3,000 cd/m², which means under direct sunlight you’ll barely squint. Whether you’re running a morning trail or scrolling through notifications poolside, that screen remains crisp and clear.
Software and Interface
Powered by HarmonyOS 4.0, the user interface feels snappy and intuitive. Common gestures carry over from previous Huawei watches, so existing owners will settle in quickly. Plus, you can customize three shortcut apps on the lower button—finally letting you launch your top picks in a single tap.
However, the app ecosystem still feels the most limited piece of this puzzle. You’ll find the essential preloaded apps—fitness trackers, weather, alarms—but only a handful of third-party offerings. If you rely on niche apps or want a broad selection, this may leave you wanting more. On the bright side, voice and text replies work on Android devices, and you can even handle calls via an eSIM connection.
Health and Fitness Features
When it comes to wellness gear, Huawei left no stone unturned. The Watch 5 houses standard sensors for heart rate, SpO2 monitoring, sleep analysis, and stress tracking. But the real standout is the new X-Tap sensor tucked between the buttons on the right side of the case. This mini powerhouse combines PPG for optical readings and an ECG for electrical heart signals, offering you a nine-point “panorama health” snapshot.
This manual check kicks off a 30-second ECG, followed by SpO2 measurement, respiratory analysis via cough prompts, and even artery stiffness data. It’s not automatic like wrist-based readings, but the trade-off is a deeper, more precise look at your cardiovascular health.
GPS Precision
Equipped with a multi-GNSS chip supporting GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, and QZSS, the Huawei Watch 5 promises double-frequency tracking for accurate routes. In our urban and park runs, we noticed the Watch 5 sometimes strayed into buildings or exaggerated loops. While it’s generally reliable, it fell behind high-end sport watches in pinpoint accuracy.
Thankfully, you can load offline maps or GPX routes directly onto the watch. If you’re a trail runner or cyclist venturing off-grid, this feature can save you from wandering off the beaten path.
Heart Rate Accuracy
For real-time heart rate tracking, the Watch 5 relies on a refined optical sensor similar to the one in the GT 5 Pro. We pitted it against a Polar H10 chest strap across easy runs, intervals, and recovery periods. Impressively, Huawei’s wearable stayed within a couple of beats per minute of the chest strap—quickly matching peaks and dips with minimal lag.
This level of precision makes it a solid companion for both casual jogs and high-intensity interval training. If you’re keen on heart rate zones, this watch has your back.
Battery Life and Performance
Huawei claims up to 10 days of battery on the smaller model and 7 days on the larger, but with always-on display, continuous heart rate monitoring, daily SpO2 checks, and a couple of GPS sessions thrown in, expect around three days of real-world use. In our 46mm titanium unit, we dropped from 100% to empty in roughly 72 hours, including a 75-minute run.
That’s notably less than some Wear OS or rival Chinese watches, but still better than most Android-centric rivals. Plus, the power-saving mode is smart: it disables eSIM, Wi-Fi, and fancy gestures while keeping core tracking and the always-on display intact. A quick 1h20 on the magnetic dock brings you from zero to full, and you can even pop it on any Qi charger for convenience.
Final Thoughts
All in all, the Huawei Watch 5 blends eye-catching design, strong health features, and enough battery life to make it a compelling choice. Sure, the app ecosystem could use some growth, and the GPS isn’t flawless, but these quirks won’t deter most users who prioritize wellness and style.
If you’re invested in Huawei’s ecosystem—or simply want a premium smartwatch with advanced health insights and a killer screen—this Watch 5 is worth serious consideration. It strikes a good balance between looks, performance, and depth of features, all wrapped up in a modern, friendly package.
