Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro review: The perfect all-rounder for fitness and health tracking
The lightweight 30.4g design makes the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro incredibly comfortable for 24/7 wear. Picture: Huawei.
If you prefer the rectangular smartwatch style over a traditional round watch, the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro feels like a natural alternative to the more expensive Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro. Yes, it bears more than a passing resemblance to the Apple Watch, but that familiar design also makes it practical, comfortable and easy to use day to day.
The Watch Fit 4 Pro was one of my favourite wearables from last year, and the Watch Fit 5 Pro offers noticeable improvements, especially in fit and materials. The watch is incredibly light at just 30.4g, which makes it easy to forget you are wearing it, even when I am tracking my sleep. The build quality remains high, with an aluminium body and a titanium alloy bezel that feels premium.
The watch is lightweight, which is crucial if you plan on wearing it for extended periods, particularly overnight. The watch’s slim, lightweight profile makes it remarkably unobtrusive, remaining virtually unnoticeable even after hours of continuous use.
The woven fabric straps are a major improvement; they are far more breathable than the straps on previous models I’ve used. I’ve put the watch through some muddy bits and washed the straps, and it handled it well.
There is a small button on the underside that lets you pop the band off in seconds. You can also opt for a silicone strap if you prefer something more traditional for the gym.
The screen is arguably the most significant upgrade. The sheer brightness is remarkable. With a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, the slightly larger 1.92-inch display remains legible even when I was tracking a ride on a bright, sunny day.
The use of 2.5D ceramic glass gives the screen a noticeable curvature, which makes viewing content from various angles much more comfortable and natural. Coupled with the high refresh rate, the interface (UI) feels fluid. There is no perceptible lag when scrolling through notifications or navigating menus. The ambient light sensor also works well, automatically adjusting the brightness so I am not blinded by the screen in a dark room.
When you look at the full health-monitoring package, the Watch Fit 5 Pro is seriously impressive. Key sensors include ECG monitoring, an arterial stiffness test, a skin temperature sensor, and integrated SpO2 tracking.
Perhaps the most compelling feature is the battery life. On light use, I get about 10 days of battery life. Even under the heavy load of continuous GPS tracking during my cycling routes, battery drain remains excellent, but it can drop as low as four to five days. If you’re coming from an Apple Watch, where at best, you might get two days, this is a major boost. For those who prioritise endurance, the Watch Fit 5 Pro is a standout performer, significantly outpacing many of its main competitors.
The cycling features, which I spent a significant amount of time testing, are particularly great. You can set up profiles for different types of bikes, from road, gravel, and mountain, and it provides metrics for each, including virtual power feedback. Although I am not a regular golfer, I was able to test the watch's golfing capabilities over a nine-hole round. It features over 17,000 golf courses worldwide, complete with detailed vector maps that help you navigate each hole with precision. After pre-downloading the course data, the watch tracked the session as a workout, allowing me to manage my score directly from my wrist – a much more seamless alternative to fumbling with a smartphone app.
It’s not just for serious training sessions. I have used the mini workout modes quite a bit when I have been stuck at my desk for too long. There are about 30 different lightweight sets that focus on things like neck stretches, shoulder circles, and ankle mobility. It’s a bit of a quirky feature, but there is a little panda on the screen that moves in sync with your exercises. Seeing the panda rotate its arms or move its legs along with me is a bit amusing and definitely makes those quick stretching breaks more enjoyable than just staring at a boring timer.
The smart features are also very useful. You can handle voice calls via the built-in speaker and microphone, and you can even reply to messages using a keyboard or quick replies. My only slight complaint is that the auto-pause feature for workouts can occasionally be a bit slow to resume once you start moving again, but it is a minor issue in an otherwise feature-rich package.
The sleep tracking has seen measurable improvements. The detailed insights, along with monitoring respiration rates and sleep stages, provide a comprehensive picture of my sleep health. It feels more accurate and holistic than previous iterations I’ve used.
From a utility standpoint, the operating system feels polished. The ability to customise watch faces and widgets allows you to tailor the display to what you need, whether it’s a quick glance at the weather or a deep dive into your bio-data.
While the lack of Google services means you cannot use Google Pay for NFC transactions, you can use the Curve Pay platform for contactless payments.
The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro successfully refines its previous strengths, introduces improved sensors, and maintains class-leading battery performance. This is a powerful, comfortable, and highly capable all-rounder for both Android and iOS users.
€300 Harvey Norman. From 7 May – 5 June, Harvey Norman customers (in-store and online) can choose a pair of FreeBuds SE4 for free (RRP €59.99) with their purchase. From 6 June – 2 July, customers can benefit from a €50 discount coupon for the Pro and a €40 discount coupon for the standard variant.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
