Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro review: A smartwatch stunner

Update: When I originally reviewed the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro, the smartwatch’s medical-grade ECG tracker was not available to users in Europe. However, as of 6 September 2022, the C-certified app is now available in 33 European countries, including the UK. This allows users to take electrocardiogram readings by holding their finger against the bottom button on the side of the watch, as with the arterial stiffness detection app.

Detecting irregular heart rhythms early can help alert you to potential health risks. However, it’s important to point out that Huawei’s smartwatch is not a medical device and, as such, should not be used as a replacement for professional medical diagnosis, treatment or research. For more information on Huawei’s ECG app, see the brand’s website.

Our original review continues below

The Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro is the latest in the Chinese brands ever-growing list of wearable tech, superseding 2021’s Watch GT 3.

Our favourite Huawei smartwatch to date has been the GT Runner, to which we gave a four-star review. The GT 3 Pro fairly matches the Runner’s impressive selection of fitness tracking features, even improving in some areas, in a package that looks altogether far more attractive. In fact, as far as aesthetics go, I think it’s Huawei’s nicest looking smartwatch so far.

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Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro review: What do you get for the money?

The Watch GT 3 Pro is available in two sizes: a 46mm model finished in titanium (with a 1.43in AMOLED screen) and a 43mm ceramic version (which has a 1.32in AMOLED screen). Both models come with a choice of strap styles. The former starts at £300 with a black silicone or grey leather strap, rising to £430 when fitted with a titanium link strap. The 43mm ceramic model is more expensive, starting at £430 with a white leather strap and rising to £500 with a matching ceramic link strap.

Compared with previous generations, there aren’t an awful lot of new features to report on. There’s all the health and fitness tracking features we’ve come to expect from Huawei’s line of wearables, including 24/7 heart rate monitoring, SpO2, stress and sleep tracking, plus plenty of sports modes, from running and cycling to snowboarding and triathlon. With the launch of the Watch GT 3 Pro, Huawei introduces new golf and free diving modes (the watch supports depths of up to 30m).

Other new features include Bluetooth calling, allowing you to take and carry out a conversation on the watch, NFC and a medical-grade ECG tracker, however the latter two features aren’t immediately available for European customers (more on this below).

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Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro review: What does it do well?

We were impressed with the GT Runner’s fitness tracking features, and we were suitably pleased again here. Using the same Truseen 5.0+ optical sensor as the Watch GT 3 and GT Runner, heart rate monitoring proved impressively accurate.

Across a series of runs and cycles, I tested both the 46mm titanium model and the 43mm ceramic Watch GT 3 Pro against a chest band (the MyZone MZ-Switch), and average heart rate results were very similar for the most part, deviating by 1.08% on average across nine workouts. There was a noticeable lag between the watch and the chest belt, which you’ll need to take into account during heart rate based interval training workouts, but that’s no different from most wearables we’ve tested.

Distance measured by the watch’s GPS was also spot on. Compared against a mix of the Garmin Fenix 7X’s GPS for rides and a Stryd running pod for runs we saw an average deviation of 0.54% across a total distance of 139.7km. Another impressive result.

For those who appreciate the convenience of taking calls from the wrist, the Watch GT 3 Pro’s new Bluetooth calling feature is a welcome addition and it works well, whether or not you have a Huawei smartphone, a factor that hinders some of the watch’s other features.

When it comes to battery life, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro matches previous generations with up to 14 days of juice on the 46mm model and seven days on the 43mm variant. Although sports watches from the likes of Garmin and Coros beat this, Huawei still comes out on top if you compare it with rival smartwatches from Apple and Samsung.

Another thing we’ve been consistently impressed with when it comes to Huawei watches has been the design. Both models of the Watch GT 3 Pro feel well-made and look fantastic, from the hardware design to the crisp AMOLED display, which matches the 466 x 466 resolution of its predecessor. Huawei’s focus on fashion with the release of the new watches has paid off and, while I’ve always had a personal aversion to white watches, I was almost won over by the white ceramic model with its gold detailing around the bezel and the crown.

As for price, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro isn’t exactly cheap, and it’s a rather significant step up from its predecessor, which launched at £230. That said, you do get a degree of choice when it comes to how much you pay: depending on which model/strap combination you choose, you could pay as little as £300 (46mm titanium watch with a leather or silicone strap) or as much as £500 (43mm ceramic watch with a ceramic link strap). At the lower end, that’s cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 7 and still competitively priced at the top end.

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Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro review: What could be improved?

As solid as the hardware of the Watch GT 3 Pro is, there are a few drawbacks when it comes to software. The GPS, while accurate, can take a while before locking onto a signal, meaning I was sometimes left waiting a while before I was able to start tracking my workouts. That’s fine in the summer but you don’t want to be hanging around waiting for a GPS lock when the temperature is approaching zero degrees.

As I’ve hinted at already in this review, there are some limitations for European customers: one new feature of the watch is an ECG sensor that has been officially approved by medical bodies in China but remains unavailable elsewhere. Non-Chinese users will also be unable to access the watch’s NFC for contactless payments.

There are some additional irritations for those without Huawei phones. For instance, you can’t use the watch’s AI voice assistant, or the remote shutter function for taking photos with other Android handsets and iPhones. And if you want to access maps and sat nav features, you’ll have to download Huawei’s App Gallery to your phone before downloading Petal Maps.

Sync with third-party health platforms is limited, too. The only official app is Huawei Health, with various third-party apps available to download via the Huawei App Gallery, including workout and nutrition apps. Being limited to Huawei Health isn’t ideal, and although it is possible to sync this to other apps such as Strava and Google Fit via the third-party Huawei Health Sync app, that’s not a solution I’d be comfortable relying upon. You are able, however, to sync Huawei Health with Adidas’ partnered app, Runtastic.

Another, albeit very minor, qualm I had about the watch comes down to the fit of the 43mm model’s ceramic link strap. Out of the box it was too big for my wrist and would slip off and while it is possible to adjust the strap by removing links, I was then left with the inverse issue of the watch feeling slightly too tight. For reference, I have quite thin wrists, and if you’re concerned about this potential fit problem, I’d recommend opting for the leather strap instead which should have a bit more give.

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Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro review: Should I buy it?

Ultimately, what lets the Watch GT 3 Pro down are the same issues that hinder many Huawei wearables. Software limitations and lack of connectivity prevent this from being an easy recommendation. It might cost more, but if you’ve got an iPhone, you’re ultimately better off with an Apple Watch Series 7.

Nevertheless, the Huawei Watch GT 3 Pro has a lot of other things going for it: it offers a whole range of workout modes, its health and fitness tracking features are impressive and its battery life even more so. Not to mention that it’s perhaps one of the nicest looking smartwatches the brand has made.

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