Huawei Watch GT 5 smartwatch review: Fashion meets fitness – Times of India

3/5
Expanding its product portfolio in India, Huawei recently launched Huawei GT 5 smartwatch in the country. The smartwatch comes in two variants: a 46mm edition for men offered in three colour options—Blue, Brown and Black—and a 41mm edition for women available in five distinct colours—White, Brown, Blue, Gold, and Black. We have been using the Huawei Watch GT 5 41mm Gold Edition for females. Priced at Rs 21,999, the smartwatch features a striking golden metallic strap and a stainless steel case.
If you’re in the market for a smartwatch and are wondering whether the Huawei Watch GT 5 Gold Edition is a good fit, then here’s our review. Read on

Huawei Watch GT 5 design and display

Huawei Watch GT 5 is a refined mix of classic aesthetics and modern smartwatch functionality. The unit we received for review was the 41mm Gold edition for women. The smartwatch’s golden metallic strap provides a luxurious look that feels as fitting for formal events as it does for everyday wear. The watch sits comfortably on your wrist, even for long hours.
The Watch GT 5 has a circular-shaped dial with stainless steel (golden colour) casing. On the right side, the GT5 sports a crown above a secondary functional button. The two buttons are spaced thoughtfully to avoid accidental presses. The sensors and charging port are on the back of the dial.

Dominating the front of the Huawei Watch GT 5 is the 1.43-inch AMOLED screen. With a resolution of 466 × 466 pixels and 352 PPI, it produces sharp, vibrant visuals. Brightness levels on the smartwatch are impressive, offering good outdoor visibility in most conditions. We usually kept the brightness levels to around 50% only and did not face any difficulty using the smartwatch outdoors. The screen registers very minimal fingerprints, which helps keep it looking sleek without constant upkeep.
The raise-to-wake feature responds reliably, displaying the time and notifications with a simple flick of the wrist. It’s especially useful if you prefer not to enable the always-on display on the Huawei Watch GT 5 but still want quick access to the time whenever you check the watch.

Huawei Watch GT 5 Performance

The Huawei Watch GT 5 offers an impressive suite of performance, health, and workout-tracking features. Powered by Huawei’s HarmonyOS, the smartwatch is compatible with both Android and iPhone via the Harmony app. However, the watch has some limitations for iOS users, such as restricted app installations and limited notification replies.

Nevertheless, the Watch GT 5 introduces a full QWERTY keyboard for typing quick replies, adding convenience for on-the-go responses. The smartwatch also allows you to capture screenshots by pressing both physical buttons, a handy feature for sharing metrics or notifications. The smartwatch also boasts of a microphone and a speaker, thus you can answer calls using it and even play music.
Workout Tracking
The GT 5 caters to a wide range of workouts, covering everything from running and swimming to hiking and rowing. Additional options in the “Custom” section allow for even more diverse tracking, including activities like strength training, eSports, etc. You can get quick access to the workout tracking by simply pressing the secondary functional button placed below the crown on the left. Equipped with a speaker, the watch can also talk back to you.

For example, everytime you start a new workout, the smartwatch will automatically notify you saying “Workout Started”. You can press the crown button to pause the workout and the watch will now read out “Workout Paused”. Small features like this make the wearable more interactive.
Health and Wellness Tracking
Health features on the Watch GT 5 are enhanced by Huawei’s TruSense system, featuring improved sensor placement and components for accurate heart rate and SpO2 monitoring. The dual-frequency GPS also ensures precise tracking of routes for activities like running and cycling. In our testing, the heart rate monitoring was highly responsive, accurately tracking both cardio and strength sessions.

Sleep and Respiratory Tracking
The GT 5 offers comprehensive sleep tracking that includes automatic sleep mode engagement, capturing essential metrics. With the new Sleep Breathing Awareness feature, the watch now categorizes breathing interruptions during sleep into four levels—normal, low, moderate, and high. It can also provide insights into respiratory health.
Additional Health Features
The GT 5 also includes stress tracking, skin temperature monitoring, and female cycle tracking, though it lacks the ECG and arterial stiffness features of the Pro version. Through the Huawei Health app, users can also access premium (paid) features like fitness courses, meditation guides, and personalized wellness plans, adding even more functionality to the smartwatch.

Huawei Watch GT 5 Battery

One area where the Huawei Watch GT 5 truly shines is the battery life. The company claims up to 7 day battery life for maximum usage, 5-day battery life for regular usage, 3-day battery life with Always On Display enabled. During our testing, we kept features like 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking turned on, and occasional GPS use for workouts. The watch easily lasted 5 days on a single charge for us. Even with more intensive use, including regular Bluetooth calls and maxed-out brightness, you can expect up to 3 days between charges.
Charging is a breeze with the GT5’s wireless USB-A charger, featuring a circular magnetic design that easily aligns without the hassle of pin positioning.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 21,999, Huawei Watch GT 5 Gold Edition is a stylish, well-crafted smartwatch that balances premium aesthetics with practical functionality. Its golden metallic strap and stainless steel casing bring a luxurious feel, while ensuring comfort throughout the day. The AMOLED display delivers vibrant visuals with excellent brightness, even under direct sunlight, and the responsive raise-to-wake feature makes checking the time seamless.
With support for a diverse range of workouts, improved heart rate monitoring, and accurate GPS, it’s designed to cater to a wide variety of users—from casual fitness enthusiasts to those with more advanced training goals. Battery life is a major highlight of the Huawei Watch GT 5. It is a well-rounded smartwatch choice that combines both fashion and function seamlessly.