Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro review: Years of evolution
The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is a product of years and years of evolution. It started as a stylish alternative to Huawei's GT lineup, but now is a proper flagship smartwatch.
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Intro
The Watch Fit lineup has come a long way. Back in 2020, when Huawei launched the first model, it was a plasticky, affordable-looking fitness tracker with the word “watch” in its name. Over the years, the company has steadily refined and upgraded this rectangular design, and now — six years later — the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro has evolved into a full-fledged smartwatch capable of taking on the biggest names in the industry.
Not only is this smartwatch stylish, lightweight, and comfortable, but it also features premium hardware appointments such as a sapphire glass display, ultra-thin bezels, a polymer-fiber composite back, titanium accents around the display, and an aluminum body. It also has a rotating crown with haptic feedback and a silicon-carbon battery that can last for days on a single charge.
In terms of health and fitness tracking, the watch offers a robust set of features, some of which, like arterial stiffness measurement, are exclusive to Huawei smartwatches. Add ECG measurements, sleep tracking, stress and emotional well-being monitoring, and a comprehensive range of supported exercises, and you get a very complete package.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is no exception. There’s no cellular version available, and third-party app support remains limited outside China. That said, the Watch Fit 5 Pro ticks a lot of boxes and does so in style.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is no exception. There’s no cellular version available, and third-party app support remains limited outside China. That said, the Watch Fit 5 Pro ticks a lot of boxes and does so in style.
Key features:
- New design with slimmer bezels (1.8mm x 1.8mm)
- 1.92-inch AMOLED screen, 3000 nits peak brightness, 83% screen-to-body ratio
- Sapphire glass, Titanium alloy bezel
- ECG readings, SpO2, Arterial stiffness detection, Temperature sensor, HRV tracking
- Pulse Wave Arrhythmia Analysis
- High altitude adaptation
- Mini workouts (on watch face)
- 40-meter free diving support
- Double band GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo/QZSS
- NFC
- Silicon-carbon battery, Wireless charging
- Sleep breathing awareness
Table of Contents:
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Specs, Models and Prices
In terms of different variants and models, there's only one variant of the Pro version (there's also a non-Pro model), and it's a Bluetooth-only device with no size options and no LTE or Wi-Fi connectivity.
Here's a quick look at the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro specs:
| Specs | Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro |
|---|---|
| Models (Size, Weight, Prices) | 44.5 x 40.8 x 9.5mm, 30.4 grams, Bluetooth only |
| Processor, RAM, Storage | Undisclosed chip and RAM |
| Software | Harmony OS |
| Battery and Charging | 471 mAh silicon-carbon battery 7 days battery life (regular use) 10 days max 4 days with always on display Magnetic charger, 0-100% in 60 min |
| Sensors | HR, blood oxygen, altimeter, ECG, Air pressure sensor Temperature sensor Double band GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo/QZSS |
| Software features | New design ECG readings Arterial stiffness detection Pulse wave arrhythmia detection Diabetes risk study Temperature readings NFC Wireless charging Sleep breathing awareness High altitude adaptation 40-meter freediving mode 100+ Workout Modes Mini workouts Terrain map Trail running Offline maps HRV tracking |
Huawei keeps on adding new features to the already quite potent Watch Fit lineup. Last year the company added ECG, arterial stiffness, and HRV measurements, normally reserved for the GT Pro series. This time around we have high-altitude adaptation, pulse wave arrhythmia detection (CE certified in Europe), a diabetes risk study, and a silicon-carbon battery for the first time in a Watch Fit device.
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Design, Sizes and Bands
Premium all around
The Watch Fit 5 Pro builds upon the design of its predecessor. Huawei has managed to shrink the bezels to just 1.8 mm and make them uniform around the larger 1.92-inch AMOLED display. The watch case is made of aviation-grade aluminum with a nanoceramic coating for added durability and improved scratch resistance.
A titanium alloy bezel surrounds the flat 2.5D screen, with subtle orange strips embedded to emphasize the watch's stylish look. Huawei calls this an "oil-filling design," and I can attest that it gives the device a premium feel.
The large 1.92-inch AMOLED display is undoubtedly the star of the show. It can get up to 3000 nits in direct sunlight and remains perfectly legible even in the brightest conditions. Even more impressive is the sapphire glass covering the screen, making it almost unscratchable.
A titanium alloy bezel surrounds the flat 2.5D screen, with subtle orange strips embedded to emphasize the watch's stylish look. Huawei calls this an "oil-filling design," and I can attest that it gives the device a premium feel.
The large 1.92-inch AMOLED display is undoubtedly the star of the show. It can get up to 3000 nits in direct sunlight and remains perfectly legible even in the brightest conditions. Even more impressive is the sapphire glass covering the screen, making it almost unscratchable.
The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro weighs just over 30 grams without the strap (the nylon band adds around 10 grams), making it very comfortable to wear. The band attaches via a proprietary mechanism with release buttons on the underside of the watch.
The system is similar to what you'd find on an Apple Watch, and many comparisons have been drawn between the two devices. However, I don't think these are entirely fair — there's no patent on rectangular watches, and the curves, rotating crown, and overall design are quite different between these two.
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Software & Features
Health and fitness oriented
The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro runs on Harmony OS version 6.1. You need to download the Huawei Health app to be able to connect the watch to your phone. This can be done by just scanning the QR code on the watch after powering it on for the first time. The app has an iOS and Android version, so you can connect the Watch Fit 5 Pro to iPhones and Android phones.
You can use AppGallerty to add third-party apps, but the selection is rather limited. There are a couple of useful ones, such as Petal Maps, Navigation (G-Maps Viewer), CurvePay (make use of the NFC chip for payments), a calculator, a Spotify control app, a Google Calendar and events sync app, and a couple of fitness and language learning apps, and that's pretty much it.
The interface is familiar and works very smoothly. Pressing the crown takes you to the menu, and you can choose list view or hex grid view. You can swipe left to access widgets and customize and add or remove them. Swiping right takes you to the Smart Assistant view, which aggregates data from different apps and widgets to give you a summary. You get health insights, calendar entries, the weather at a glance, and music controls.
There's a wide variety of watch faces, some of which are free and some you need to buy. You can set predefined answers to messages, use the watch to find your phone, set alarms and timers, control the camera of your phone, and use the watch to make calls (via Bluetooth).
Workout features
As a sports watch, the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is just great. The Fit 5 series supports over 100 sport modes, and also delivers professional-grade features for advanced outdoor sports – from popular ones such as running, cycling, golf, hiking, strength training, and swimming, to exotic ones such as ballet, laser tag, kite flying, hula hoop, archery, darts, and many, many more.
Huawei focused on a couple more widespread and popular activities. Running, for example, has its own running courses and plans, as well as important metrics such as VO2Max, asymmetry readings between your right and left foot, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, splits, average heart rate, average pace, and recovery time.
Huawei focused on a couple more widespread and popular activities. Running, for example, has its own running courses and plans, as well as important metrics such as VO2Max, asymmetry readings between your right and left foot, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, splits, average heart rate, average pace, and recovery time.
Cycling is also featured heavily on the watch with the ability to turn your smartphone into a bike computer. You also get professional metrics such as virtual power. The same attention has been paid to Golf enthusiasts - the watch monitors your backswing in real time, and there are 17,000 golf courses you can access.
Tennis mode is rather new, but if you play on a regular basis or you want to take on this dynamic sport, the Watch Fit 5 Pro can help with swing exercises, forehand vs backhand shot ratio data, swing analysis, and more.
There's a new addition in the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro called Mini Workouts. It's a set of easy-to-do exercises focusing on different muscle groups. You can access them straight from the Panda watch face and get to see the cute panda do them with you. It can be a useful tool to give your stiff shoulders or neck quick relief in the form of a couple of stretches.
Sleep tracking
Health tracking is powered by Huawei's TruSense technology, using the array of sensors on the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro. You get a detailed breakdown of your sleep duration across different stages — deep, light, and REM — along with an overall sleep score and personalized suggestions for improvement.
A new addition from the last generation is Sleep Breathing Awareness. This feature is designed to detect breathing irregularities and conditions such as sleep apnea. It analyzes metrics such as HRV (heart rate variability) and SpO2 levels to identify potential breathing disturbances and health problems during the night.
You need to wear the watch for a couple of nights to let it calibrate and start giving you adequate data and advices. That said, sleep tracking relies mostly on algorithms - there's no REM tracking devices on your face, or a breathing mask to track for sleep apnea.
Smartwatches generally can only give you an approximation and steer you in the right direction when it comes to healthy sleeping habits. Don't stress too much with this data.
Health features
The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro features a very robust set of health-tracking features. From the heart-rate monitoring to the ECG readings, arterial stiffness detection, and the new pulse wave arrhythmia tracking, the watch offers a deep dive into your heart health.
These features use the heart-rate scanner, the SpO₂ sensor, and electrical impulses sent through your upper cardiovascular ring (from the right index finger touching the button on the watch to the left hand in contact with the heart-rate sensor).
Overall, the more you wear the watch, the more accurate these algorithms will become, and some sensors are already quite on par with medical devices - such as the optical heart rate sensor and the SpO₂ sensor. Of course, the ECG results, along with the other heart-related metrics, are for reference only and shouldn't be used as a base for any diagnosis or treatment.
If there are reasons for concern in the metrics, you should contact your GP. But the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro can serve as an early diagnostic device for potential issues. This gives you additional piece of mind, and I found myself being more aware of my overall health while using the watch.
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Battery and Charging
Four days maxed out
Huawei introduced silicon-carbon batteries in its GT6 Pro lineup of smartwatches, and now the technology has trickled down to the Watch Fit series. The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro features a 471 mAh silicon-carbon cell inside, 14% more energy-dense than the previous generation. The capacity has also been improved by 18%.
Huawei says this watch can last 7 days of typical use and 10 days of light use, but these figures don't take into account the Always On display feature. I'm a huge fan of the AOD feature and think every smartwatch should have it on by default.
I tested the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro with the always-on display active at all times, with all the tracking set to the most frequent settings (real-time when possible). I used the watch as a Bluetooth headset, taking and making calls every day, and I made sure to record at least one GPS-enabled exercise each day.
This maxed-out-use scenario gave me around four days on a single charge, which is pretty decent. The wireless charging is very convenient — you can charge the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro from zero to full in a tad over an hour.
I tested the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro with the always-on display active at all times, with all the tracking set to the most frequent settings (real-time when possible). I used the watch as a Bluetooth headset, taking and making calls every day, and I made sure to record at least one GPS-enabled exercise each day.
This maxed-out-use scenario gave me around four days on a single charge, which is pretty decent. The wireless charging is very convenient — you can charge the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro from zero to full in a tad over an hour.
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Voice Calls and Haptics
Just like the previous generation, the Watch Fit 5 Pro comes equipped with a microphone and a loudspeaker. You can use the watch as a Bluetooth proxy for your phone, taking and making calls. And while talking to your wrist, Star Trek style, might be a bit awkward, this use case is absolutely valid.
The quality is very good, you can hear the other side clearly, and they can also hear you talking even in loud environments. This feature requires the watch to be connected to your phone, as there's no cellular connectivity, but it's a nice addition for the times when your phone is out of reach or your hands are full.
The haptic feedback on this watch is very solid. You can choose the level from three settings — strong, soft, and off. When set on strong, the vibration will definitely wake you up; no need for an audio alarm. Very nice option if you don't want to wake up your bed companion.
The haptic feedback on this watch is very solid. You can choose the level from three settings — strong, soft, and off. When set on strong, the vibration will definitely wake you up; no need for an audio alarm. Very nice option if you don't want to wake up your bed companion.
Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro Competitors
Apple Watch SE
The Watch Fit 5 Pro is a very versatile device. This puts it in a very competitive space, challenging sports and fitness watches, as well as more style-oriented everyday smartwatches.
The Apple Watch SE devices and base models of Galaxy Watches fall into the second category, while your Garmin running watches fit into the first. Apple smartwatches definitely offer a bit more in terms of app ecosystem and smart features, but it comes at the expense of battery life.
The same goes for Samsung Galaxy Watch models. They have cellular options and some interesting health metrics, such as the body composition measurement and the antioxidant index. If cellular connectivity and a rich smartwatch ecosystem are important to you, then you should consider the aforementioned Apple Watch and Galaxy Watch models.
In terms of sports and fitness tracking, I think the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is on par with similarly priced Garmin watches, and you don't sacrifice much opting for this model. On the other hand, you're getting a premium design, a gorgeous AMOLED screen, and some really cool health tracking features.
The Apple Watch SE devices and base models of Galaxy Watches fall into the second category, while your Garmin running watches fit into the first. Apple smartwatches definitely offer a bit more in terms of app ecosystem and smart features, but it comes at the expense of battery life.
In terms of sports and fitness tracking, I think the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is on par with similarly priced Garmin watches, and you don't sacrifice much opting for this model. On the other hand, you're getting a premium design, a gorgeous AMOLED screen, and some really cool health tracking features.
Should you buy it?
I can recommend the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro. It's a great all-rounder that covers a lot of bases. The design, build quality, and materials used are all top-notch. You get a big, bright, and crisp AMOLED display. Health and fitness tracking is very comprehensive with deep insights and metrics other watches don't have.
The silicon carbon battery inside lasts for days (up to four days with everything maxed out and using the watch quite extensively), and the wireless charging is very fast and convenient. There are some drawbacks, of course.
There's no cellular version of the Watch Fit 5 Pro, so you'll have to take your phone with you most of the times. The Harmony ecosystem is rather modest outside China, and the third-party apps are pretty limited. Finally, the NFC payment may not work in all regions around the world.
All in all, the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is a stylish, refined, and capable fitness and health smartwatch. The price tag now matches Apple and Samsung base models, which is completely understandable, given the premium materials and features. If you want a comfortable, stylish all-around smartwatch, the Watch Fit 5 Pro can be a great option.
The silicon carbon battery inside lasts for days (up to four days with everything maxed out and using the watch quite extensively), and the wireless charging is very fast and convenient. There are some drawbacks, of course.
All in all, the Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro is a stylish, refined, and capable fitness and health smartwatch. The price tag now matches Apple and Samsung base models, which is completely understandable, given the premium materials and features. If you want a comfortable, stylish all-around smartwatch, the Watch Fit 5 Pro can be a great option.
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