Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 review: Dive! Dive! Dive!
Huawei put the word "Ultimate" next to "Watch" two years ago, and now we have the sequel. How ultimate can a watch get? Read on to find out!
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Intro
Naming a smartwatch "Ultimate" is a bold statement, and to be fair, that's true about any gadget, not just smartwatches. Huawei doesn't have any issue with the moniker, so much so we now have a successor to the original Huawei Watch Ultimate.
Where do you go after going Ultimate? Apart from choosing the boring "Ultimate 2" name, Huawei made some interesting upgrades and refinements to its original top-of-the-line, rugged diving watch.
The second iteration of the Ultimate features the brightest display in the industry, a new side-mounted X-TAP sensor for much more accurate heart rate, ECG, and blood oxygen measurements, an upgraded satellite positioning system, and underwater sonar-based communication for divers.
As you've probably guessed from the title, it's a diver's watch, and even though it won't magically turn you into a submarine (Dive! Dive! Dive! is the submarine diving command procedure), it can take you to depths of 150 meters, which is pretty impressive. Let's also not forget the high-silicon 867 mAh battery that aims to give you 4.5 days away from the charger.
Some of these new features might seem like a gimmick, while others look quite useful, at least on paper. We're here to test them all out and give you the final verdict. How ultimate is the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, and does it deserve your hard-earned 899 euros?
Where do you go after going Ultimate? Apart from choosing the boring "Ultimate 2" name, Huawei made some interesting upgrades and refinements to its original top-of-the-line, rugged diving watch.
As you've probably guessed from the title, it's a diver's watch, and even though it won't magically turn you into a submarine (Dive! Dive! Dive! is the submarine diving command procedure), it can take you to depths of 150 meters, which is pretty impressive. Let's also not forget the high-silicon 867 mAh battery that aims to give you 4.5 days away from the charger.
What’s new:
- New hollowed design
- 1.5-inch AMOLED screen 3500 nits peak brightness
- X-TAP
- Sapphire glass
- Zirconium alloy with 3x harder coating
- New high-silicon battery (867 mAh)
- Upgraded Sunflower positioning system
- Pro-level diving
- All-new TruSense health monitoring system
- Underwater sonar-based communication
Table of Contents:
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Specs, Models and Prices
In terms of different variants and models, the situation is a little strange. There's only one model officially, but the two color options are slightly different in size. The Blue variant is smaller and the ceramic bezel is a bit more flashy in bright white and blue, while the black color option is a bit more understated but slightly bigger.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 comes with Wi-Fi and eSIM connectivity on board.
There's a slight variation in pricing too; the cheaper 899-euro version comes with a fluoroelastomer band, and if you want the titanium band version, you need to pay 100 euros more.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 comes with Wi-Fi and eSIM connectivity on board.
There's a slight variation in pricing too; the cheaper 899-euro version comes with a fluoroelastomer band, and if you want the titanium band version, you need to pay 100 euros more.
Here's a quick look at the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 specs:
| Specs | Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 |
|---|---|
| Models (Size, Weight, Prices) | 48.5 x 48.5 x 12.9 mm - Black 47.8 x 47.8 x 12.9 mm - Blue eSIM, 80.5 grams €899 €999 with titanium band |
| Processor, RAM, Storage | Undisclosed chip and RAM |
| Software | Harmony OS 5.1 |
| Display | 1.5 inches LTPO2 AMOLED, 3500 nits (peak) 466 x 466 pixels (~310 ppi density) |
| Battery and Charging | 867 mAh 4.5 days battery life (regular use) 3 days with AOD 12 days max Magnetic charger, 0-100% in 60 min |
| Sensors | Accelerometer gyro heart rate barometer compass SpO2 thermometer (body temperature) X-TAP Double band GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo/QZSS |
| Features | New design eSIM TruSense health monitoring Pro-level diving Sonar-based underwater communication Pro-level golf tracking Expedition mode Emotional wellbeing Arterial stiffness detection Temperature sensor NFC Wireless charging Sleep breathing awareness Terrain map Trail running Offline maps HRV tracking |
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Design, Sizes and Bands
Ultimate refinement
Overall, the watch looks and feels extremely sturdy and premium, especially the version with the titanium strap. People with smaller wrists might want to approach this with caution, as the watch is really quite big.
The rotating crown is very detailed, with the Huawei logo etched on the side and a nice red accent around the crown itself. It rotates smoothly, and there's nice haptic feedback as well. Unlike the GT6 Pro, we have two additional buttons on the Watch Ultimate 2, and both are kind of programmable.
The bottom right serves as a shortcut to three features/apps of your choice (e.g., call log, health check, workouts), and the top left can also be programmed to start dive mode, expedition, or golf or launch the compass, barometer, or flashlight.
The new X-TAP sensor sits between the crown and the right button. It's basically a second heart rate/SpO2 PPG sensor, and it works in tandem with the one on the bottom of the watch. You place your index finger on it, and the watch automatically launches a 60-second health check routine. More on this in the Software and Features section below.
The retail box of our unit featured the watch with its fluoroelastomer band, one extra-large band of the same material (for strapping the watch over a diving suit), an additional titanium band with some segments for length adjustment, the wireless charger, and paperwork.
The latching mechanism takes standard 22mm bands with quick-release pins but bear in mind that the lugs of the watch are quite distinct and not every replacement band would look good on it.
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Software & Features
Harmony 5?
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 runs on HarmonyOS version 5.1, which is a bit strange because the cheaper Watch GT6 Pro uses HarmonyOS 6.0. The watch pairs to your phone via the Huawei Health app and you can use it with both iOS and Android devices.
The interface of the watch would appear familiar to Huawei Watch GT users, but there are some refinements. The Settings menu is more elaborate, and certain features now have sliders. The Harmony ecosystem appears to be growing, albeit rather slowly. There are some quite interesting and also useful apps you can install directly from the AppGallery center on the watch.
These include a Google Calendar sync app, a Spotify control app, Navigation (G-Maps Viewer), a voice recorder, KeepStrong integration with your fitness app so you can follow a strength training plan on your wrist, and more. There are even some fun games you can play directly on the watch, including a version of Minesweeper, the popular Snake, along with Flappy Bird and the 2048 game.
The interface of the watch would appear familiar to Huawei Watch GT users, but there are some refinements. The Settings menu is more elaborate, and certain features now have sliders. The Harmony ecosystem appears to be growing, albeit rather slowly. There are some quite interesting and also useful apps you can install directly from the AppGallery center on the watch.
These include a Google Calendar sync app, a Spotify control app, Navigation (G-Maps Viewer), a voice recorder, KeepStrong integration with your fitness app so you can follow a strength training plan on your wrist, and more. There are even some fun games you can play directly on the watch, including a version of Minesweeper, the popular Snake, along with Flappy Bird and the 2048 game.
There are plenty of watch faces, most of them are paid, but the watch comes with a couple of decent ones preinstalled. The cards you get when swiping right are now more elaborate and contain more info; they combine different metrics and sensors.
One interesting addition is the gesture controls. The watch recognizes double tap with your thumb and index finger, as well as a slide (kind of a snap). You can train yourself to use those to pick up calls, turn off alarms, etc., but we find it not very reliable at this point.
There's a full-scale QWERTY keyboard called Celia (something to do with Huawei's virtual assistant, we think), and you can type in answers to chat messages from popular apps, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Viber.
There's a full-scale QWERTY keyboard called Celia (something to do with Huawei's virtual assistant, we think), and you can type in answers to chat messages from popular apps, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Viber.
Workout features
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 is a powerhouse when it comes to fitness tracking. The watch can track over 100 activities and, thanks to the wide array of sensors, offers comprehensive data after each training session.
We wouldn't recommend running with this watch, as it weighs 80 grams, but if you decide to, you absolutely can. The data you'll get includes your zones, heart rate, HRV, the revered VO2Max stat, and also some additional data such as vertical oscillation, stride length, average ground contact time, and average balance.
Unlike the Watch GT6 Pro, the Ultimate 2 lacks a Pro-cycling mode but makes up for it with the diving features. You can use the watch to free dive up to (or should we say down to) 150 meters depth. There's also technical dive tracking and the star of the diving show—underwater communication.
This allows two divers, both using Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 devices, to communicate with predefined messages underwater. This might not sound like much, but if you have a team of diving buddies, the feature might make things much more fun and also safe. It's a pretty niche feature, though.
Check out the short clip we made showcasing the Watch Ultimate 2 capabilities.
We wouldn't recommend running with this watch, as it weighs 80 grams, but if you decide to, you absolutely can. The data you'll get includes your zones, heart rate, HRV, the revered VO2Max stat, and also some additional data such as vertical oscillation, stride length, average ground contact time, and average balance.
Unlike the Watch GT6 Pro, the Ultimate 2 lacks a Pro-cycling mode but makes up for it with the diving features. You can use the watch to free dive up to (or should we say down to) 150 meters depth. There's also technical dive tracking and the star of the diving show—underwater communication.
Check out the short clip we made showcasing the Watch Ultimate 2 capabilities.
Golfers will also benefit from using the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, as there are dozens of golf courses with interactive features such as distance measurement, route suggestions, real-time swing analysis, animated swing demos, and more.
Sleep tracking
Sleep tracking works as you might expect, with different sleep stages based on your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and moving patterns during the night. You get the usual sleep score in the morning with deeper statistics on your phone, additional explanation about what each piece of data means, along with suggestions if improvements are needed.
The new HRV (heart rate variability) tracking in tandem with the SpO2 readings also helps detect breathing irregularities and conditions such as sleep apnea. During our time with the watch, it accurately detected the fall asleep times and wake-up times as well, but there might've been some discrepancies in the deep sleep results.
These watches rely on algorithms and can't give you reliable sleep stage statistics (you need medical-grade equipment for that), but overall you can track sleep patterns and optimize your sleep if necessary, as well as detect breathing irregularities and other sleep disturbances.
The new HRV (heart rate variability) tracking in tandem with the SpO2 readings also helps detect breathing irregularities and conditions such as sleep apnea. During our time with the watch, it accurately detected the fall asleep times and wake-up times as well, but there might've been some discrepancies in the deep sleep results.
These watches rely on algorithms and can't give you reliable sleep stage statistics (you need medical-grade equipment for that), but overall you can track sleep patterns and optimize your sleep if necessary, as well as detect breathing irregularities and other sleep disturbances.
Health features
Huawei upped its game with the new X-TAP system back on the Watch 5, and now the same side-mounted sensor is present on the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2. It's very clever, and if you put your index finger on it, the watch automatically initiates a health check.
It uses a new three-in-one sensor that combines ECG, PPG (photoplethysmography), and a pressure sensor to evaluate some key health metrics, such as HRV, SpO2, skin temperature, stress level, ECG, and arterial stiffness, and at the end the watch also prompts you to cough a few times to evaluate your respiratory health.
We think it's a great idea, and rather than launching different apps and features buried in the menus, you can just tap the side of the watch to get a health check. And according to Huawei, using those sensors in tandem with the one on the bottom, guarantees better accuracy.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 gets the new emotional wellbeing feature we've already seen on the GT6 Pro. It's an estimation based on algorithms and can vary but nevertheless a good overall indicator of your emotional state.
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Battery and Charging
High-silicon but high energy demands too
The battery inside the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 uses high-silicon technology. We bet it's Huawei's version of the silicon-carbon tech that's been coming from China recently, which is basically adding some silicon to the graphite anode to increase the capacity of the battery per certain volume.
This tech is quite impressive and has allowed for a rather lavish 867 mAh cell inside the Watch Ultimate 2. For comparison purposes, the first version of the watch (which is very similar in size) features a 510 mAh cell onboard—quite an upgrade!
Huawei cites 4.5 days of normal use but with the always-on feature turned off. We're big supporters of the AOD feature, especially on a smartwatch; after all, the primary function of the watch is to tell the time at a glance. With AOD enabled, Huawei says the Watch Ultimate 2 can go on for 3 full days before landing on a charger.
These claims were more or less corroborated by our testing. We used the watch with AOD enabled, every health metric set to the most frequent polling available, and did at least one GPS-tracked workout per day (for about an hour). We also used the watch to take and make calls, answer notifications, and even play some games.
All this gave us a solid 60 hours on a single charge, which is quite nice, if a bit short compared to the cited 3 days. You can double the longevity if you turn AOD off, but again, wearing a black circle on your wrist is no fun.
The included wireless charger fills the battery from zero to 100% in about one hour.
This tech is quite impressive and has allowed for a rather lavish 867 mAh cell inside the Watch Ultimate 2. For comparison purposes, the first version of the watch (which is very similar in size) features a 510 mAh cell onboard—quite an upgrade!
Huawei cites 4.5 days of normal use but with the always-on feature turned off. We're big supporters of the AOD feature, especially on a smartwatch; after all, the primary function of the watch is to tell the time at a glance. With AOD enabled, Huawei says the Watch Ultimate 2 can go on for 3 full days before landing on a charger.
All this gave us a solid 60 hours on a single charge, which is quite nice, if a bit short compared to the cited 3 days. You can double the longevity if you turn AOD off, but again, wearing a black circle on your wrist is no fun.
The included wireless charger fills the battery from zero to 100% in about one hour.
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Voice Calls and Haptics
There's a loudspeaker on the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, and it's quite a loud one. You can use it for calls, timers, alarms, or any app that makes sound. The mic is also very good; during our testing the other party always heard us loud and clear, as if we were using a phone's earpiece.
You can technically listen to music on your watch as well, but we recommend using a pair of earbuds for better results.
The haptic feedback is just great on the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2. You can hear the watch from miles away if it vibrates on a table, and it's almost like an electric masseuse on your wrist. There are three settings for the vibration—strong, weak, and off.
The haptic feedback is just great on the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2. You can hear the watch from miles away if it vibrates on a table, and it's almost like an electric masseuse on your wrist. There are three settings for the vibration—strong, weak, and off.
Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 Competitors
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 is clearly aiming at other watches with similar monikers in their names. We're talking about the Apple Watch Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. It's more expensive than both of these but also comes with unique features.
The health and fitness tracking is absolutely on par with the aforementioned watches, but the Galaxy Watch Ultra has the bioelectric impedance sensor up its sleeve and can estimate your body composition, while the Apple Watch Ultra can track your hypertension.
Where the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 excels is battery life and materials. The zirconium alloy is corrosion resistant, and you can dive in salty water with absolute peace of mind. It's also worth noting that the watch is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
Where the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 excels is battery life and materials. The zirconium alloy is corrosion resistant, and you can dive in salty water with absolute peace of mind. It's also worth noting that the watch is compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
Should you buy it?
The starting price of 899 euros for the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 makes this question a lot harder than it would've been if the watch was cheaper. But premium materials come at a cost. If you want a big, rugged, diving watch with a good battery life and the brightest display on the market, then get the Watch Ultimate 2 by all means.
For people who prefer smaller and more understated watches, the Huawei Watch GT6 Pro is a much better option, and it's also considerably cheaper, bringing most of the core features of the Ultimate 2 in a more compact package.
There are still some limitations in terms of apps, but compared to the previous model, you can directly install quite a few of them, including some fun games, so Huawei is definitely moving forward with this.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 is all about refinement with the added bonus of a couple really cool features and new battery tech. It's feature-packed, fun, and ready to replace your Apple Watch Ultra or Galaxy Watch Ultra if you're willing to pay a little extra.
For people who prefer smaller and more understated watches, the Huawei Watch GT6 Pro is a much better option, and it's also considerably cheaper, bringing most of the core features of the Ultimate 2 in a more compact package.
There are still some limitations in terms of apps, but compared to the previous model, you can directly install quite a few of them, including some fun games, so Huawei is definitely moving forward with this.
The Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 is all about refinement with the added bonus of a couple really cool features and new battery tech. It's feature-packed, fun, and ready to replace your Apple Watch Ultra or Galaxy Watch Ultra if you're willing to pay a little extra.
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