Huawei Watch Fit 3

RUNNEA attended a more than glamorous global presentation in Dubai of the new Huawei Watch Fit 3. A smartwatch that combines fashion, technology and sport at a more than competitive price. After more than three weeks of testing, we want to share with you our experience with this device which is sure to compete directly with watches like the Apple Watch SE.

The Huawei Watch Fit 3 is a smart watch that presents many new features compared to the previous version, a model that has become one of the most popular of the Chinese brand thanks to its great features, its long battery life and its excellent value for money.

Design of the Huawei Watch Fit 3

The Huawei Watch Fit 3 should be evaluated for its performance and features, but also for its design and build, firmly establishing itself as a worthy competitor to the Apple Watch SE. At first glance, the watch impresses with its massive resemblance to Apple's device. With a modern, minimalist aesthetic, it combines functionality with a sophisticated style that appeals to both fitness enthusiasts and those looking for a fashionable device.

Aesthetics and materials used

This smart watches features a square dial in a market that seemed to be returning to round watch faces. The ultra-thin 9.9 mm body improves its appearance over the previous version and contributes to greater comfort, especially noticeable when we use it in our training sessions. Despite its slim profile, the device feels robust and well-built, able to withstand daily wear and tear without compromising its sleek appearance.

The materials used in the construction of the Watch Fit 3 are top-notch. Users are going to be able to choose from several strap options, including:

• A fluoroelastomer one, which is ideal for exercise and outdoors activities due to its durability and sweat resistance ;
• Nylon jacquard weave, which offers a more textured and stylish touch.
• Leather, perfect for those who want to add a touch of elegance to their everyday attire.

The unit we tested at RUNNEA is precisely the latter. It is not the best version for sports (but the straps are interchangeable with a simple click system). However, its design is the most elegant.

Screen quality

The 1.82-inch AMOLED display is another area where this device really shines. It offers vibrant colors and deep blacks, and a visually appealing experience. This screen also boasts touch responsiveness that is comparable to other brands considered premium, making it easy to navigate menus and apps. With a maximum brightness of 1,500 nits, the screen is easily readable even in direct sunlight, a crucial aspect for a device that will be used both indoors and outdoors, if for example we use it for running.

Its biggest rival: Apple Watch SE

When we compare the design of the Huawei Watch Fit 3 with the Apple Watch SE, it is clear that Huawei has managed to match and, in some aspects, surpass their rival. While the Apple Watch SE's design is iconic and familiar, the Watch Fit 3 offers a very similar aesthetic. Including a roulette button and another flat button underneath just like Apple.

In addition, the diversity in customization options with regard to colors and materials puts the Watch Fit 3 in a very good position to compete head to head with Cupertino.

Performance and the features we liked the most

The Huawei Watch Fit 3 tries to leave the concept of smart bracelet and becomes a smart watch, standing out in performance and offering a suite of features that position it as a personal health and fitness assistant on the wrist. Throughout the three weeks of intensive testing, this smartwatch has proven to us its ability to keep up with an active and connected lifestyle.

Powerful and responsive

Equipped with Huawei's latest chipset, the Watch Fit 3 offers smooth and fast operability, allowing for a very simple and intuitive transition between apps and functions. Software optimization combines with hardware to ensure a lag-free user experience, even during the use of resource-intensive apps or when receiving real-time notifications.

Health and fitness capabilities

One of the highlights of this smart watch is its focus on health and fitness, with advanced features that go beyond steps and calories burned. HUAWEI TruSeen 5.5 technology offers continuous heart monitoring with really good accuracy. In addition, the implementation of the new HUAWEI TruSleep 4.0 system provides deeply detailed sleep analysis, including sleep phases, quality and personalized suggestions to improve your night's rest. All this through the HEALTH app that you will be able to download and install without any problem on both Android and IOS.

This Huawei device also stands out for its ability to monitor more than 100 different sports modes, ensuring that almost any activity can be recorded and analyzed. From water sports to yoga or high-intensity activities such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The device's GPS is fairly accurate for a watch of this price. Sufficient if you're not looking to measure every single track or run in detail.

Innovations in functionality

The device also introduces innovative functionalities that enrich the daily interaction with the device. For example, its integration with the HUAWEI Health app allows users to manage their health and fitness data more efficiently, offering visualizations and statistics that help set and track personalized health goals. In addition, the added "Activity Ring" feature (which Apple also has) in this version incentivizes users to stay active throughout the day.

User Experience

During these weeks of testing the Huawei Watch Fit 3, we have to admit that the RUNNEA TEAM user experience was enjoyable. The fluidity and intuitiveness of the interface, combined with the visual quality of its AMOLED screen and the tactile response, make the interaction with the device pleasant, easy to use and functional.

Highly intuitive interface

The user interface has been designed for clarity and ease of use. The menus are accessible and logically organized, allowing users to quickly find the functions they need without having to navigate through complicated menus.

The watch uses a combination of touches and gestures that are natural enough for the user. In addition, the addition of a function button and a rotating crown offers more tactile interaction, allowing for more precise navigation, especially useful in applications where scrolling through long lists or adjusting fine settings is necessary.

AMOLED display

The Watch Fit 3's 1.82-inch AMOLED display plays a major role in the user experience. With high resolution and vibrant colors, everything from reading messages to checking health stats is great. In addition, the display features high touch sensitivity, ensuring that every interaction is accurately recorded, minimizing accidental touches or delayed responses.

Watch customization

One of the most enjoyable features of the Huawei Watch Fit 3 is its high degree of customization. Users can choose from a wide range of watch faces, from modern digital options to more classic or artistic designs, allowing the watch to reflect their personal style or mood. This customization also extends to alerts and notifications, which can be adjusted to suit individual preferences, ensuring that the watch functions in a way that best complements the user's lifestyle.

smart watches comparison: Huawei Watch Fit 3 vs Apple Watch SE

If we talk about design, it is more than obvious that they look very similar. They offer sleek and modern designs. Huawei looks at Apple to try to reach that audience that perhaps pricewise can not or do not want to get to pay what the American brand wants.

Functionality

Both smartwatches are equipped with a wide range of health and activity tracking features. The Apple Watch SE has the advantage of integration with the Apple ecosystem, offering features such as Apple Pay and the ability to answer calls and messages directly from the watch. On the other hand, the Huawei Watch Fit 3 focuses more on advanced health tracking features, emphasizing the sleep monitoring and its management of training modes that even include a personalized training system and more than 100 sport modes.

Battery performance

One of the biggest advantages of the Huawei Watch Fit 3 over the Apple Watch SE is the battery life. While the Apple Watch SE needs to be charged daily, the Huawei offers up to 10 days of battery life on a single charge (without heavy use) and 7 days using workout features, for example.

In our tests the battery has hovered at around 6 days of battery life training 3 of the 6 days for 50 minutes with active GPS.

Price

Price is another crucial factor where the Huawei Watch Fit 3 takes the lead. The new Huawei device is launched on the market for 159€. Undoubtedly one of its strong points along with the battery. The starting price of the Apple Watch SE is 300€.

Areas of improvement

The Apple Watch SE will benefit from Apple's robust ecosystem, including integrated applications and services such as Apple Music and Siri. In comparison, the Huawei Watch Fit 3, while advanced in terms of hardware and health capabilities, still has room for improvement in integrating with popular services like Spotify and offering NFC options for payments, which would broaden its utility and appeal. It's also true that more apps are missed in its app store.

And you'll also find some functional differences depending on whether you're connecting to an iPhone or an Android.

The opinion of the RUNNEA experts: Are you looking for a functional watch for everyday life, elegant, lightweight, with functionalities for monitoring health, sleep and sport reliably? To keep you connected and if you don't want to spend too much money, no doubt the Huawei Watch Fit 3 is an excellent choice. Don't spend a euro more.