Depending on how you look at things, it’s either easier or harder to find a good smartwatch these days. Most of them share the same feature sets, perform similarly, and even look alike. The Huawei Watch 5 doesn’t necessarily break away from that mold, but it does do a few things right that make it stand out.
There’s improved native GPS performance, thanks to better eSIM support. It’s also more lifeproof with IP69 dust and water resistance and sapphire glass protection. Huawei also introduces X-Tap — a multi-sensing system that gives you a complete health glance in 60 seconds.
It’s impressive on paper, but what about in real life?
A smartwatch for non-smartwatch fans
I love the convenience and capabilities of smartwatches, but, often, my issue is that they look too sporty. There are a handful of non-smartwatch-looking smartwatches, but the Watch 5 has to be one of the prettiest, most well-executed designs I’ve seen in a while. And it’s built rather well, too.
The Huawei Watch 5 comes in two case sizes: 42mm in 904L stainless steel and 46mm in aerospace-grade titanium. Both have ceramic rear cases and sapphire crystal covering the screen, which protects them from scratches. I’ve had the chance to try both, and while the 46mm looked fantastic on Kevin’s wrist, the 42mm felt just right for mine.
Swapping out straps is also refreshingly easy, thanks to the updated quick-release pins. For casual days out, I’d opt for the classic leather strap, but if I want to add to elevate and refine my look, I’d reach for the steel strap.
Speaking of, the stainless steel strap — while gorgeous — can feel a bit heavy after a while. Not enough to cause pain or anything like that but enough for you to notice.
If you plan on wearing the Watch 5 overnight or during workouts, it’s worth investing in a lighter, more breathable strap. I also noticed that the Huawei Watch 5 leaves a bigger now and doesn’t sit as flush against the wrist compared to the previous generations.
Of course, there’s a multitude of watch faces; there’s one for every fit and style. The only downside (apart from some being paid) is that the more interesting or interactive ones tend to eat up battery life, so best keep that in mind if you prefer to charge less often.
Brilliant display
One of my favorite things about this smartwatch is its display. The Huawei Watch 5 ships with a sharp and vibrant AMOLED panel that reaches up to 3,000 nits of brightness.
I had no trouble reading it outdoors except when under direct sunlight. The issue during this time isn’t the watch’s brightness but its reflectiveness. It’s just too much, and you end up seeing yourself more than what’s on the watch. I’ve found myself creating a little hood with my palm at times just to see better..
As for screen size, both variants offer enough space to navigate. Granted, the 46mm variant’s 1.5-inch display gives you a little more room than the 42mm’s 1.38-inch, but both were comfortable to use in my opinion.
Navigation is smooooth. As a casual UI nerd, I really enjoyed the movement and animations and appreciate the subtle polish Huawei added to how things move and respond on screen.
It’s one of those small details that might not be noticed by everyone but it makes the watch feel a little more thought-out, more premium.
Back to the screen. As a smartwatch, it is very well utilized, so I’m happy to report that — apart from being bright and vibrant — responsiveness is another strong point.
Whether you’re tapping, swiping, or using the rotating crown, the Watch 5 reacts instantly. The crown isn’t just there for aesthetics and is functional. You can use it as a tactile way to scroll through menus, which I liked especially when I didn’t want to smudge the screen.
There is an always-on display mode, which I find useful for quick glances, though it does take a toll on battery life. Just something to keep in mind if you’re trying to extend usage.
X-Tap shows potential
An all-new feature, and something that the Watch 5 is focusing on, is X-Tap.
X-Tap is Huawei’s way of pulling several health-tracking capabilities into one seamless process. It’s activated by pressing and holding the watch’s side button for three seconds, which kicks off a short, guided sequence of health tests.
First, you’re asked to rest your fingertip on the crown for about 30 seconds, allowing the watch to capture metrics like heart rate and blood flow. After that, you’ll sit still while it measures skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and a few other indicators. The final step — though optional — is recording a short cough, which the watch analyzes (presumably via AI) to detect potential respiratory issues.
Once done, the Watch 5 compiles all of this data into what it calls Health Glance. It then uses that to generate HRV (Heart Rate Variability) analysis, offering insights into stress, recovery, and heart health. All in all, it pulls data from 11 different sensors to paint a bigger picture of your current well-being.
In real life, it works as advertised. The scan takes about a minute, and the results are clearly displayed. Everything is also logged, so if you’re the kind of person who likes to track health trends over time, it’s all there for you to review or expand on in the Huawei Health app.
The process is quick enough to insert into your daily routine, but the question is whether you will.
If you like tracking metrics, then it may be easier to fit into the routine. But for a regular ‘ol joe, this feature will probably be more of a “nice-to-have” than a “must-use”.
That said, what I find it does is that it trains you to track your metrics. There’s something about its accessibility that nudges you into using it. I found myself doing quick scans during idle moments — not necessarily because I needed to, but because it was easy and oddly satisfying to collect data.
Even if I don’t understand the findings right then and there, it at least has more data to work with over time.
But let’s not forget, despite the complexity of the technology, this is not a medical device and should not be treated as such. Results are complementary, at most, but never conclusive.
Built to be your daily smartwatch
All the basic smart features we’re used to getting are present — push notifications, quick replies, timers, flashlights, calendars, and more. All of them worked with no issue and little setup. The watch’s vibrations aren’t too intrusive, the speakers are adequately loud, and the mic is clear, according to the person on the end of the line.
Swipe up (or rotate the crown upward) to access notifications. Swipe down (or rotate the crown downward) to open the quick settings menu. Swiping right shows at-a-glance metrics and shortcuts, while swiping left brings up cards or widgets for various apps.
You can also take calls directly on the Huawei Watch 5. In the Philippines, we’re lucky enough to have NFC features like card access. I was able to transfer my work access card to the watch and successfully used it to clock in. GCash is also supported so that you can pay right from your wrist.
There are also smart gestures but I’ll admit it’s a bit gimmicky and still needs refinement because it often doesn’t work as it should.
Smart gestures allow you to navigate through the watch by sliding your thumb across your index finger — much like a silent snap. To confirm an action, you pinch your thumb and index finger together.
My one major gripe isn’t something new — it’s app access. Or rather, the lack of it.
For my essentials, like music controls and maps, there are alternatives. But if you’re after official apps like Spotify or anything from Google, you’re out of luck. I also couldn’t find a way to load apps outside of the Watch 5. The AppGallery used to be accessible through the Health app, but it’s no longer showing up on mine. Hopefully, a future update brings it back — or at least I’d like to think so.
For daily protection, the Huawei Watch 5 has a 5ATM rating, meaning it can withstand water pressure up to 50 meters deep, along with IP69 protection against dust and high-temperature water jets.
Huawei warns against use in hot showers/springs, soapy water, and dives greater than 40 meters. Certain straps are also not suited for water activities, so be sure to check which one is your fit.
Beyond the usual fitness features
The Huawei Watch 5 goes beyond the basics when it comes to fitness features.
As with a lot of other Huawei watches, you’re given a whole bunch of workout modes — more than 100 — and they vary from the usuals (running, cycling, swimming) to more specific modes like golf, fencing, and even e-sports.
I’m not much of a fitness girl, so my input is sparse on these features. But I did try out its GPS during casual walks around the city, and it was consistently accurate, even in areas with heavy interference. If you’re into running or cycling, you’ll be glad to know that Strava is supported natively on the watch.
On the wellness side of things, you’ve got assistive breathing and some mini-games.
Battery life
The Huawei Watch 5 claims up to 4.5 days of typical use for the 46mm variant and up to 3 days of typical use for the 42mm variant.
Unfortunately, the first review unit I had ended up with some charging issues, so I can’t completely confirm this. I did ask my fellow tech reviewers, though, and all of them praised the battery life of the Watch 5 — with some claiming they haven’t charged it for about a week and it was still going. Not surprising, considering Huawei’s solid track record with battery life on wearables.
I eventually got a replacement and have been wearing it for about two days (starting from 100%). Right now, it’s at 65%. I’ll update this article once I’ve used it longer, so feel free to check back for more accurate results.
The Huawei Watch 5 comes with a charging puck that offers 10W charging speeds. With it, you can get a full charge in about an hour and 10 minutes.
It does snap to the chargers from the Watch 4 and Watch 3, but charging is painfully slow. You’re better off sticking to the supplied one.
That said, I do think Huawei overlooked something with the puck-style charger. Because of the Watch 5’s design, it doesn’t lie flat when the straps are on — especially if you’re using the steel loop. You’ll end up with a wobbly, tilted setup that doesn’t look or feel very stable (or aesthetic).
One “hack” I did was to remove the straps while charging, but I honestly didn’t like having an extra step. Pity because this was never an issue with past devices.
Final thoughts
Huawei has proven that it knows how to design wearables. The Watch 5 is beautifully and durably built without sacrificing smart features, advanced health tech, or battery life. It lasts longer than most of its competition while delivering a rich suite of features for wellness, fitness, and health tracking.
The screen is vibrant, performance is snappy, and navigation is intuitive. And with easy-to-change straps, you can switch from fitness to fashion in a snap.
But it’s also held back by its software limitations. While the ecosystem is more open than ever, with full-feature support for Android and iOS, you might miss out on deeper app integration, cross-platform syncing, or even hands-free functions from voice assistants. If these are things you think you can live without, then the Huawei Watch 5 may deserve a spot on your wrist.
Pricing and availability
Huawei has officially rolled out the Watch 5 across Europe, with pricing for the 46mm models starting at €499.99 / £399.99, while the 42mm versions start at €449.99 / £399.99. There are a total of eight color and strap combinations available, ranging from sporty fluoroelastomer straps to premium titanium finishes.
In the Philippines, the Huawei Watch 5 is set to launch on June 20, 2025. According to sources, the stainless steel band may not be available locally.
