Over the last 2-3 years, the market has been flooded with dozens of cheap smartwatches. However, many of these devices struggle with technical problems (slow system, “crazy” GPS) or lack of quite basic functions, such as a precise heart rate sensor.
Once in a while, however, you come across a “gem”, a smartwatch that surprises not only with a very good price, but also with great design, speed of operation and premium functions. Is Huawei Watch Fit 3 such a device? I decided to check it out.
First of all, I would like to add that the Chinese smartwatch replaced the Apple Watch 8 on my wrist, and I “forced” it to work with the iPhone. So the bar was set quite high. Did Watch Fit 3 emerge victorious from this test? Here are the 6 most important conclusions from several weeks of testing.
1) Great design, but too inspired by the Apple Watch
The design of Watch Fit 3 is definitely eye-catching. Here you will find, among others: aluminum frame and a large screen with rounded edges. The Huawei smartwatch looks like a premium device. The problem is that it is about a specific device, namely the Apple Watch. Apple hardware is referenced not only by the characteristic rectangular envelope, but also by the “crown”, i.e. the dial placed on the right edge to operate the watch, and even the system overlay with a grid of applications.
I’m not a fan of this kind of “inspiration”. On the other hand, I can’t help but notice that in the past we have had plenty of devices that tried to imitate the design of the Apple Watch – usually with poor results. Watch Fit 3 also copies, but does it well. In fact, I would venture to say that in some respects this device looks better than its “inspirer”.
In addition to the above-mentioned crown, there is also an additional button on the right edge of the device that allows us to immediately start the selected training. The Huawei watch is equipped with a loudspeaker and a microphone (allows you to make phone calls in hands-free mode. It is also worth mentioning the water resistance, specifically the 5 ATM standard, which allows the watch to be submerged to a depth of up to 50 meters for 10 minutes.
As for the available straps, we can choose from a standard fluoroelastomer strap, a gray nylon strap (available only in the silver version) and a leather strap (available in a variant with a gold body, which is PLN 100 more expensive).
2) Large display with phenomenal brightness
The Huawei watch is equipped with a 1.82-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 × 408, which translates into a pixel density of 347 PPI. As befits an organic panel, Fit 3 offers deep black, infinite contrast and very good color reproduction.
What distinguishes this device from other watches of a similar price range (or even higher) is a very high maximum brightness of up to 1,500 nits. For comparison, the Apple Watch 8 I’m currently using has a maximum luminance of 1,000 nits.
Watch Fit 3 has a built-in sensor that automatically adjusts the screen brightness to current conditions. Of course, we can also set the brightness ourselves, but to the detriment of the battery. There is also an AoD (always on screen) function. Interestingly, we cannot turn it on permanently, but for a maximum of 20 minutes. I realize that this is another way to extend battery life. However, this is also a limitation that is worth mentioning.
3) Full set of sensors and features for athletes
Huawei Watch Fit 3 is equipped with, among others: with an optical heart rate sensor (located at the bottom of the watch), ambient light sensor, built-in GPS and Bluetooth 5.2 module, as well as a 9-axis sensor that combines an accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer.
When it comes to available functions, we can find here, among others: monitoring sleep, heart rate, blood oxygenation and stress. There are also over 100 sports modes, including cycling, swimming in the pool, skipping rope, tennis, aerobics, CrossFit, boxing and roller skating. Running enthusiasts will be happy to know that the Huawei watch allows automatic synchronization of training with the Strava or Adidas Running applications.
4) HarmonyOS has a lot of advantages and a few limitations
Watch Fit 3 runs on HarmonyOS. Its advantages include, among others: speed and smooth operation, as well as great personalization possibilities. We have plenty of dials and widgets to choose from. The previously mentioned knob or crown allows for easy and intuitive navigation through individual UI elements.
Watch Fit 3 works without any major problems with both Android and iOS smartphones, but owners of the latter must take into account certain limitations. This includes, among others: o inability to control music or reply to messages from the watch.
Other limitations of HarmonyOS include the lack of support for Spotify and other popular music streaming platforms such as Deezer, Tidal and Apple Music. It is also surprising that although the watch has a built-in microphone, it does not have a voice recorder application.
While the above shortcomings were not particularly bothersome for me, the lack of NFC and contactless payment functions turned out to be a much bigger problem. I must admit that I use Apple Pay very often on Apple Watch – e.g. when I go for a run and I don’t take my iPhone with me. We will not pay for water in the store with a Huawei watch, which may be a factor that disqualifies this device for some users.
6) Battery life is impressive
One of the biggest positive surprises after a few weeks spent with Huawei Watch Fit 3 is undoubtedly the battery life. Let’s start with the fact that the Apple Watch 8, which I use every day, usually has trouble surviving 24 hours without a charger.
In this respect, Huawei equipment destroys the Apple Watch. With less intensive use, the watch can operate on battery for up to 7-8 days. If we often use the training functions, GPS and AoD, this time is shortened to about 3-4 days, which is still a phenomenal result.
The watch can be charged from 0 to 100 percent in about an hour. Unfortunately, the device does not support wireless charging technology. The battery can only be refilled using the dedicated charger, which is included in the watch box.
7) It’s hard to find a better smartwatch at this price
Huawei Watch Fit 3 was priced at PLN 599. At this price, you will be hard-pressed to find a better watch for sports and everyday use. Here you will find an excellent quality AMOLED display, an intuitive operating system, a durable battery, a precise GPS module, a number of training modes, and a set of sensors. The biggest drawback of this device is the lack of NFC and certain system limitations that mainly iPhone users will have to struggle with.
I wrote that it is difficult to find a watch with comparable capabilities and at such an attractive price, but this does not mean that it is impossible. If you are looking for a good alternative to Huawei equipment, it is undoubtedly Xiaomi Watch S3, which is also priced at PLN 599.
Source: Gazeta
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
