Taking the Huawei Watch Fit 4 out of the box, I’m immediately impressed by its appearance. It feels premium, weighty in my hand (but not too heavy), and sparks to life with a bright display even in the sunshine.
Over four weeks, I took the watch for a spin on hikes, runs, bike rides, and more. I also wore it to bed and in the shower, diligently logging my sleep habits via the sensor and checking for waterproofing.
As woman&home‘s digital health editor, I’ve had my hands on plenty of the best fitness trackers over the years. Did this one make the cut? Absolutely, and here’s why…
Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro review
Specifications
- Size: 44.5 (H), 40 (W), 9.3 (D)mm.
- Weight: 42g
- Material: Sapphire glass and titanium with nylon or silicone watch strap
- In-built GPS: Yes
- Battery life: 10 days
- Waterproof: 5 ATM-rated water resistance
Available in four colours and two materials, you’ll likely find the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro in a design to suit you. While more rugged than alternatives like the Watch GT Pro 5 which comes with a sleek gold strap, it’s a sporty look that I love.
What’s the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro like to wear?
At 44mm in height and 40mm in width, the watch does feel larger on the wrist than others of a similar shape. There’s also no smaller option for those with smaller wrists like myself.
The display is made of sapphire glass, and the bezel is titanium, which gives the watch a premium feel. You can bet it’ll stay scratch-free in whatever activity you have in mind as well, with the sapphire glass screen and titanium bezel. At 42g without the strap, it did feel a little heavy when I put it on my wrist for the first time, no doubt due to these materials. I quickly got used to it, though, and none of the sizing details were a dealbreaker for me.
While I opted for this bright green colourway with a nylon strap, you can also buy the watch with silicone bands in black or blue, which are a little more low-key.
If you’re into swimming workouts, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro could be one for you. It’s water-resistant up to 50m, which makes it fine for anything up to recreational diving, and you can shower with it.
There’s no denying it looks like an Apple Watch Ultra. Apple doesn’t have a monopoly on this design (see the Garmin Venu Sq 2 or Fitbit Versa 4 for similar), but Huawei could have avoided comparison by ditching the home screen’s smart ring-style counter.
Side by side with the Apple Watch, however, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro fares very well, making it a suitable alternative for any Android users wanting the look, feel, and substance of the Ultra, or Apple users wanting a more budget-friendly buy. The Huawei Health app, which you need to view your data, works on Apple devices as well as Android devices.
What’s the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro like to use?
(Image credit: Grace Walsh)
Anyone who’s used a smartwatch before, especially an Apple Watch or a Samsung Galaxy Watch, will find the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro a breeze to use. It’s simple to navigate with the haptic crown, used for scrolling and returning to the home screen, and the side button, for almost anything else. It’s also touchscreen.
The Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro has over 100 workout modes, covering all the bases from trail running to rock climbing. All the data is easy to view during the workout, and you can flick in and out of the workout profile with a double-tap of the crown.
If you’re on the elliptical, rowing machine, running, or walking, the watch will autodetect and categorise your movement, even if you don’t pre-start a workout mode. I found this helped keep a more accurate tab on my workouts.
Gym-goers (and anyone looking to upgrade from the Fitbit Charge 6) will love the heart rate broadcasting feature. This allows you to stream your heart rate from your watch directly to compatible gym equipment (like a Concept2 rower).
(Image credit: Grace Walsh)
In the health department, I found accurate sleep and stress tracking features, including an emotional wellbeing monitor, skin temperature readings, and oxygen level readings. I checked in with these as and when I wanted to, but they weren’t a dealbreaker for me.
The insights into my sleep schedule were excellent and almost rivalled that of the Oura Ring 4, my favourite sleep tracker, with detailed data on my sleep stages, wakeful moments, and tips to sleep better in the future.
The Huawei Health app, where all the data is stored from your watch, is also worth shouting about. There’s normally so much faff involved in linking your smartwatch to an app, you wouldn’t dream of switching devices in and out on a whim. Not with this app. It’s very easy to add multiple devices to one account, so, in theory, you could have the sporty Watch Fit 4 Pro Monday to Thursday, and switch to the sleeker Watch GT 5 come the weekend.
The data and related insights are all easy to view, and you get a range of video workouts and challenges, with lots more available if you upgrade to the paid-for version of the app.
Does Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro have GPS?
If you’re a keen hiker or runner, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro is a winner. The watch features an updated version of the brand’s Sunflower GPS, which is dual-frequency and so more accurate than most.
When I went out for a run while testing the watch, I left my phone at home and didn’t have an issue with following a route, accuracy, or uploading the session back to the Huawei Health app on my return. I just wish I could have connected to Spotify to have my music as well.
Many cardio modes also feature offline contour maps in full colour. So, if you’re walking a trail, you can see your route (dips and hills included) before you head off, as well as on the road.
On a recent city break, I took the watch for a spin among dense high-rise buildings and found it stayed on track and accurate, with navigation alerts for when I inevitably went the wrong way and backtracking features to help me stay on the right path.
Is the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro worth buying?
Yes, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro is an excellent smartwatch and fitness tracker hybrid. Whether you’re just looking to get your 10,000 steps in, going to the gym regularly, or training for a marathon, this device has the tools and accurate data to support you.
While the design may be typically better suited to those with larger wrists and anyone looking for a chunkier design to their fitness tracker, it still feels premium and sleek on the wrist, which can be hard to come by.
Third-party apps are limited, compared to the likes of the Google Pixel Watch 3, and you don’t have an in-built payment system, but I’ve never used that on any of my other watches anyway. I had everything I needed to work on my fitness and help out with my day-to-day life, including timers, alarms, and text and call notifications.
At £249.99 RRP, it’s a great deal as well. Some features, like the offline maps, you’ll only find on devices at a much higher price point – like some of the best Garmin watches. While still an investment, this is one of the better smartwatches I’ve tried under £250.
What’s the difference between Watch Fit 4 and Watch Fit 4 Pro
For this review, I tested the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro, which is an elevated version of the Watch Fit 4. Both are available to buy, with positive and negative elements to each. Here, I’ve weighed up the differences to help you choose.
- Price: Above all, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 is cheaper than the Pro version, coming in at £149.99 RRP (vs £249.99 RRP). This puts it in the same price bracket as one of the best Fitbits.
- Technology: Secondly, the Watch Fit 4 Pro is kitted out with Huawei’s TruSense technology, which means the watch can monitor advanced health indicators like blood pressure and respiratory rate “across six of the human body’s major systems”. The regular model doesn’t have this.
- Design: The two look very similar, but the Watch Fit 4 is only available in white, black, grey, or purple colourways, whereas the Watch Fit 4 Pro comes in black, green, or blue colourways. Both have the option of a fabric or silicone strap.
- Weight: There’s only 3g~ in it, but the Watch Fit 4 is slightly lighter than the Pro (27g vs 30.4g).
- Durability: The Watch Fit 4 Pro has a sapphire glass display, which is “second only to diamond in hardness”. The regular model does not.
- Display: The Watch Fit 4 Pro boasts a screen brightness of 3000 nits, whereas the regular version has 2000 nits. I wouldn’t use this to make or break your decision on either one, though, as these are both very bright.
- Waterproofing: If you’re serious about your swimming or love to dive, then the Watch Fit 4 Pro is the one for you. It has a 5ATM water-resistance rating, which means it can deal with up to 50 meters of water pressure for 10 minutes. The Watch Fit 4 is water resistant in 50m of water, so it’s fine for recreational swimming and showering but nothing else.