HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro 46mm review. Luxury smartwatch with advanced performance and functions

　I bought the flagship smart watch "HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro 46mm" released by Huawei in July Last year. The GT 3 Pro has a new 43mm model made of white nano-ceramic, but I chose the 46mm model, which is the classic design as usual.

　This is a change from HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Pro, which I used for about 2 years from the release date. I will do a comparison and review.

Index 

• 1 Unpacking and design
• 2 Operability and Function
• 3 HUAWEI Health app
  • 3.1 Setting items
• 4 dial (watch face)
• 5 HUAWEI AppGallery
• 6 Workout measurement
• 7 Battery life and charging
• 8 flaws
  • 8.1 No Alexa support
  • 8.2 About the Android version application
• 9 general comments

Unpacking/Design

　It was in a luxurious package. You can see the main body as soon as you open it. Comes with manual and charger.

　The GT series sells for its appearance like a luxury watch, and this time it's even more powerful. The angular design makes it easier to shine. Body color is slightly lighter.

　In addition, not only the Pro but also the HUAWEI WATCH 3 and GT 3 series have a rotating crown. This is also a factor in increasing the sense of luxury, and it is cool. Overall, I prefer the GT 3 Pro over the GT 2 Pro.

　The display is protected by a sapphire glass windshield and is extremely scratch resistant. In fact, the sapphire glass GT 2 Pro has been used for about two years and has been hit frequently against the corners of the desk, but it has not been scratched at all. With this, you don't need a protective film, etc., and you can use it without worrying about scratches.

　It looks like this when you actually wear it. The 46mm size is large, but it doesn't feel out of place even if you have a thin arm like the author.

The body and crown are made of titanium,　which is light and strong . The back is made of nano-ceramic and smooth, so it feels good on the skin and is easy to wipe off dirt. There is only a flagship model, and high-quality materials are used.

　The band (belt) can be selected from black for sports and gray for leather this time as well. I chose a leather band that is $23 more expensive. At the time of GT 2 Pro, a sports band was attached even with a leather band, but this time it was not.

　It's difficult to make a comparison because the leather deteriorates, but it's smoother than the GT 2 Pro, which had fine patterns, and the patterns are gone. After all, a leather band is recommended for such a luxury smartwatch. It fits very well.

　It also supports 22mm watch bands on the market, so your options are endless. When I bought a cheap metal band on Amazon, it was luxurious and matched the GT 3 Pro.

　There are also titanium band models overseas, and you can purchase the HUAWEI EasyFit 3 metal band (stainless steel) sold separately in Japan.

　The actual mass including the leather band is 65.8g. It's heavier than a casual smartwatch, but it's so light that you don't even notice it.

Operability・Function

　The display is 1.43 inch AMOLED. The resolution is as high as 466 x 466, and dots are not noticeable even at close range. Bright enough to be seen outdoors.

　It has HarmonyOS 2. Operation has been improved compared to LiteOS up to GT 2 Pro. The refresh rate is about 60Hz, and the animation is rich, so it's slimy. It follows your finger like a smartphone and works briskly.

　When the crown is pressed while the dial is displayed, the menu list will be displayed. The menu can be switched between grid view and list view. I like the grid view because it's easier to find if you memorize the icons.

　A rotating crown is also useful. It can be used to enlarge/reduce menu icons, scroll, adjust volume, and set timer time/alarm time. It's difficult to operate a narrow screen with your fingers, so it's very easy to physically turn it. The watch vibrates as it rotates. Also, with the crown, I didn't have to touch the screen too much, so I noticed that fingerprints didn't smudge.

　The bottom button is originally an ECG (electrocardiogram) button, but it is just a shortcut button because it is not open in Japan. You can set your favorite menu.

　24-hour health monitoring supports sleep (supports naps), heart rate, stress test, blood oxygen, and skin temperature. Even if you don't set anything in particular, it will measure and balance the battery life. There is also a function to warn you if you have been sitting for more than an hour.

　If you swipe from right to left on the dial, you can easily check your heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep time, etc. called "custom card". Swipe left to right to see weather, music controls, stopwatch running, and more. However, you cannot swipe custom cards with the rotating crown. As an evolution from GT 2 Pro, you can tap the screen of this custom card to launch its menu and check in more detail.

　Swipe up from the top of the dial to reveal the controls. You can ring your smartphone to find it, or keep the screen lit for a long time.

　Swipe from the bottom of the dial to display the notification list. When a notification arrives, it will notify you with vibration or sound (can be muted). Some apps, such as LINE and Twitter, also display icons. And it also supports emoji . However, in the case of Gmail, the subject is not displayed, and the sender and the beginning of the body are displayed. Sometimes I can't immediately understand what the email is about, so I would like you to improve it so that the subject line is displayed in the update.

　Although it is a small detail, the vibration of the HUAWEI WATCH series is strong and quiet . I have also used Amazfit and Mi Watch, but I was worried that people around me could hear it in a quiet place because of the loud vibration noise.

　When connected to an Android or HarmonyOS smartphone, you can reply with fixed phrases from the watch when SMS arrives. Emoji can also be selected, and fixed phrases can be edited in the app. However, I almost never use SMS, so I would like you to respond to LINE replies.　The remote shutter function, which was limited to Huawei smartphones in GT 2 Pro, is now available on other Android smartphones and iPhones. It's convenient when taking group photos, so I'm grateful.

HUAWEI Health App

　The app uses HUAWEI Health. It's very simple, easy to see, and easy to manage your device.　Health data is automatically synced and detailed with easy-to-read graphs. For iPhone, data can be synchronized with Apple Health.

set item

　You can make calls from the watch by registering contacts from the "Frequently Used Contacts" item.

　You can select apps to notify you. With Android and HarmonyOS, all apps can be set individually, but with iPhone, only some can be set individually.

　With Android/HarmonyOS, you can transfer and save songs on your device and play them on your watch's speaker. It is also possible to connect Bluetooth earphones to the watch. From the beginning, Huawei's familiar song "Dream It Possible" is included. You can also create playlists.

　With the iPhone, you can only control the songs playing on your phone, but this alone is useful enough. You can play/pause, skip forward/backward, and adjust the volume.

　There is also an item called "HUAWEI Wallet" and I am looking forward to touch payment, but it is not supported in Japan.

　Recently, a feature called “Healthcare Community” was added. You can share your healthcare data with family and friends. You can choose which data to share. It's been a feature on other smartwatches for several years, so I'm glad it's finally added.

dial (watch face)

　There are 14 default dials. The focus is on analog design. Perhaps thanks to HarmonyOS, the design is more luxurious than the GT 2 Pro, and I like many of them.

　And the HUAWEI WATCH series has an overwhelmingly rich variety of dials that can be downloaded . You can now purchase paid watch faces on your iPhone. It seems that it is sold for about 60 yen to 710 yen. Of course, there are so many free downloadable watch faces that you can't see the end no matter how much you scroll.

　You can save any number of dials on the watch itself and change them by long-pressing the dial. Some allow you to customize the items that are displayed. You can also set your favorite photo (even on iPhone).

　Always-on display is also evolving. The number of compatible dials has increased, and the decoration has become more luxurious. In addition, in the past, when the always-on display was turned on, the dial did not automatically light up even when the wrist was raised, but with GT 3 Pro, you can set it to automatically light up even with the always-on display.　The always-on display is a little tough on visibility in bright outdoors.

　I have one thing to worry about. At night, the constant display becomes fluorescent color, but it is also reflected on the normal dial.　Although he prefers the original display to the fluorescent color, there is no setting to turn off the fluorescent color. I hope it will be improved with an update.

HUAWEI AppGallery

　For Android/HarmonyOS, you can install the watch app from Huawei's own app store, AppGallery. Even so, the number is still small.

　With Huawei's own Petal Maps, directions appear on your watch when you initiate directions in the Petal Maps app on your phone. When a new guide comes out, it will notify you with a vibration.

　However, Petal Map has little registered facility information and is not suitable for everyday use. So, if you put "Navigation-G Maps" on both your watch and your smartphone, Google Maps route guidance will be displayed on your watch. This is convenient.
　Are calculators, TickTick (ToDo list), and Bicycle NAVITIME also practical? workout measurement

　It supports over 100 workout modes . Of course, since it has a built-in GPS, it is possible to exercise without using a smartphone.

　Golf mode is unique. You can record swing speed/tempo, backswing time, downswing time, etc.

　In addition, it supports IP68, 5ATM, and freediving up to 30m deep. Diving speed, depth, dive time, etc. can be displayed in real time. There is also a function to display an alert when diving is deeper or longer than the set depth / time.

　I actually measured indoor walking. In addition to displaying real-time heart rate, pace, distance, etc., you can also operate the smartphone's music playback control and metronome.　You can check the details in the app. Although hidden in the image, the route is displayed on the map. It is almost not deviated from the original path and is a clean line. I feel that the GPS accuracy is high.

Battery life/charging

　The long battery life is also an attraction of the HUAWEI WATCH GT series. It claims to last about 14 days with normal use . When I actually checked it, it decreased by about 7% in one day when using various monitoring ON, no exercise measurement, and constant display OFF. It is the nominal value.

　The dedicated charger has the cradle and cable integrated. The GT 2 Pro can be attached and detached with USB Type-C, and it was convenient to carry only the cradle and charge it from a computer etc. with a USB Type-C to C cable anywhere.

　The GT 3 Pro is an all-in-one type and is USB Type-A, so it cannot be charged with a computer or AC adapter that has only a USB Type-C port. It is a little inconvenient to carry when traveling.

　Compatible with standard Qi wireless chargers. It can also be charged by wireless reverse charging (power supply) of some Android smartphones.

Disadvantage

Not compatible with Alexa

　Although it has high performance and high functionality with HarmonyOS, it is inevitably inferior to smart watches made by other companies. There is no voice assistant .

　It has become commonplace for low-priced smart watches and smart bands to be equipped with Amazon's voice assistant "Alexa", but Huawei is not equipped. Since Amazon is an American company, it seems to be the effect of sanctions by the US government.

　If Alexa is installed, you should be able to manage IoT home appliances and perform simple searches with your voice, so it's not suitable for people who value that.

About the Android version app

　Again, probably due to sanctions, the latest features cannot be used in the Google Play Store version of the HUAWEI Health app. You need to install the apk file via the Huawei official website, HUAWEI AppGallery, or Play Store version app. Also, when using the AppGallery function, HMS and AppGallery also need apk installation. In doing so, you must allow the installation of apps from unknown sources in your settings.

　Operating a smartphone while the apk file can be installed poses a security risk. Be sure to set it back to "Do not allow" when the operation is complete.

　It is difficult to recommend a product that requires this operation to a smartphone beginner. If you have an iPhone, you can just install it from the AppStore.

　It is a pity that all of them have lowered the evaluation in places that are not directly related to the degree of perfection of the product.

Overall review

　I felt that the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro is a perfection that does not disappoint as the legitimate successor to the GT 2 Pro, which has become popular as a luxury smartwatch. Not only the design, but also the performance and functions have definitely evolved with HarmonyOS. It feels crisp and comfortable to use.

　Although the suggested retail price is high from $314, it has convenient functions such as notifications and health care and a long battery life, and on top of that, the design and texture set it apart from other smart watches . Perfect for those who want both watch quality and functionality.