Huawei Watch 2 Classic Android Wear Review
You read that right, Huawei’s new Watch 2 Classic smartwatch that runs Android Wear 2 and Nougat 7 is rated to last up to 25 days on a single charge. With exciting new technology from Huawei now available in the United States, it could be a game changer for those looking at a new smartwatch.
Disclosure: I am an International Huawei Key Opinion Leader. I have been sent the Watch 2 at no cost for review. I have not been compensated for the review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Photos are courtesy of Huawei.
Huawei Watch 2 Unboxing
- Huawei Watch 2 Features
- Runs Android Wear 2 and Nougat 7
- Comes with RunTastic App
- GPS for Run Tracking
- NFC for Android Pay
- Up to 25 Day Battery Life with Watch Mode
- Up to 2 Full Days Battery Life
- Integrated Ambient Light Sensor
Huawei’s newest wearable comes with a sportier design and is noticeably lighter than the Samsung S3 Frontier I reviewed. The Watch 2 classic looks simple with its black face and leather strap. A quality build and feel are much more important and this wearable gets good marks for both.
Huawei has built this smartwatch with a truly round 1.2” AMOLED screen with 390 x 390 resolution and a slightly oversized ceramic bezel. Despite its smaller looking screen made with Gorilla Glass, the bezel gives it a premium feel. The band feels comfortable with its rubber underside and leather top.
Huawei Watch 2 Classic Side View
I immediately noticed a unique design feature of the Watch 2 classic different than other larger smartwatches, no rotating bezel. After a few months of use, I found a rotating bezel on other watches loosened slightly. Score another point for Huawei’s design.
Another design element I found interesting were two crown buttons that do not rotate. Android Wear 2 offers a scrollable interface and is compatible with rotating crown hardware as evidence with those found on LG smartwatch devices. However, it looks like Huawei wanted to continue its sportier design by including buttons instead.
Using a finger to scroll through Android Wear 2 screens was easier than using Apple’s rotating crown on their Apple Watch. There has been a real effort by Google to reduce the amount of swipes needed to navigate around its various options.
International versions of the Watch 2 integrate 4G wireless. The model available to the US does not include 4G, although it does come with cavalcade of connectivity including; 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, NFC, GPS and GLONASS.
After I turned on the smartwatch for the first time, I connected it to my WiFi network. There were four Android Wear 2 updates to install. I liked that it did them in succession without making me wait a few days in between upgrades.
This wearable is geared towards a fitness user. To that, Huawei engineered the device to meet an IP68 rating for water-resistence, pre-installed the RunTastic app and the Fit feature can be enabled by depressing its second button.
The Fit feature enables multiple workouts for cycling, walking and running. To keep track of your workout, the Watch 2 classic has an optical heart rate sensor that can continuously check your heart rate. It makes good contact with the skin, which is important to get accurate readings. Those with wrist tattoos should test the heart rate sensor placement before working out.
Huawei Watch 2 Classic Call Incoming
A 420 mAh battery allows for about two days of use. If GPS tracking is enabled for multiple workouts, 10 hours of battery life is typical. Huawei has a nice battery low-drain trick up their sleeve.
So what about that 25 days of use you may ask? Watch Mode disables all of its connectivity and features except for a watch face and pedometer. This squeezes out every milliampere of power that drives a basic experience.
Going on long trips without the proper smartwatch charger does happen. At least now, Huawei’s Watch 2 classic wearable will be able to keep pace with a very active and adventurous lifestyle.
Rating: 4/5
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