HUAWEI always goes to great lengths for their wearables division. Watch GT 5 is the latest series that launches on the 19th of September 2024. It consists of the Standard version (both the 41 and 46mm) and the Pro version (available in 42 and 46mm). Today we are reviewing the beautiful GT 5 Pro in the Titanium Bracelet.

Specs

Design

The GT 5 Pro’s general aspect is very traditional, just the way I like it. It blends in well at a sporting event and your brother’s wedding. I believe this is part of the charm of the whole HUAWEI Watch line-up, because they do not look cheap or plasticky.

Watch GT 5 Pro has am aerospace grade Titanium alloy slightly octagonal case and the one I tested comes with the Titanium Bracelet. The use of this new material for the GT Pro line of watches instead of stainless steel like previously for the GT 4 model boosts durability, strength and is corrosion-resistant. Titanium is also lighter than stainless steel so that is also a bonus.

Watch GT 5 Pro’s screen is circular, 46.3 millimeters in diameter and it is flush with the Titanium case.

GT 5 Pro is compatible with any 22mm bracelet or strap, therefore you can further customize your watch by using any strap/bracelet you already own. Obviously it will not blend in seamlessly like the Titanium bracelet the watch comes with but if you are a fan of leather straps the 22mm size is the most common in all watches so you won’t have any trouble switching.

As I said before, the GT 5 Pro is very sturdy and well built. The Titanium Bracelet blends in perfectly with the watch and taking it apart is easy thanks to the Quick Release latches.

This years’ metal bracelet is more contoured to fit better around your wrist. It also looks better, if you ask me. Opening/Closing the bracelet is easy with the double latch system in the back. It is very sturdy and has a pleasant HUAWEI branding in the center.

I appreciate the latches present on half of the segments on the Titanium bracelet. Those allow you to adjust the bracelet without going to a watch specialist. They even give you more segments in the box, for those with bigger wrists.

It is important you fit it snug so the TruSense system is always in contact with your skin so the sensor readings are as accurate as possible.

On the back of the watch you notice the new sensor system, TruSense.

On the sides you notice some holes that house the speaker system and microphones.

There are 2 physical buttons on the HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro: a multifunction configurable button that is also an electrode and the Rotating Crown. On the GT 5 Pro the Rotating Crown has an extra red accent to set it apart.

HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro comes in the box with a dedicated magnetic wireless charger, 4 extra bracelet segments and manual.

HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro is light, weighing in about 53 grams without any strap, 81 grams with the Fluoroelastomer strap and 97 grams with the Titanium Bracelet.

The Blue Fluoroelastomer strap that you see in some photos does not come with the GT 5 Pro Titanium, or Classic version. It also has Quick Release for fast switching between bracelets.

It is sold separately but you can get it for much cheaper by checking the launch promos available locally on the HUAWEI Official Store.

Performance

Setup

Setting it up should be pretty straightforward. If you don’t already have HUAWEI Health app installed there is a QR code on the GT 5 Pro box that takes you to it. After that you scan for the wearable and it links in a minute. If you don’t have the box on hand the watch itself can display the QR code you need. Easy.

A few tips after pairing your new Watch GT 5 Pro to make your life easier.

• Scan for updates to install the latest HarmonyOS version
• Check the notifications menu to Enable/Disable watch notifications for exactly the apps you want
• Enable all the automatic/continuous monitoring you desire.
• Enable TruSleep and or Sleep Breathing Awareness
• Enable Always-ON Display (you can find it in Settings – Watch Faces – Always-ON Display) This setting will affect your battery life.

Screen

GT 5 Pro’s display is an 466 x 466 pixel AMOLED with 326 PPI. Image and color quality is very good and the watch faces you load are going to be very detailed. Overall menus and actions are fluid, responsive and without lag.

An AMOLED display usually means near perfect viewing angles, which is essential for a watch. Compared to last year’s GT 4 screen, this one has peak brightness of 1000 nits meaning it is going to be visible in the brightest environments.

HarmonyOS 5.0.0

One thing I was always missing while reviewing HUAWEI Wearables in the past has finally been added with HarmonyOS 5.0.0: SCREENSHOTS! Such a nice thing to have as a reviewer. Saves me the hassle of trying to take pictures of the watch screen, it being especially hard on models with shiny sapphire glass.

Moving along from the joy of screenshotting everything, another update for the new HarmonyOS 5 is a small color overhaul. Many of the apps are now more alive, brighter and more vibrant.

Notifications are now semi-transparent with your current watch face faded in the background. You can see below an example between the default watch face(blue) and a white one. It is subtle but pleasant.

Full Keyboard Input is another Quality of Life addition to the new HarmonyOS. Previously you could select between a modifiable (In HUAWEI Health) list of favorite replies. Now you can type letter by letter, use smileys, change language input or even use the microphone for text-to-speech (If you have a HUAWEI smartphone)

Watch Faces

HUAWEI’s whole watch face store/ecosystem is pretty diverse. You can download a whole lot of them either free or paid. The prices are generally small but they can reach up to 15 lei. There are so many that it is impossible not to find one you like and installing and switching between them is easy. Many of them are configurable as in have multiple display windows/information that can be switched, or are available in multiple colors. To do that you usually press and hold the screen to enter watch face switcher and click the option menu under the theme you want.

For those who like to be as efficient as possible with the battery your watch will tell you what power level each Watch Face so you know which one uses the most battery. Obviously the dynamic ones, like Blooming Brilliant which blooms as you progress to your activity goal, are the most power hungry.

Bonus points: You can even make your own watch face with a favorite image from your phone gallery. You can modify it’s color scheme and add a digital or analogue clock and 2 data sets, like battery% or BPM, SPo2 etc. Of course I had a little fun with it.

TruSense

The new sensor system on this generation of HUAWEI watches is called TruSense. It is meant to reduce the confusion created by all the previous naming scheme: TruSleep, TruSeen and all Tru systems now become TruSense.

Improvements that come with the new TruSense sensor system consist in:

• 12 channels for monitoring Sp02 Blood Oxygen (instead of 4 previously)
• New Glass Darkening technology that should prevent ambient light from tainting measurements.
• Multi-spacing Optical Path Architecture and Multi-Region Optical Path Design. Both of these should help out sensor accuracy. The visible change that I can see is that now you have 3 lasers that interact with your skin, instead of 1 previously.

Improvements over the last generation (GT 4)

• Better precision and reporting for running/cycling workouts.

Using the new SunFlower GPS antenna, HUAWEI managed to increase map positioning and reporting both in live maps (trail running and hiking) and generated maps after workouts. You can see an example below that even in a park run it is mostly on point on all the pathways. All the turns are smooth indicating less time between location pings.

The new TruSense system on the GT 5 Pro uses the Gyro and Accelerometer sensors to generate new data, like Ground Contact Time (The amount of time spent in contact with the ground for each foot) Left-Right Balance and Oscillation. These are all part of the new Running Form Analysis.

The amount of data reported after a Run Workout is quite impressive, as you can see in the example below, both on the watch and on the HUAWEI Health App, after it syncs with your phone. You can adjust segments to your desire, with the default value being 1KM.

Keep in mind that you can always save your last route for future runs, in case you liked it.

All of these graphs can be combined to your own desire, 3 at a time so you can spot mistakes or moments you can improve or just simply to brag to your friends. You can also create a video that traces your workout with comments, music and data for a story/reel.

• New Golf mode and Golf Course maps

A lot of attention was focused on Golf with this iteration of GT Watches. In Romania Golf isn’t extremely popular and there aren’t that many courses anyway. You will get on launch Bucharest Golf Club, with more to be added soon after like Transilvania Golf Club, SunGarden Golf&Spa Resort, Golf Club Paul Tomita, Theodora Golf Club etc.

People living abroad will have up to 15000 courses mapped to choose from with details included like Elevation, Distance to green and so on.

There is also a Practice Swing mode where you can refine your movement with aid from your GT 5 Pro.

• Better maps for trail running/hiking

With help from the new SunFlower GPS Antenna and new tracking software, Watch GT 5 Pro is going to be more precise in following a downloaded mountain trail. It is also going to detect when you veer off course and redirect you to origin.

The updated map system is now colored for different topography/terrain. There is also a night mode (automatic).

This is how the maps would look. I’ve taken this photo of the HUAWEI pre-launch presentation because at the moment of testing there were no maps available in Romania that I could screenshot.

• ECG

The electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) was not available in previous GT Watches, it being almost exclusive to the Watch Pro line. Generating an ECG requires finger contact with the electrode embedded in the function button. It will create your Sinus Rhythm graph and tell you if you have any abnormalities or A-fib.

• Sleep Tracking and Sleep Breathing Awareness

I actually found the titanium bracelet more comfortable to sleep with, mainly because it is leaner than the Fluoroelastomer one. It is heavier but if you sleep with one hand under the pillow like I do most nights you tend to prefer the slimmer version.

• IP69K Resistance and Free Diving mode

Watch GT 5 Pro is now more resistant to impacts, corrosion and water. it can be used up to 40 meters depth or 5 ATM. Each watch is treated with super-hard coating process to ensure peak hardness and wear resistance.

Free Diving mode can be activated for easier delivery of relevant information to you.

HUAWEI Health and the new Health+

• Benefits of Health+

Health+ is a new subscription introduced with the HUAWEI Health app update released at the same time as the GT 5 Pro. It is about 7.99 $, or 39.99 Lei per month. You get 3 months of Health+ with every new Watch GT 5 Pro.

• Premium Workouts and Courses, Yoga and Mindful Meditation

Included in Health+ are new training regiments, health plans or exercises, Premium Courses, Diet Plans, Meditation, Sleep Music, Yoga, Breathing Exercises etc. The list may not be final, more are to be added over time. Many of them are in Video Form, with qualified trainers. The app forbids me to screenshot the workout contents for obvious reasons but here are some screenshots of what was available before launch.

• You can also create a Smart Running Plan with AI

• Stay Fit Plan

Another benefit of Health+ is the new Stay Fit Plan where you set your goal and choose what areas of your body you would like to improve along with new target weight and the app will create for you a weekly schedule of exercises/workouts complete with breaks. Obviously I couldn’t test out the whole plan because mine was 8 weeks long and I only had the watch for 2 weeks before launch 😀 but it works by reminding you during workout days that you have to complete your assigned tasks and tracks them.

This plan also includes Diet Logs where you can input your calorie intake.

You can choose from predefined meals, pick recipes created by other users, input your own, or simply add direct calories consumed.

• Relaxing and Sleep Music

Health+ includes a collection of Sleep/Relaxing Music you can play for a configurable amount of time at night.

• Yoga, Mindfulness and Breathing Exercises

Sleep Tracking & Sleep Breathing Awareness

The upgraded sensor system has higher accuracy in detecting the correct type of sleep stage you are in and different sleep breathing problems like Sleep Apnea.

Once you are awake, Watch GT 5 Pro is going to sync up the data it’s collected over the night to you smartphone and give you a sleep score plus a summary of your sleep broken down into stages breathing and times awake. It will also provide you with explanations for various factors and results.

Trends

Using Watch GT 5 Pro for at least a week, day and night, you are going to have enough data to compile Health Trends. They include: Resting Heart Rate Trend, SpO2, Standing, Move, Stress, Steps, Exercise and Sleep Duration Trend.

Each Trend has detailed graphs for days/weeks/months and extra data, averages, means and detailed explanations. As soon as a Trend changes or registers an odd value you will be notified on the phone (If Notifications are Enabled) or you can see a message in the Trend menu in Health App.

Below you can see my registered Trends.

Effort Gamification

An interesting approach into workout/exercise motivation are little tricks/events that make people move. Included here items found in previous watches/versions of HUAWEI Health, items like badges, various encouragements or Discover activities.

Here you can also include the new RouteDraw app. RouteDraw shows you some designs and where you can try to create them by running a workout. These designs range from horoscope signs to birds and other things. This is a nice way to „trick” people into running/exercising.

There is also a configurable To-Do List in the bottom right corner.

Battery

HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro sports a very long battery life, the same as the previous GT Watches even thou the sensor system is more complicated. It can hold up to 14 days on one charge, with a more average 10 days in normal use, with a few workouts sprinkled here and there.

My own experience was exactly this. I charged the GT 5 Pro on September 6, in the morning and on the night of the 15th, 9 and a half days later, it still had 35% charge.

The 41/42mm version GT 5 Pro has a weaker battery capacity and can last about 7 days. That is because of size restrictions due to smaller case.

You can charge the GT 5 Pro wirelessly using a Qi compatible charger or reverse power sharing phone.

Connectivity

HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro can connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth, as long as it is running iOS 13/Android 8, to your Wi-Fi and also has NFC Payments in some countries (At the time of testing it wasn’t available in Romania).

You can answer calls on the GT 5 Pro via Bluetooth as long as the phone is in range. Pretty useful to talk while cooking or cleaning around the house. The call quality was good, even without holding your hand close to your mouth and the person on the other end of the line didn’t notice. It obviously would not work in a noisy environment.

eSIM is still exclusive to the Watch Pro line, therefore it is not on the GT 5 Pro.

Verdict

HUAWEI Watch GT 5 Pro is an improvement over an already solid line of smartwatches. Being already surprised by the battery and overall quality of the GT 4 last year, my initial thought was that differences were going to be marginal and the new features/sensor system is going to drain the battery life. HUAWEI not only improved the sensor system accuracy and Sunflower GPS, but added a lot of new stats to the running/cycling workouts, whole new Golf routines/courses, Health+ workouts that sync with the watch, made HarmonyOS more colorful enhanced by the AMOLED screen and somehow managed to keep the same impressive standard 10-14 days for 46mm and 7-ish days for the 41-42mm version.

The Pro Classic version in Titanium case with Titanium bracelet is very classy and fits easily into any outfit and location. It is my close-second favorite HUAWEI watch after the Space Edition Watch 4 Pro.

There is one last thing missing for me in the whole HUAWEI watch experience. Was happy they listened to many people requesting Watch Screenshots so I would love to request that we finally can view Images received in Social Media messaging (Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram) The screen can certainly handle it! 😀