SPOT.ph Roadtest: A Smartwatch That Doubles as a Stylish Accessory

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(SPOT.ph) When it comes to watches, there are two types of people: those who stick to traditional ones and those who prefer smartwatches with all the bells and whistles. Smartwatches have now become so common, perhaps owing to our dependency on smart devices, that wearing them no matter the occasion is the norm—black-tie events included. Sure, the bulky device may look a little odd at times, but what if we told you that there's a smartwatch out there that you wouldn't look out of place with any attire? And yes, don't worry, it does more than track your steps.  We recently took the 41mm version of the Huawei Watch GT 4 on a road test, and here's what we think.

Also read: Buying a Smartwatch? Here Are the Most Important Features to Consider

Here are our thoughts on the Huawei Watch GT 4:

First and foremost, I'm not a smartwatch virgin and if we're being honest, I'm the type that relies on my personal smartwatch a little too much to the point of wearing one while I sleep. In short, this review was done by someone who barely took it off.

What's in the box?

Similar to most tech these days, the smartwatch comes in a box with the device in center stage. It comes with the standard manual and warranty packets and a wireless charger that runs on USB-A. Sadly, there are no plugs that come with the box, but hey, you've probably got a ton of those anyway. 

The watch itself has a circumference of 41mm with a stainless steel casing, giving it a more premium feel. This particular model comes with a sleek leather strap in white but is interchangeable with other straps that can be purchased in Huawei stores. It has a manageable weight—not too heavy, nor too light—and sits comfortably on my wrist. 

In terms of setting up the device, it can be quite confusing at first (admittedly, I forgot the password to my Huawei account) but once I got the hang of it, it's pretty much smooth sailing. You also need to download the Huawei Health app which can be found on both Google Play and the App Store.

What are the key features?

As someone who loves incorporating gadgets into my day-to-day life, there were a couple of features that easily became my favorite. Take, for example, the ability to track my sleep pattern. The Huawei Watch GT4 has the updated Huawei TruSleep™ 3.0 which has the capability to determine the duration of each of my sleep stages—from light sleep, deep sleep, and even REM stage. It can even record when you snore or sleep talk, a feature that surprised me the first night I used it. Don't worry, you can turn it off (like I did) if it creeps you out. 

It also has the capability to determine if you have sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that causes repeated lapses in breathing during sleep. Thankfully, I didn't have it. 

While I'm not exactly the type to work out, it's nice to have a feature like heart rate monitoring. The watch can even alert me in case it thinks I have an irregular heartbeat. Any time it thought I had an irregular heartbeat, it notified me by pinging on the watch as well as having a pop-up notification on my phone. 

It also has a stress level monitor. If we're being honest, I felt like I should have used this feature more often, but the few times I did, it told me that I had a relatively low stress score (though it sure didn't feel like it).

How's the battery life?

I slept with the watch on, and I'm constantly on the go (which means like my phone, the watch never stops notifying me of the one million things that happen in my life) so that should kill the battery quickly, right? Wrong. When I heard that the smartwatch was supposed to have a battery life of up to seven days, I was kind of skeptical. All my previous smartwatches, including the personal one I currently use, can only survive at most 20 hours before I need to charge them. 

While it may not reach seven days, my time with the Huawei Watch GT 4 gave me roughly four to five days, six if I push it to the limit, of use. I'd typically charge it on a Sunday and use it throughout the week. From my observation, the watch takes an average of six to 10 percent of battery each day, and that's with the Always On function turned off—a personal preference of mine. It might take more if you're the type to want your watch face always readily accessible. 

How can you style the smartwatch?

As an editor who regularly goes to events, I needed to wear an accessory that easily goes with whatever theme or dress code is required of me. Being able to use the smartwatch with the white leather strap is a godsend since I didn't want to find another watch to pair with whatever look is required. A lazy, or efficient, move, depending on perspective.

Going with a more fashion-forward approach, I was able to seamlessly blend the smartwatch into my sweater and skirt combo that I typically wear during outside meetings, a fancy skirt and top moment for the dressier events, and even my go-to weekend 'fit which consists of a linen dress. Sadly, there was no opportunity for me to wear the smartwatch to a formal event, but I'm pretty sure the stainless steel duo-tone version of the watch would look nice with a gown.

The verdict on whether or not a smartwatch can be a stylish accessory

If you had asked me the same question four to five years ago, I would've probably said no. Smartwatches used to be chunky, very tech-looking, and to be honest, a little bit ugly. Not exactly something that you'd want to use outside of the gym.

However, after getting my hands on this particular model, my view on how a smartwatch can affect your look has changed. Huawei has managed to find the sweet spot of having a wearable device look premium (it kind of looks like a real watch at this point, TBH), pack it with a ton of nifty features, all the while keeping it at a conservative price of P13,999—a price that while not exactly cheap, stands on the lower end of the spectrum given the other flagship smartwatches out in the market. Still, it's up to you whether you're splurging on this smartwatch the moment your 13th month pay comes out. If you were to ask us, we say, you deserve it.

The Huawei Watch GT 4 has a starting price of P12,999 and is available for pre-order on Lazada, Shopee, and Huawei stores nationwide.

Links are updated regularly and as much as possible but note that products can run out of stock, discounts can expire and listed prices can change without prior notice.

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