Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro

The Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro is the premium model of Huawei's GT 5 smartwatch family, offered in two sizes with different materials: a 46 mm watch with a titanium alloy front case and a 42 mm watch in nanocrystal ceramic. It combines AMOLED screens, an ECG sensor, a long battery life, 5 ATM plus IP69K protection and free-dive support to 40 metres with a wide set of sport and health features. This review is based on the published specifications and manufacturer information from Huawei's specification pages and the Huawei Hong Kong product page, so Huawei's statements and lab figures are marked as claims and are not independent measurements.

Where the GT 5 Pro fits in Huawei's lineup

Huawei's GT line is the brand's fitness-and-style watch series. Within the GT 5 generation, the Pro is the version with titanium and ceramic cases and sensors such as ECG and a depth sensor, and it is listed separately from the standard Huawei Watch GT 5. The series has moved on since: the Huawei Watch GT 6 and the Huawei Watch GT 7 Pro followed it. The page GT 5 Pro versus GT 6 shows the published differences, and GT 5 Pro versus Garmin Forerunner 970 is a useful look across brands. The rankings page places it among all tracked watches.

Design, sizes and materials

The 46 mm model measures 46.3 x 46.3 x 10.9 mm and weighs about 53 g without the strap. Its front case is titanium alloy and its rear case is nanocrystal ceramic. It is offered with a black fluoroelastomer strap or a titanium strap and fits wrists from 140 to 210 mm. The 42 mm model measures 42.49 x 42.49 x 9.6 mm and weighs about 44 g without the strap; both its front and rear cases are nanocrystal ceramic. It comes with a white fluoroelastomer strap or a white ceramic strap and fits wrists from 120 to 190 mm (130 to 190 mm with the ceramic white strap). Huawei says the ceramic 42 mm watch is 0.9 mm thinner and 14.5% lighter than the previous generation, a comparison with an earlier Huawei model.

Huawei's imagery shows a polygonal case shape, a rotating crown with a red ring on the 46 mm watch, and a red-and-blue bezel ring on the titanium version. Controls are a rotating crown that also acts as the home button, plus a side button. The 42 mm model has a gold-tone bezel and a crown with a faceted gold finish. Huawei says there are 13 new watch faces, from fashionable to sporty, and a quick-release design that lets you change or adjust the ceramic strap.

Display

The 46 mm watch has a 1.43-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 466 x 466 pixels (326 ppi), and the 42 mm watch has a 1.32-inch AMOLED screen with the same 466 x 466 resolution (352 ppi). The pages we reviewed do not publish brightness or refresh-rate numbers, so we do not quote any. Because the smaller watch packs the same pixel count into a smaller panel, it has the sharper screen density, though both are sharp enough that you will hardly notice individual pixels at wrist distance. Always-on display is available and is covered in the battery figures below.

Sport features

Huawei lists more than 100 workout modes. Among the highlights it names are a golf mode with a database of more than 15,000 courses and a 3D fairway view with green and bunker information, trail running with segment navigation and off-route alerts, RouteDraw creative route shapes, running form analysis that measures values such as ground contact time balance and vertical oscillation, and a cycling mode that can use the watch and phone as a bike computer and pair with a power meter for cycling power. For divers, the watch supports free diving to 40 metres under the EN13319 standard, with a floating timer, water type recognition, safety alerts and breath-hold training, according to Huawei. As a caution, Huawei is explicit that the watch should not be worn for scuba or technical dives, in hot showers, saunas or in contact with soapy water.

For positioning, the watch uses dual-band GNSS, with L1 covering GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS and QZSS and L5 covering GPS, Galileo, BDS and QZSS. Huawei markets this as its Sunflower positioning system and says the 46 mm version received an "Excellent" positioning performance rating from the TL certification centre; this is a certification quoted by Huawei, and the practical accuracy depends on environment and conditions. An Activity Rings 2.0 feature lets you set daily goals for walking, exercise and standing, and a Stay Fit app helps log meals and calorie balance.

Health tracking

The sensor list includes an optical heart rate sensor, an ECG sensor, a temperature sensor, a depth sensor, a barometer, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer and an ambient light sensor. The ECG function is started by holding the side electrode for 30 seconds, and Huawei says it can help screen for common heart conditions, and points to a list of supported countries; it is not a diagnostic device. Other health functions include pulse wave arrhythmia analysis aimed at flagging possible atrial fibrillation, sleep monitoring with abnormal-breathing detection, and predictions for periods, ovulation and fertile windows. The watch also has an emotional wellbeing assistant that uses the HUAWEI TruSense system and shows a panda character whose expression changes with your mood. Huawei claims the GT 5 series is the first watch with a dynamic heart-rate accuracy certification from SGS Switzerland, which is a statement of a certification and not a guarantee for every user. As with every wrist-worn sensor, readings are for wellness purposes, and the availability of ECG and other health apps depends on the country.

Battery and charging

Huawei gives battery life by size and by usage pattern. The 46 mm watch lasts up to 14 days at maximum usage, up to 9 days with regular usage and up to 5 days with always-on display. The 42 mm watch lasts up to 7 days at maximum usage, up to 5 days with regular usage and up to 3 days with always-on display. These figures come from Huawei lab tests with described usage habits, for example Bluetooth calling for 30 minutes per week, heart-rate monitoring always on and a given number of notifications, and real endurance will differ, in particular if you use GPS workouts often. Charging is wireless with a charging cradle that requires a 5V to 9V power source at 2A.

Smart features and compatibility

The watch has a speaker and microphone for Bluetooth calls and NFC. Bluetooth 5.2 (BR and BLE) connects to Android 9.0 or later and iOS 13.0 or later. Huawei says some features and their availability vary by region, so confirm that the features you want are supported on your phone and in your country before you buy.

Who it is for

The GT 5 Pro suits people who want a stylish watch with multi-day battery life, solid outdoor sport features and health tracking in a titanium or ceramic body. The 46 mm titanium version is for those who like a larger watch and the longest battery life, while the 42 mm ceramic version suits smaller wrists and a more jewellery-like look.

Compromises

• Regional availability: Huawei notes that some health features, such as ECG, depend on the country.
• Battery trade-offs: the 42 mm model has roughly half the battery life of the 46 mm one, and always-on display cuts both considerably.
• Not a dive computer: Huawei excludes scuba and technical dives.
• Published information: the pages reviewed give no brightness figures, no RAM or storage and no US price.
• Charging: wireless cradle only.

Overall, the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro is a premium-material fitness watch with long battery life and a strong sport and health feature set. If you are comparing it with the newer generation, start with the Watch GT 6 page.