The Huawei Watch Fit 3, launched in early May, and I've been using it since launch day - so at the time of this review, that's just over 4 weeks of testing.
Unlike previous watches from Huawei, they've this time opted for a more square aesthetic - which a lot of people will instantly compare to the Apple Watch - especially with the rotating crown, and whilst Apple were not the first to launch square smartwatches, the similarities are bound to cause comparisons.
Still, as the Watch Fit 3 directly competes in pricing against Apples own Watch SE, Huawei need to impress, and from looks alone, the Watch Fit 3 does a great job.
The Huawei Watch Fit 3 is thinner and lighter than either a Fitbit Versa 4 or an Apple Watch SE (2022), at just 26g for the watch body and only 9.9mm at its thickest point.
The Watch Fit 3 has a matte aluminium body, with straight sides and softly curved corners. It looks and feels both very light and very premium at the same time, giving vibes of a much higher-end watch than the price suggests.
It's also 5ATM waterproof, so it can be worn in the swimming pool as well as the shower with no concerns - it also has water drain feature that can be accessed from the swipe down menu.
At launch, the Watch Fit 3 comes in 6 different colours; black, pink, green, moon white, grey and pearl white. The Moon White and Grey options come with a silver body and red crown, whilst the grey also includes a snazzy fabric strap instead of the rubber standard, and the Pearl White has a leather strap with a gold body and crown.
I was testing the Moon White version, and I do actually like the red crown over the standard silver, it gives the Watch Fit 3 a bit of character.
Not that you'll be paying much attention to the crown once you feast your eyes on the glorious 1.82-Inch AMOLED display, with 480 x 408 resolution and 347 ppi. For reference, below is a chart comparing the screens of the Huawei Watch Fit 3, Apple's flagship Watch Series 9 and the more budget Apple Watch SE - along with some battery stats (which we'll jump back to later).
Resolution | Pixel Density | Cost | Battery Life | |
Huawei Watch Fit 3 | 480 x 408 | 347 | £139 | 10 days |
Apple Watch Series 9 | 396 x 484 | 329 | £398 | 0.75 days |
Apple Watch SE | 368 x 448 | 326 | £143 | 0.75 days |
The 60Hz AMOLED panel looks very sharp and bright -- which Huawei claims has a peak 1500nits brightness; I couldn’t confirm that exact figure, but had no trouble seeing the watch face clearly in any circumstances, no matter how sunny it was.
The Watch Fit 3 is running Huaweis HarmonyOS 4, and the interface has been redesigned to be bigger and brighter to match the new display.
My biggest gripe with HarmonyOS 4, is whilst I can argue how Apple did not invent the square watch face (from memory the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live arrived on the scene back in 2013/2014 with their square framed glory) but Huawei are clearly aping the Apple Watch with the default menu layout and even with some of the watch faces - granted, you can change the menu style to a vertical one, and obviously there are other watch faces to choose from, but it's very clear Huawei have mimicked the look.
As with other Huawei watches, you can can use the touchscreen to navigate, and use the crown to zoom in and out on the menu (or up/down if you're in vertical layout), then select the icon of whatever option you're choosing. Navigation is very nippy and smooth, and I've yet to encounter any hiccups or stuttering.
The rotating crown is a satisfying to twist, with a continuous motion rather than distinct ratcheted notches, and it works very smoothly.
Directly under the crown is another button - by default this gives you access to workouts, but this can be changed to a wealth of other options, and double-tapping the crown pulls up your multitasking menu.
Using the Watch Fit 3 is done via a card-based layout similiar to WearOS and Apple Watch devices, by swiping sideways for different cards, up for unread notifications, and down for the quick settings screen.
Another plus over any Apple Watch, is that the Watch Fit 3 can be connected to either iOS or Android devices - although due to Huawei no longer being on the Google Play Store, this means navigating to the Huawei website to install the Health App. If you own a Samsung device, the app is available on Samsung’s Galaxy Store, which will make it easier for Galaxy owners to get up and running.
Via the Health App you can change the watch face, install music locally to the watch and download apps - although third-party app support is very limited at the moment.
Fitness on the Watch Fit 3 is more comprehensive, with over 100 different activities available for tracking, which is performed using Huawei’s TruSeen 5.5 sensor and can track SpO2 and heart rate, as well as sleep tracking and womens’ cycle tracking.
Guided fitness animations show you how to perform warm up stretches across different workouts, and if your local gym equipment supports it, the watch can broadcast your heart rate to supported fitness equipment.
Fitness tracking seems very accurate, as well as heart rate and sleep tracking, and the addition of contextual suggestions, such as “it’s hot, maybe exercise inside today” are appreciated extras.
Battery life is where the Watch Fit 3 really shines though, with Huawei claiming 10 days usage - I got to 8 days before I decided to charge, and that was still at 17% and my phone always connected, and using the watch probably more than an average person would - so I'm inclined to believe that the 10 days claimed is easily achievable.
Charging is done via a proprietary connector with magnetic pins, just like mostly everyone else, but I would have prefered a more dock like charger rather than a single cable with pins. Still, it gets the job done and charging is completed rather quickly, with Huawei claiming a 10 minute refuel is enough for a full day of use, and through testing that largely played out about right.
VERDICT
The Huawei Watch Fit 3 is a fantastic smartwatch, and whilst loyal Apple fans will scoff at the similarities in the looks department, this shouldn't diminish the fact that the Watch Fit 3 does a great job in bringing a premium feeling smartwatch, with a gorgeous display, fluid UI and phenomenal battery life at a much better value than any of the Apple Watch line.
The lack of third-party apps is a bit of a let down, but the comprehensive fitness tracking gives a wealth of options to the user.
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