The Apple Watch killer? Huawei Watch GT 6 review

With the GT 6 and the GT 6 Pro, Huawei has launched two smartwatches that are in a league of their own. They run with Android and iOS, offer lots of smart tracking features and a battery life that makes other smartwatches look pale. I tested the Huawei Watch GT 6 in the smaller 41 mm version extensively for several weeks. There is really little to criticize about this stylish watch.

Design and comfort

The design is a home run. The 1.32-inch AMOLED display sits in an elegant stainless steel case, gold on mine, with engraved Roman numerals. It looks high-end and classy. On the side there is a small rotating crown and below it a quick-start button that you can assign differently for a single press and a double press. The strap is not plugged directly into the case but attached to a nicely designed mount. The whole thing looks modern and still classic, far from the usual smartwatch look. That matters to me, because with tech that I wear visibly on my body, I make sure it fits my look.

Comfort is high. The GT 6 is flat and light, and I can even wear it at night while sleeping.

Display and operation

The display reaches up to 3,000 nits, which is exceptional for a smartwatch, and is easy to read in direct sunlight. As usual with Huawei, operation is fast and smooth, without lag, as it should be in 2025. Setting watch faces or adding and rearranging favorites runs without stutter.

Sports tracking

You can track countless sports. There are significant new features in two areas.

• Cycling metrics: The GT 6 and GT 6 Pro are the first smartwatches with a power meter. It measures virtual power while cycling and determines training intensity. Cyclists check their performance in real time on their wrist, almost as accurately as with a professional power meter, and can adjust training plans accordingly. According to Huawei, the measurement is based on extensive research with thousands of cycling simulations and drag modeling in a wind tunnel. In combination with the Huawei Health app, both watches can be used as a full bike computer, with virtual power, heart rate and speed in real time. You can save yourself the expensive third-party devices.
• Skiing: Tracking will be added via update. Runs and lift rides are detected automatically, and measurements include speed, maximum speed, slope, time and heart rate. As an old ski fanatic, I hope to try it out in winter.

The improved tracking features are based, among other things, on a 20% improvement in the accuracy of Sunflower Positioning, Huawei’s own GPS system, which according to Huawei is supposed to be much more accurate than Apple’s and other manufacturers’.

Everyday use and notifications

The GT 6 series is compatible with Android and iOS and shows notifications from your smartphone. I turned most of them off because I can’t stand it when the watch vibrates for every email. With an Android smartphone you can fully reply to WhatsApp messages, using preset replies or the keyboard. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work with the iPhone.

Health and prevention

Huawei places great value on health and prevention. It measures heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep temperature and, brand new, HRV, or heart rate variability, an important indicator of the cardiovascular system. All values come together in the TrueSense system, which evaluates physical and mental health. In the Huawei Health app you can see the evaluations and get breathing and relaxation exercises as well as tips for better sleep. There is cycle tracking for women.

I think it is a pity that the GT 6’s temperature measurement is apparently not linked to cycle tracking. You enter your period and get a prediction based on your previous cycle length. With the measured temperature it would be much more precise, for example for ovulation, as with the Galaxy Watch and its Health app. Huawei does research in so many areas, from cycling to golf and diving to blood pressure and blood sugar. I would like them to direct their expertise at women’s health first, or at least include the values they collect anyway in the evaluation. In 2025 it is time for a manufacturer to really get to grips with this.

Battery and missing Google services

Despite the many features, the bright display and the fast operating system, the 41 mm version lasts nearly 14 days. When I track a lot of workouts, it is 9 or 10 days. I am more than happy with that, because I don’t like charging a smartwatch every day. That is also because the Huawei Watch GT 6 still has no Google or iOS services: no Spotify, no Google Maps, no Google Wallet. Payments now work through an app, but it is a prepaid system that I don’t necessarily want to use. For me that is not an issue, I always have my smartphone with me.

What I increasingly miss is voice control, meaning Google’s Gemini on the wrist, which you can quickly ask a question or have set the timer for the Sunday egg. Beforehand I read that there is supposed to be a voice assistant with an Android smartphone. So far I haven’t found anything in the settings of the watch and the app. Maybe it will come via update.

Verdict

The Huawei Watch GT 6 and GT 6 Pro are a really great update to their predecessor: higher quality, prettier, with more and smarter features. For me this is an absolute recommendation for anyone who values high-quality design and comprehensive tracking and, like me, can do without Google services. If you order the watch through the link in the video description, you support me and this channel, at no cost to you.