Huawei Watch D3 review: Smartwatch with blood pressure monitoring is now even better

When it comes to hardware, Huawei has focused on targeted refinements. At 11.3 millimeters, the smartwatch is noticeably thinner than its predecessor and features a 1.92-inch AMOLED display that—with a peak brightness of up to 3,000 cd/m²—is twice as bright as before. Build quality is top-notch, with a solid, robust case. One noticeable detail, reminiscent of the Huawei Watch GT 7, is the relatively wide display bezel, though this is at most a minor aesthetic drawback.

Crucially, despite its IP68 certification, the Watch D3 should not be worn while swimming or showering—a limitation Huawei explicitly highlights in an included insert. Should the watch get wet, it must be wiped clean and dried before taking a blood pressure reading. This requirement stems from the blood pressure cuff integrated directly into the strap, reinforcing the D3's status as a specialized medical wearable rather than a general-purpose sports watch.

For blood pressure tracking, the inside of the strap features an inflatable air cushion. Huawei includes two strap sizes in the box alongside a paper measuring strip to help users select the right fit. Adjusting the length is simple, relying on a metal peg that snaps into place. Throughout testing, the fit proved entirely problem-free.

The Huawei Watch D3 arrives in a cardboard box, though the inner packaging still relies on coated liners and foam. According to the manufacturer, the included plastic bags are at least partially compostable. On the sustainability front, standard industry rules apply: the device is not designed for user repairs or straightforward battery replacement.

The companion app of choice is the Huawei Health app. Because it remains unavailable on the Google Play Store, initial setup on Android requires a work-around if you do not use alternative software repositories or Huawei’s own AppGallery: scanning a QR code displayed on the Watch D3 downloads the APK file directly to your smartphone for manual installation.

This requires granting permission to install apps from unknown sources in your Android settings. Once installed, pairing is effortless—the app automatically detects nearby devices without requiring another QR scan, operating completely problem-free during testing.

Notification management on Android offers impressive depth. Users can selectively enable alerts for specific applications, such as WhatsApp, and send quick replies directly from the wrist. A thoughtful feature mutes smartwatch notifications whenever the smartphone is actively in use.

However, non-Huawei users face notable trade-offs. Turn-by-turn map navigation via Petal Maps, for instance, remains exclusive to Huawei devices, while iOS users encounter even stricter functional limitations—a topic we explore in greater detail in our review of the Huawei Watch GT 7. Contactless payments are supported via NFC using the Curve service platform.

For controls, Huawei relies on a pressable rotating crown alongside a second physical button. The crown makes scrolling through menus exceptionally smooth, while the lower button can be customized for both single and double presses. Alternatively, the smartwatch can be navigated entirely via touch, though combining screen taps with crown inputs feels much more natural in daily use. That said, an additional button on the left side of the case would have further improved ergonomics.

The Huawei Watch D3 features an integrated speaker and microphone, allowing it to function as a Bluetooth hands-free device. Voice transmission and playback quality are solid, making it convenient to take calls without reaching for a smartphone. Calls can be both answered and initiated directly from the wrist: the watch synchronizes contacts once granted permission, while a built-in dial pad allows for manual number entry.

Incoming notifications can be answered using pre-configured quick replies or directly via an on-screen keyboard. One notable omission, however, is the lack of a voice-to-text dictation feature for messaging—a capability found on competitors like the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro.

The Celia voice assistant can be easily triggered by holding down the lower right function button. While its overall capabilities are somewhat basic, it handles everyday tasks well: checking the weather is just as reliable as triggering system functions like initiating a blood pressure reading or starting a workout.

The Huawei Health app organizes activity and biometric data into a clean, intuitive layout. At its center are three "flower" progress icons representing sleep, exercise, and stress recovery—a visual system that proved particularly clear during testing. Tapping into individual categories reveals detailed statistics, trend charts, and context for health metrics. Extra features, such as guided relaxation tracks, require a paid "VIP" subscription.

For sports tracking, the Watch D3 is surprisingly capable despite its health-centric focus. Workout screens are fully customizable with multiple data fields—including running form metrics—alongside real-time heart rate zones and live map views. Pre-built training plans also cater well to beginner runners. Direct integration with Google Health (Health Connect), however, still relies on third-party companion apps.

To evaluate measurement accuracy, we compared the Huawei Watch D3 against a chest strap during workouts and a dedicated upper-arm monitor for blood pressure readings. A brief note on methodology: while these real-world comparisons offer valuable guidance, they are not a substitute for a medical lab setting. We delve deeper into testing conditions and specific limitations in separate articles on our measurement methodology and blood pressure measurement with the Watch D3.

The Watch D3 tracks heart rate reliably during workouts. Compared to our reference Polar H10 chest strap, resting heart rate values matched perfectly. Even during intense cycling sessions, the readings remained remarkably close: the Watch D3 recorded average and peak heart rates of 107 and 155 bpm, respectively, versus 105 and 158 bpm on the reference device—a negligible deviation in practice.

However, a closer look at the heart rate curve reveals occasional artificial plateaus and abrupt, double-digit jumps between consecutive data points. While not ideal, these artifacts have minimal impact on overall average and peak readings. Blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂) was tested against a Braun Pulse Oximeter 1 Connect, yielding an average deviation of just 1.02 percentage points across three measurements—a figure well within the margin of error for consumer-grade pulse oximeters.

We will cover a detailed analysis of blood pressure measurements in a separate, dedicated article. However, one thing is already clear: when worn correctly, the Watch D3 delivers readings with relatively small deviations compared to dedicated devices like the Braun ExactFit 5 Connect (upper-arm cuff) and the Omron RS4 (wrist measurement). In a direct comparison with the Braun ExactFit 5 Connect, the average deviation across three measurements was +3.7 percent for systolic blood pressure and -2.86 percent for diastolic blood pressure. The average absolute deviation for the systolic value was 4.6 mmHg (or 5 mmHg rounded)—for context, Braun specifies a tolerance of ±3 mmHg for the ExactFit 5 Connect.

This serves as a comparative observation rather than a definitive verdict: in our testing, the Huawei Watch D2 exhibited slightly higher deviations. Huawei has also expanded the feature set: blood pressure can now be measured directly before and after exercise for comparison, and automated overnight tracking runs seamlessly. These night readings rarely disrupt sleep, as the built-in micropump operates almost silently. Overall, the Watch D3’s blood pressure monitoring is impressive across the board—it is precise, convenient, and easily the standout selling point of the Watch D series.

The Huawei Watch D3 can record a single-channel electrocardiogram and analyze it automatically—we explore the specific capabilities and limitations of single-lead ECGs and the Watch D3 in a separate article. Results can be exported as a PDF for easy sharing with a physician, and recording quality is solid. Given its certification as a medical device, reliable detection of cardiac arrhythmias is expected, though we were unable to test this with an affected subject in practice.

However, across a small sample size of two testers, no false-positive alerts occurred during our evaluation. It is somewhat disappointing that Huawei missed the opportunity to elevate the ECG feature: a clip-on electrode for additional leads or continuous overnight monitoring would have provided genuine added value. As it stands, the implementation remains standard fare with a typical single-channel ECG and a 30-second measurement duration.

Evaluating sleep tracking without access to a specialized sleep laboratory is inherently challenging. In everyday testing, however, the Watch D3 reliably captures bedtimes, wake-up times, and nocturnal awakenings. While verifying the absolute precision of its sleep-stage breakdown (light, deep, and REM sleep) requires clinical equipment, all collected metrics are neatly organized in the companion app's intuitive charts. Furthermore, Huawei claims the sensor suite can monitor nighttime respiratory patterns and flag potential breathing irregularities.

Huawei remains tight-lipped regarding the specific GNSS technology powering the device. In our test route, it logged a distance discrepancy of 60 meters—roughly 0.6%—compared to the Garmin Venu 2 (which serves as a practical baseline rather than a strict reference standard), a negligible variance in real-world use. The Watch D3 handles cornering and curved paths smoothly, exhibiting no noticeable tracking errors, signal drops, or aggressive route-smoothing artifacts.

Huawei rates the typical battery life at up to six days—a figure that proves realistic in practice. In our testing, the Watch D3 held out for four full days with 15 percent remaining, even with continuous heart-rate tracking enabled, an hour of GPS-monitored workouts, two strength-training sessions, and over 60 blood-pressure readings. Fast charging is equally impressive: the battery reached 50 percent capacity in just 16 minutes, while a full charge from 15 percent took under an hour.