Huawei Watch GT 7: A strong overall package with little progress

Huawei is launching the Watch GT 7 in two sizes: 41 and 46 millimeters. In testing, both models impressed with their excellent build quality, sapphire crystal, and a bright, easy-to-read display. Added to this is the new IP69 certification. The differences between the sizes are primarily in dimensions, appearance, and battery life. While the 46-mm version shines in testing with up to two weeks of battery life, the smaller version naturally has slightly less endurance.

The GT 7’s real strength lies not in its design, but in its endurance. Even with health features enabled, the larger version lasted about two weeks in testing. The smaller GT 7 also achieves respectable battery life. With this, Huawei continues to stand out from many traditional smartwatches that need to be charged much more frequently. The GT 7 also delivers impressive results when it comes to tracking. Heart rate and blood oxygen levels largely match those of reference devices, and the dual-band GNSS is also very precise. The Health Insight platform consolidates various metrics and evaluates them in context. While this may sound like a major step forward at first, in everyday use it primarily provides more detailed analyses rather than entirely new features.

And this is precisely where the GT 7’s biggest problem lies: The improvements over the GT 6 are modest. Many features are already familiar from its predecessor, including the power meter for cycling, route import, and basic health metrics. At the same time, the watch costs about 50 euros more. For those who already own a GT 6, there are therefore few compelling reasons to upgrade.

The GT 7 Pro also remains an interesting alternative. It offers additional health features such as an ECG, arterial stiffness detection, and golf and diving modes—features missing from the standard GT 7. As a result, it’s geared more toward users who want the most comprehensive health features possible. There’s also criticism regarding platform integration. On Android, the GT 7 can be used to its full potential, while iPhone users face limitations: replying to messages isn’t possible, and navigation via Petal Maps isn’t available either. Celia also remains functionally limited.

The Huawei Watch GT 7 is a very good smartwatch, but not a revolution. Anyone looking for a new watch will get a well-rounded package with excellent battery life, precise tracking, and high-quality build. GT 6 owners, on the other hand, should carefully consider whether the relatively minor improvements justify the extra cost.