Huawei Watch GT 4 review: Beautifully crafted, but does it have the smarts?

The Huawei Watch GT 4, Huawei's latest entry into the smartwatch market, aims to blend elegant design with fitness tracking and extended battery life. As someone who's had a keen interest in wearables and relatively small wrists, I was excited to test out the 41mm version of the Huawei Watch GT 4, which is one of the two sizes offered (41mm for those with smaller wrists, and 46mm for those who prefer a larger, more rugged feel). After wearing it almost daily for a few weeks, it’s safe to say Huawei continues to excel in the hardware department, but its software side still leaves something to be desired.

Let’s break it down.

Design & Build: Style Takes the Lead

Right off the bat, the design of the Huawei Watch GT 4 is what strikes you the most. Huawei decided to steer clear of the typical Apple Watch-like square faces and instead went for a classic round watch design. I was pleasantly surprised by the sleek, ‘floating’ design of the 41mm model I tested. It has a polished, elegant feel, and it genuinely looks like a high-end timepiece rather than a bulky tech device strapped to your wrist.

The 41mm version, with its white leather strap and gold stainless steel case, felt lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear, including during sleep. At just 37g (without the strap), it was one of the few wearables that didn’t feel like a brick on my wrist by the end of the day. Huawei also offers strap options in stainless steel and Milanese for a more formal look, as well as rubber for fitness enthusiasts. The 5ATM water resistance means you can wear it during swims, though I noticed the screen wasn’t very responsive when wet, a minor hiccup in an otherwise solid design.

In short, this is one of the best-looking smartwatches I’ve tested, and it's a standout for those who care about style.

Screen & Audio: Bright and Bold, But Do You Really Need a Speaker?

The 1.32-inch AMOLED display on the 41mm model is nothing short of stunning. With a resolution of 466 x 466, the screen is sharp, bright, and easy to view even in direct sunlight. Whether I was checking notifications, tracking my steps, or just admiring the various customisable watch faces, everything looked vibrant and clear.

Swiping through the interface was smooth, with no noticeable lag. Taps were responsive, and you could easily wake the watch by raising your wrist, which also worked underwater (albeit with that aforementioned wet-screen responsiveness issue).

The built-in speaker and microphone are decent enough for phone calls in quieter environments, but in noisier places, you’ll probably prefer to reach for your phone. While you can play music through the watch, it’s not a feature I used much—most of us will still rely on our phones or wireless earbuds for audio playback.

One curious feature was the voice feedback during workouts, which automatically gives you a log after each session. While useful for some, it felt a bit intrusive to me, especially during yoga, where a peaceful vibe is key. Thankfully, you can turn it off.

Software & Features: Harmony OS Is Decent, But Not Quite There

Here’s where things start to get a little tricky. The Watch GT 4 runs on Huawei’s Harmony OS, not Google’s Wear OS. While Huawei has certainly polished its OS over the years, the lack of Google support is still a major drawback, especially for Western users. This means no Google Maps, no Spotify, and no Google Pay.

Instead, Huawei offers its own versions, like Petal Maps for navigation, which has improved but still lacks the seamless experience of Google Maps. The Huawei Health app, while functional, can be a bit clunky and isn’t as user-friendly as its competitors. And with no eSIM support, you’ll need your phone nearby for calls and certain apps.

The lack of Google support is felt most with the absence of popular third-party apps, like Spotify and WhatsApp. While Huawei Health does a decent job of syncing fitness data, it can’t match the integration that Apple or Google ecosystems offer. Additionally, for UK users, there’s no contactless payment option, as Huawei Wallet doesn’t yet support local cards—a bit of a miss for anyone looking for a convenient all-in-one device.

Fitness & Tracking: A Strong Showing, But Not Without Flaws

Fitness tracking is where Huawei continues to shine, and the Watch GT 4 is no exception. It supports over 100 workout modes, from walking and running to more niche activities like fencing and even square dancing (yes, that’s a thing). The heart rate monitoring, SpO2 (blood oxygen), and skin temperature tracking were all fairly accurate in my tests, and the sleep tracking was spot on, including a new feature for monitoring sleep apnea.

One of the standout features is the detailed breakdown of workout data. For instance, during a cycling session, I could view metrics like average speed, elevation gain, and heart rate zones. The swimming tracker was also impressively accurate, logging my laps and strokes without a hitch.

But, there are a few downsides. The auto-workout detection was sluggish—it took over 15 minutes to recognise my walk. There’s also an awkward questionnaire when enabling stress monitoring, asking deeply personal and uncomfortable questions like "Do you sometimes feel useless?" This could be triggering for some users and isn’t well-implemented.

Huawei’s food logging feature is a nice addition, but I found it too tedious to use daily. The idea is great—manually entering calories for each meal—but without being able to upload photos, it felt like too much effort for too little return.

Battery Life & Charging: One of the Best

Battery life is one area where Huawei absolutely delivers. The 46mm model boasts up to 14 days of use on a single charge (8 days with more typical usage), while the 41mm version I tested managed around four days with normal use and up to seven days if you’re conservative with the features.

This is great compared to many competitors, especially smartwatches like the Google Pixel Watch, which only offers around a day of battery life. And if you’re in a rush, the Watch GT 4 charges fully in just over an hour and a half, meaning you won’t be tethered to the charging cable for long.

Should You Buy the Huawei Watch GT 4?

The Huawei Watch GT 4 is available starting at ₹19,999 for the white leather version of the 41mm model, with discounts often available. For the design and features on offer, this is a solid price point, especially compared to other premium smartwatches. However, you’ll need to weigh up whether the lack of Google integration is worth the trade-off.

The Huawei Watch GT 4 is undeniably one of the best-looking smartwatches on the market. Its sleek design, strong fitness tracking, and excellent battery life make it a great choice for those who prioritise style and functionality. The 41mm model is perfect for smaller wrists, while the 46mm version offers a more rugged look and even better battery life.

That said, the lack of Google-supported apps and features, coupled with a clunky app experience, hold it back from being the ultimate smartwatch. If you’re an Android user who can live without Google integration, or you simply want a watch that looks stunning and covers your fitness needs, the Watch GT 4 is worth considering. But if you’re deeply entrenched in Google’s ecosystem, you might find the limitations too much to ignore.