The HUAWEI Watch Fit series has long been a top choice in the affordable smartwatch category, consistently offering a range of features that belittle what its competitors offer.
Now, with the new HUAWEI Watch Fit 3, they elevate this even further, sporting a more premium design and packing additional features while maintaining a similar price point.
The HUAWEI Watch Fit 3 works with Huawei, Apple, and Android devices. For this review, I paired it with an Android phone to highlight its compatibility with a different brand. One thing I realized early on is that, since the watch connects through the HUAWEI Health App, you'll need to download the app from a source other than the Google Play Store.
The process is simple: just scan the QR code on the watch, which takes you directly to the app's download page. After that, using it with an Android device is just as smooth as using it with a Huawei device.
Premium design with a new rotating crown
Sporting an aluminum build, the Watch Fit 3 feels premium to the touch. It maintains the lightweight design of the original Watch Fit series, making it an excellent choice for exercise and staying true to the series' fitness focus. The lightweight design, paired with a silicone strap, ensures comfort during extended wear, whether at the gym or on a long run.
One of the biggest design improvements on the Watch Fit 3 is the inclusion of the rotating crown. This allows users to navigate the interface without needing to swipe along the screen, providing a more analog experience.
However, I found myself mostly using the screen for navigation, possibly due to my familiarity with touch gestures. Regardless, the rotating crown adds to its more premium look, and I'm happy to have it as an option.
Boasting a rectangular 1.82-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 480x408 pixels, the screen delivers vibrant, crisp visuals and deep blacks, making it easy to read notifications, track workouts, and navigate the device.
Compared to other smartwatches in the same price range, the screen on this one looks excellent. Although the borders of the screen could be slimmer, the AMOLED display’s deep blacks help conceal the borders, especially with dark watch faces. The screen is bright enough for outdoor use, with a peak brightness of 1500 nits.
Upgraded User Interface
Running on Huawei’s proprietary HarmonyOS, the Watch Fit 3 offers a smooth and intuitive user experience. For those who've used the previous Huawei Watch Fit 2, the interface here is familiar and easy to navigate but has also gotten some visual improvement as it now sports a more vivid color palette.
One notable UI improvement is with the sports interface. The background color changes based on workout intensity, reflecting different heart rate zones. It might not directly boost your workout, but it definitely shows how much thought went into the device's design, making you appreciate the small details.
We also get plenty of customization options with numerous watch faces and widgets available to personalize your experience. Huawei’s large base of watch faces has been ported to this model, adding to the choices.
As HarmonyOS continously evolves, we can expect more third-party apps to be available. I personally have downloaded a calculator app which I use regularly for grocery shopping. This app list keeps growing as more developers contribute.
Fitness and Health Tracking
Packed with a plethora of fitness tracking features, the Watch Fit 3 includes a number of workout modes, covering everything from running and cycling to yoga and swimming. It also provides exercise suggestions based on your activity patterns and goals, serving as a sort of personal fitness trainer.
There's also animated and voiced fitness guides from its predecessor are also present, offering a more interactive workout experience.
Like their higher-end models, a built-in GPS is also here which tracks its user's outdoor activities. With my experience on this for walks, the Watch Fit 3 displays a tiny map of the distance and path of where I've been. I found this to be handy whenever I feel like switching paths for every workout.
Plus, with 5ATM water resistance, you can take this watch for a swim or wear it in the shower without worry. It will automatically turn on mistouch prevention when you select a specific swimming related workout mode.
For health tracking, the Watch Fit 3 includes features like SpO2 measurement, sleep tracking with detailed analysis, and continuous heart rate monitoring. This also comes with Pulse Wave Arrhythmia analysis. A feature which its more expensive sibling, the HUAWEI Watch 4 came with which provides a more detailed analysis of heartbeat letting users know of any abnormalities.
Most measurements seem accurate and reliable for casual monitoring, though they aren't suitable for medical purposes.
Smart Features
Beyond fitness, the Watch Fit 3 functions well as a smartwatch. It supports notifications for calls, messages, and apps, keeping you connected without constantly checking your phone. While it doesn’t offer personalized responses to notifications, you can pre-set Quick Replies through the app.
Additional features include music control, weather updates, and remote camera shutter functionalities.
The watch also includes Huawei’s personal voice assistant for hands-free use, a feature that's uncommon in budget fitness watches. You can set alarms, timers, and more with your voice. During the course of my review, this was the only feature that didn't work with non-Huawei devices, which makes sense since Huawei uses different voice assistant software compared to Android.
Long Battery Life with Fast charging
One of the standout features of the Huawei Watch Fit 3 is its impressive battery life. Rated to last up to 10 days on a single charge, I found it to last about 7 days under normal use. This is quite impressive compared to many smartwatches on the market, thanks to Huawei’s efficient hardware and software optimization. Even with GPS and heart rate monitoring, the watch delivers several days of performance.
I particularly enjoyed the super-fast charging on this watch. I often forget to charge my smartwatches, but plugging this in for just a few minutes provides enough charge to last several days. While there is no wireless charging support, the fast charging feature makes up for it.
Conclusion
Despite its "Fit" branding, the HUAWEI Watch Fit 3 offers much more than just fitness features. It strikes a balance between fitness and smart functions, offering a compelling package for both fitness enthusiasts and casual users.
With a sleek design, comprehensive tracking capabilities, long battery life, and fast charging, it really stands out in the wearable market.
At this price, if you’re looking to up your fitness game or just want a reliable, stylish smartwatch, the Huawei Watch Fit 3 is an option that's tough to beat.
The HUAWEI Watch Fit 3 retails for PhP 6,299 and is available in Gray, Pearl White, Green, Black, and Moon White color variants.