If there’s one thing HUAWEI knows how to do, it’s how to look premium. Of course, this is no different with the new HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro, especially the Ceramic Edition. CGMagazine got to check out the GT 3 in 2021, and 2022 is here with the new HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro Titanium Edition and Ceramic Edition.
Trying to set up the watch with the HUAWEI Health App was a bit of a challenge right out of the box. Though the watch tells you to download the app from wherever you download your apps (Google Play etc), for some reason the app couldn’t locate the device. After some fiddling and installing it from another location, the watch was finally found on my phone—one of the downfalls of using HUAWEI products without HUAWEI smartphones. I will say, once I finally got it to connect, the watch was simple to use on its own or with the Health App.
This $798.99 HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro shines, literally. It is unlike any smartwatch I have worn before, with a ceramic band that is cool to the touch, and almost feels like glass. Luckily, it has been far more durable, as I’ve regularly smashed the band and the 1.32-inch AMOLED HD coloured display off of walls, desks, you name it. There isn’t a mark to be seen on it after weeks of wearing it.
The screen on the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro is crystal clear. Colours are vibrant and crisp in every menu, and it features a 466×466 resolution. It is absolutely one of the cleanest looking displays I’ve seen on a smartwatch. The GT 3 Pro Ceramic Edition is slightly smaller than its Titanium big brother, with a 1.32-inch screen compared to the 1.42 inch. The length of the band is noticeably smaller with the Ceramic Edition, with my larger, male co-workers unable to even put it on before I removed links, so it would fit me (which was simple, by the way). This version is definitely meant for slender wrists.
“This $798.99 HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro shines, literally.”
The only time I take it off is to shower, which apparently isn’t even necessary. The HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro is actually built with free diving in mind. Not only is this a luxury watch, but HUAWEI also ensured that it would stand up to the best smartwatches out there in terms of health and fitness. The device is waterproof and sweat-proof for any kind of workout. I will note, however, that the ceramic band does not breathe well. Even during day to day activities, I find when I remove it my wrist is thankful for the air.
The watch comes equipped with many apps you will find on other smartwatches like Fitbit. It can track workouts, heart rate, sleep, stress, steps and more. There are other apps available in the HUAWEI Health App. In the app, you can also add music or direct the watch to control your phone’s music, which I loved. Often my phone is buried in my pocket or at the bottom of my purse, so swapping songs—or replaying the same one over and over when I’m hyper focused—is incredibly easy.
The HUAWEI Health App also allows you to add other devices, swap watch faces, add or remove apps. Unfortunately HUAWEI doesn’t always have access to the same apps that Samsung, Apple, or even Fitbit do, so the selection is limited. I will say something I thought was fun to play with and could be useful to some is the compass I found already installed on the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro. You can also find a flashlight, alarm, map, call logs, air pressure measurements and even skin temperature measurements.
There are a lot of handy things on the watch, but for me, I preferred it as more of a smartwatch than a fitness device. The things I wanted it for were literally telling time, checking messages and calls, controlling music and sleep tracking. Being able to swap out the watch faces was appreciated. I found it tracked my sleep accurately, but occasionally had trouble connecting with its weather app. I often had instructions to enable it in the app when it had already been working for days.
Using the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro as described above, the battery lasted just about a week before needing to charge. I found this pretty on par with other smartwatches from brands like Fitbit, but slightly under performing watches like the Withings Steel HR. However, one thing HUAWEI always comes through with is fast charging. The HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro could charge completely in under 90 minutes in testing.
My biggest problem was that the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro was very inconsistent in sending notifications from my phone. Though setting up Facebook Messenger notifications was simple—way easier than on the Fitbit Versa—once that was done, the actual notifications were few and far between. I would have a whole conversation with someone and end up getting the first notification minutes later.
This continued with regular text messages as well, often never receiving the notification. Though my phone doesn’t ring often, the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro successfully received calls, and neither myself nor the caller sounded half bad when I answered. This still wouldn’t be my method of choice to answer calls, but since the GT 3 Pro connects to Bluetooth easily, I could see myself getting used to using the watch to control my music and my calls with a nice pair of earbuds.
One other thing that I hope is just a small glitch, the watch went on some vibrating tangents while I was wearing it. It only happened twice, but the first time the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro started vibrating on my wrist, and I was unable to stop it. I couldn’t turn on the screen or control anything on the device. I took it off and set it on my desk where it continued to vibrate for about 20 seconds and finally stopped. I wasn’t receiving any notifications at the time. It happened one other time, but for a maximum of 10 seconds and stopped. It has not happened since.
The HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro Ceramic Edition will ring you up $798.99, almost double the last GT 3 that sits around the $400 mark. The cost is premium, but so is the design. I don’t believe the product’s functionality goes above and beyond their past editions or even some other smartwatches, but it does what it aims to well overall. What you’re paying for here is style and design. Though white and gold isn’t my personal style, I can say without a doubt that anyone who is in love with the look of the HUAWEI Watch GT 3 Pro will absolutely be worth its luxury price tag.
