Huawei Watch 5 review – it has everything, finally contactless payments

At least that's what Huawei says. During the testing period, this feature was not yet available. However, it should be available when the watch goes on sale, which is scheduled for May 26 (resale from May 19). They collaborated with the Polish company Quicko. Paying with the Huawei Watch 5 will involve loading a Quicko wallet, in which you can top up a virtual prepaid card. From here on, paying is the same as on other watches that have the ability to pay with NFC. Linking to a bank account will not be possible.

Many people complained about the fact that Huawei watches didn't have contactless payments. They've fixed the main drawback, and if they keep and improve on the features that have been the hallmark of their watches in the past, then I think they'll have their best sales year yet.

Maybe they tripped somewhere?

Huawei Watch 5 price

• Huawei Watch 5 (46 mm): €449 (stainless steel case and rubber strap)
• Huawei Watch 5 (46 mm): €549 (titanium case in gray-purple)
• Huawei Watch 5 (46 mm): €649 (titanium case and strap)

Women's versions (42 mm) are also available, starting at €499 and going up to €649, depending on material and color.

When you purchase by June 30th, you get Huawei FreeBuds 6i headphones.

Huawei Watch 5 – this time more cautious and neutral in design

I've always liked that the designers tried something new with Huawei watches. Of the major smartwatch manufacturers (Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, HONOR, Google...), I've always gravitated towards their approach to design.

This time they were much more restrained. The Huawei Watch 5 still looks very attractive and elegant, but nothing particularly stands out about it. At least in my test version. I also saw the gray-purple version in person and I can say that the color is something special. Although the shade is purple and it is a men's watch, the shade is very restrained and blends well with the gray. It is definitely worth checking it out in a nearby store and deciding whether it is worth the extra €100. With the latter you also get a stronger titanium case, which is the main reason for the higher price.

With stainless steel, you don't lose much in quality. It's durable and resistant to scratches and impacts, at least in my experience so far.

You have plenty of choices, four for men and the same for women. Titanium, rubber or leather strap, purple, black, silver and brown colors... I think you'll find at least one version you'll like.

On the right side of the case, you have the classic rotating crown for moving through the list of applications, and clicking the crown returns you to the home screen. Double-clicking the crown is a shortcut to the most recently opened applications. The bottom button is a shortcut to three favorite applications, which you can change. By pressing both buttons at the same time, you can take a screenshot.

Between the two buttons are sensors that measure ECG, SpO2, and arterial stiffness. The pressure sensor is also used in some watch faces and games. More on these sensors later.

Extremely clear AMOLED display

We've reached a point where we can't expect significant changes every year when it comes to watch displays. The AMOLED on the Huawei Watch 5 is just as great as it was last year, with a 1.47-inch diagonal. I'd argue that brightness is currently the most important feature on watch displays. This year, Huawei improved it to 3,000 candelas (nits), which is phenomenal news for use in the sun. As soon as the clouds cleared, I checked how clear it was in bright sunlight. As expected, I was able to keep a normal eye on what was happening on the screen the entire time I was exercising, without having to hunt for the best viewing angle where reflections wouldn't bother me.

There is also LTPO (2nd generation) technology for automatic screen refresh. The maximum frequency is 60 Hz, which is more than enough for the needs of a smartwatch. Considering that watch faces are increasingly animated and support video effects, and some people also play basic games on their watches, 60 Hz is the golden point for a smooth experience. At 30 Hz, tearing could occur, and higher speeds are unnecessary.

They thinned the black around the screen and slightly increased its availability without physically increasing the diagonal.

eSIM, ECG, contactless payment, dual-band GPS...

...in short, all the features we expect from such a watch today. As mentioned, contactless payment is this year's addition, and will also be available on this year's Watch GT 5 series. Contactless payment will not be possible on older models.

The use of eSIM connectivity is also a bit different this year, but not because of Huawei, but because some of our operators have finally woken up and offered the option to use one phone number on two devices. Before, you had to have an eSIM card with a separate phone number on your smartwatch. And if you wanted to run without a phone, you had to share that phone number with others or set up call forwarding on your phone. Annoying and completely unnecessary, because they have been offering this option elsewhere in Europe for some time.

The ECG measurement is also different, especially the measurement of blood oxygen saturation and arterial stiffness, which was previously measured with an optical sensor using algorithms. Now you place your finger on the electrode and sensors and wait 10 seconds. The ECG takes 30 seconds. What I noticed is that the measurement is much less sensitive. Before, almost every small movement meant you had to start over. They have also improved the signal reliability, so the data should be even more accurate compared to its predecessors.

You can also turn on the Health Glance feature (a detailed health report) in a similar way. On the home screen, you place your finger on the sensors for three seconds. They don't need to, but they've also added a moving countdown animation. The feature will take all the main measurements (ECG, heart rate, stress, stiffness, etc.), and at the end you'll get a report on what's happening with your health. Among the measurements is HRV, or heart rate variability.

What I would like to see in the future is that I can accept all permissions to perform measurements right from the start. Until now, you had to do this on every watch the first time you wanted to use a particular measurement.

The GPS was glued to me like a chair. On the way to Velika Planina and Rašica, it successfully followed my route and there were no major deviations in between.

What's new are the gestures you can use to control your watch, such as answering your phone, launching the remote shutter for your phone's camera, controlling your music, and so on. There are two available: two finger taps or two swipes. You can find a guide to what these gestures look like in the settings.

I would quickly list which sports are not supported. It supports almost every activity, even some pointless ones (e-sports and the like). There are also more advanced features built in, such as vertical oscillation for runners, but the built-in sport detection function still often fails, so it is better to set the workout manually.

And one more thing: the Huawei Watch 5 works with Android and iOS devices, so you don't have to worry about whether you're in the right ecosystem. There are some limitations for iOS users, however, such as not being able to use the keyboard. This is not Huawei's fault, but Apple's, which is slowly opening up its platform at the initiative of the European Union.

The store is a little better stocked than in previous years. There is an app for managing the Spotify platform (only for Spotify Premium users), a dedicated app for Google Maps, and the like. The Huawei App Store is not yet as well-stocked as other stores, but the situation is improving.

The battery is better than most similar watches

Morning workout, afternoon walk with GPS, sleep tracking, no eSIM and always-on display… That was my routine and after 5 or 6 days I had to plug the watch into the charger. This is a very good result, but the biggest users (eSIM, always-on display) would have cut this autonomy down to at least two days. But even that is good endurance for an eSIM smartwatch.

Huawei Health+ hasn't changed much, and at least for me, it's not yet the added value I'd pay a monthly subscription for. The basic app is free, which is the most important thing for regular users. If you want more (personalized workouts, guides, etc.), you can still try the Plus version. Learn more about that in our Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro review.

Is the Huawei Watch 5 worth the upgrade?

A question for those of you who are currently satisfied with the previous Watch 4 series. This year's Watch 5 has received some important improvements (display, ECG, payment ...), which make me think that the upgrade may make sense. If you don't have a watch yet, I have no qualms at all. For owners of previous generations, I have always advised them to wait. This time, I am at a crossroads myself and in the end it would be worth it if I could find the watch at a special price.