Whether you are a technology enthusiast or not, you would certainly have realized thatand the tech device market has reached a seemingly insurmountable standard in terms of innovation and originality. The times of bizarre mobile phones that can be opened with innovative keyboards seem far away but Huawei has something in store for us. We are talking about the new Huawei Watch Budsan innovative smartwatch that contains two true wireless headphones inside. A unique 2-in-1 of its kind, among the big tech companies, which offers versatility and performance but at what price? Let’s find out in this review of the Huawei Watch Buds.
Our review of the Huawei Watch Buds
Smartwatches and true wireless earphones have now become indispensable devices for getting the most out of the potential of a smartphone. It is no coincidence that Huawei has decided to combine the two devices into a single practical solution. The True Wireless headphones hide under the smartwatch’s flip-out crown that doubles as a charging unit. But sharing a battery between two devices can be challenging, and how much space do headphones take up?
To answer these and other questions, let’s first analyze the…
…technical sheet of the smartwatch…
- Dimensions: 47 mm × 47,5 mm × 14,99 mm
- Weight: 66,5 g
- Display: 1.43 inch AMOLED (466×466 resolution)
- Waterproof: No certification against dust and water
- Connectivity: GPS, NFC, Bluetooth
- Autonomy: Li-Ion 410 mAh
…and the data sheet of the True Wireless headphones
- Dimensions: 21,8 mm × 10,3 mm × 10,3 mm
- Weight: about 4 g
- Active Noise Cancellation: And
- Waterproof: IP54
- Autonomy: 30 mAh
Design
Let’s start right away by saying that the Huawei Watch Buds presents itself in an optimal way thanks to a steel body that ensures greater robustness to both the smartwatch and the headphones it houses. As for dimensions we are talking about 47 mm × 47.5 mm × 14.99 mm for 66.5 ggreater than other smartwatches on the market, necessary to accommodate true wireless.
Il Display of the smartwatch is a 1.43 ″ AMOLED touchscreen with 466 × 466 resolution beautifully integrated into the stainless steel case. On the right side we have the watch crown which also acts as a button, to move through the menus, start/stop workouts and so on. On the back we have the iconic heart rate and physical activity sensor which will also be used to recharge the smartwatch (USB charger included in the package).
As anticipated, the peculiarity of the Huawei Watch Buds is to keep two true wireless headphones. The lid of the watch features a pop-up design able to open with a simple push of the front button integrated with the case. Here, the earphones are attached to the inside of the lid thanks to a magnet system. Inside the watch we find two platinum-plated charging bases that charge the headphones at 360°. This means that there is no “right” direction in which to place the headphones. Likewise, there is no Left and Right headset.
How is it possible? Let’s find out in the next paragraph.
Smartwatch technology
IAt 14.99cm thick, the Huawei Watch Buds pack 21 layers of cutting-edge technology inside. Among these we find:
- an eight-channel photoelectric sensor
- a rotating shaft accurate to the micron
- the charging base for the earphones
- a magnetic docking unit
The Huawei Watch Buds offers the typical functionality of a smartwatch with the main wellness monitoring functions such as automatic detection of blood oxygen saturation, heart rate monitoring with TruSeen 5.0+, sleep monitoring and so on. For the more athletic there is no shortage of sports modes, as many as 80, including 10 professional. Thanks to the Huawei Health application we will also be able to monitor all the data, set goals and new sports.
By connecting it to your smartphone, both iOS and Android, we will be able to synchronize certain notifications and read emails, messages or answer calls when we have worn the headphones.
It concludes everything a 410 mAh Li-Ion battery that promises up to three days of use, but we will talk about the latter in the next paragraphs.
Headphone technology
With regard to the earphones, those of the Huawei Watch Buds boast an innovative octagonal cylindrical design covered in polymers and platinum plating. They give up the iconic stem to be able to fit into the smartwatch but without leaving the audio quality behind.
The adaptive technology with which they are equipped makes them interchangeable between left and right ear and self-correct according to the ear. Thanks to this technology and the IMU sensor, the headphones are able to measure the acceleration of the angular velocity based on the user’s movement and to adapt to the different anatomy of the ear canal. The in-ear microphone with which they are equipped, in fact, it detects changes in the sound signal in the ear canal in real time and intelligently adapts the best sound quality.
With regard to the latter, thefull-range planar diaphragm unit features four magnets and a shallow coil for generate high quality sounds e fino a 104dB. The three real-time listening optimizations take into account the shape of the ear canal, the fit of the earphones and the volume level, to ensure a flawless listening experience.
Not even one is missing active noise cancellation which allows you to switch between Normal, Noise Canceling and Aware modes, to avoid isolation from the surrounding environment. Last but not least, we find an advance wide area touch functionality to issue commands by touching not the headphones but our own ear. With two taps we can, for example, start or pause a song and with a triple tap activate or deactivate the noise cancellation.
Our test of the Huawei Watch Buds
We had the Huawei Watch Buds in the test for around three weeks during which it replaced, in one fell swoop, our normally used smartwatch and our true wireless. Before continuing we must anticipate that the curiosity towards this device was very high since its announcement and touching it was able to answer the many doubts we had.
Let’s start right away by saying that the Huawei Watch Buds presents itself excellently with a classic but elegant design and well-made materials. The dimensions, which had scared us a lot, are actually larger than most other smartwatches but it does not weigh on the wrist, as well as the thickness. This is a small compromise to accommodate true wireless headphones.
These too are presented in an excellent way and despite the really small size they had made us worry, they fit perfectly to the auricle. Unlike other models we do not have different types of rubber pads in the package, but despite the activities we have done with them, they have always remained in place.
The functions offered by the smartwatch are nothing transcendental and are in line with other Huawei wearables. However, we thoroughly enjoyed it fluidity and speed in commands. As for true wireless headphones, however, there are some. The audio quality is excellent but not up to par with other models on the market. About that, while the presence of active noise cancellation in such a small device is a true miracle, it does not make a substantial difference to the audio. On the other hand, the recording of the voice on call is good.
2-in-1, we love it
The real power of this device is undoubtedly the ability to have two wereables of this type in one place. Although it may seem trivial, the 2-in-1 offers a truly unique versatility and convenience that made us forget the worry of carrying around two devices and keep an eye on the battery of both.
About that…
… let’s talk about autonomy
Before this review, one of the main doubts about the Huawei Watch Buds concerned the battery. Not having to remember to charge two devices is undoubtedly a great convenience, but how does a shared battery behave? How long does it actually last? The answer to this question is one of the most annoying that can be found in a review: Depends!
Huawei firmly claims that the device is able to last up to 3 days on a single charge. We can confirm this duration in daily use of the smartwatch. It must be said, however, that in particular situations, 3 full days are very far from reality.
While writing this review we indeed happened to take your Huawei Watch Buds on a trip with us to Germany. Between planes, stopovers and secondary transport, the use of headphones has increased exponentially compared to a typical day. This has led to faster consumption of the battery of the smartwatch itself. The more you use headphones, the more you risk being left without both a smartwatch and headphones.
Fortunately, the situation can be improved, for example by deactivating the sound cancellation of the headphones, decreasing the brightness of the smartwatch or activating the sleep mode. energy saving which at that moment prevents the headphones from being recharged. You need to experiment a bit to find the perfect balance.