Huawei Band 7 review

Huawei has regrouped. It was as soon as on its approach to change into smartphone ruler of the west however following political issues it has now set its sights elsewhere, and goals to change into a best-selling good system model.

The Huawei Band 7 is the corporate’s newest try to say a seat on the prime, focussing on vogue and health at a satisfying worth level. However in a sea of competitors, and with a barely tarnished title, stealing a march is not any simple activity. Does the Band 7 have what it takes, regardless of how low the value, to face above the remaining and assist revive a flagging model?

Design and construct

• Slim enticing design
• Respectable strap color choices
• Very gentle

Within the decade because the launch of the primary ever smartwatches, we now have seen a number of distinct product ‘sorts’ come up. Of those, by far essentially the most ubiquitous is the good band’, aka the exercise tracker. Typically costing below $50/£50, they provide sturdiness and rudimentary options primarily geared towards health and little else. Producers of just about all stripes have tried their hand on this bracket, with many attempting totally different methods within the course of.

With the Band 7, Huawei has produced one thing that’s low cost however not bargain-bucket, premium with out being expensive – and design is a key a part of that.

It’s out there in pink, purple, black and inexperienced, with my evaluation unit within the latter shade. It’s good to have slightly extra alternative in comparison with a lot of the cheaper competitors, which usually solely provide generic black bands.

The system itself is constructed from a pleasant sturdy feeling matt plastic, with a single button on the precise aspect and varied sensors beneath. At 16g (with out the strap) it’s gentle on the wrist, and at 9.9mm thick it ought to match simply below most shirt sleeves, whereas the strap is a comparatively breathable plastic/rubber composite.

As regards to sturdiness, although no nice claims are made for influence resistance or scratch resistance, the Band 7 is rated for five ATM of water resistance. This could theoretically imply it should face up to a swim, even when it would must be babied slightly usually use to keep away from harm.

This apart, the case itself feels stable and nicely constructed, and definitely worth the worth of entry for essentially the most half. Sensible bands are by no means going to be thought of essentially the most premium of product classes, however that is one that may go as a watch usually utilization in addition to on a run.

Show

• 1.47in display
• OLED
• At all times-on possibility

Display screen high quality is the important thing to success of any health tracker. Any show used wants to stay legible in any lighting situation, be large enough to indicate needed data and sharp sufficient to learn with out squinting.

By these extremely scientific metrics, the show used within the Band 7 is of fine high quality. That’s to say that it will get dim sufficient for use at evening, however fairly vivid sufficient to fight a very sturdy summer season solar. It’s sufficiently large (1.47in) as to have the ability to present a bunch of knowledge with out feeling crowded, and although it gained’t win awards for sharpness it’s extremely legible for essentially the most half. As an OLED display it provides inky blacks and good distinction, although it doesn’t fairly problem one of the best on this level.

An added plus on the worth level is the presence of an at all times on show, which does drain the battery significantly however is a substantial high quality of life enchancment. It permits the Band 7 to behave extra as a watch alternative than may in any other case be doable, and is greater than the likes of the Apple Watch SE can provide at roughly 5 occasions the value.

Software program and options

• Huawei’s personal software program
• Notification alerts
• Works with Android and iOS

As a wise band fairly than a smartwatch, the expectations from a software program perspective are fairly decrease for the Band 7 than they may be for the likes of an Apple Watch. Whereas the latter ought to be capable to operate virtually as a mini-smartphone, a smartband’s main function is to trace well being data and present the time.

It’s a nice shock to see then that not solely does the Band 7 provide fairly just a few software program options for the value, however that they’re principally nicely thought by and fleshed out.

The Band 7 runs a customized working system from Huawei. It isn’t like choices from Apple and different firms that enable apps to be put in, however as a substitute has a set of choices that may solely be expanded through a software program replace direct from the corporate itself.

Fortunately, for essentially the most half this isn’t a problem, because the offered software program is comparatively absolutely fleshed out. Along with the anticipated suite of health and well being monitoring choices there’s a torch possibility, the power to ping your cellphone whether it is misplaced, alarms and extra. Although the likes of the Apple Watch provide choices for music management and extra, this can be a system focussed solely on the necessities, with just a few extras thrown in for good measure. 

Sean Cameron

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Notifications will also be obtained on the Band 7, and given the scale of the display they’re simple sufficient to learn though they can’t be interacted with in any significant method. I examined the watch with iOS and with Android, and located no points or bugs when interacting with both. 

Interactions with the system are solely made by the medium of the touchscreen and the aspect button. The button wakes the system and opens varied menu choices, whereas all the pieces else is dealt with by swipes on the show. There are apparent drawbacks to this strategy, providing bodily controls permits extra of the show to stay usable if you are taking a look at it, nonetheless in apply I rapidly received used to this management scheme discovering it to not be a problem.

Altering watch faces and the like is dealt with by the Huawei Well being app, which is generally well-featured although I used to be dismayed to see a proliferation of paid watch faces out there. If you’re giving this to a baby or teenager as a present, this may be one thing to observe (no pun supposed).

Efficiency and health

• Barely laggy
• 96 sport monitoring choices
• Good for runners

Generally operation, the software program on the Band 7 works nicely and easily. I didn’t expertise many delays in swiping by the interface, although opening sure options (i.e. the alarm operate) usually brought on a slight delay – although that is to be anticipated given the value level. It was by no means an obstacle to utilization.

With respect to health, the Band 7 can monitor coronary heart fee, SpO2 ranges, can observe sleep, provides assisted-GPS for runs (which means it has to hyperlink to your cellphone to plot your route) and has 96 separate exercise choices, overlaying a minimum of the entire fundamentals. An necessary caveat to the above is that whereas it might probably carry out measurements, these won’t ever be as correct as a real medical system and as such any readings should be taken with a grain of salt.

That is significantly true of these information areas which might be slightly tougher to construct an correct image of. I discovered that sleep monitoring as an example was slightly skew-whiff, reporting wonderful sleep at occasions the place this was patently unfaithful.

Fortunately, out of doors monitoring proved to be fairly correct, intently following our route on varied lengthy walks by areas of patchy countryside connectivity. As a consequence, this can be a band that may swimsuit avid runners nicely specifically.

Although this isn’t a tool that may provide the identical excessive stage of precision in monitoring and monitoring as a number of the larger finish competitors, it additionally is available in at a fraction of the value. As such, it should definitely be adequate for individuals considering health, if not elite athletes.

Sean Cameron

Battery life

• Two week declare
• Realistically simply 4 days
• Cost cable in field

Of all of the claims that Huawei makes concerning the Band 7, its quoted battery life is among the many grandest. Based on the agency, it’s doable to rise up to 2 weeks of utilization with out an excessive amount of effort.

This may occasionally definitely be doable if the system is left in a drawer with nothing to do for that size of time, however the determine was undoubtedly not reflective of our experiences. With the always-on-display lively and notifications incoming, I discovered that I may get by a stable 3 days of utilization earlier than it was time to plug in. By deactivating these (and subsequently eradicating performance from the system) I may stretch one other 3 to 4 days on common.

Whether or not you’ll want to deactivate a variety of these options for battery achieve can be a matter of private alternative, nonetheless we suspect that almost all will be capable to discover a steadiness that fits their wants. 

Value and availability

The Huawei Band 7 is obtainable now instantly from Huawei within the UK for costs starting at £49.99. 4 color choices can be found: Wilderness Inexperienced, Graphite Black, Nebula Pink and Flame Crimson.

You should purchase it from Huawei, Argos, Amazon, and Currys.

Verdict

There are a variety of totally different good band choices in the marketplace at this time, from small scale Chinese language producers by to large names like Garmin and Fitbit, everybody desires a slice of the pie. Towards this robust competitors, the Huawei Band 7 provides greater than sufficient to face out. 

With attractiveness, sturdy building, an enormous show, first rate battery life, stable train monitoring (for essentially the most half) and easy software program it makes an amazing first impression. Missing any form of scratch or drop resistance, barely squiffy sleep monitoring and some different niggles maintain it from true greatness, however for the value it’s greater than ok. If you’re searching for an excellent worth good band at this time, the Huawei Band 7 must be close to the highest of your listing.

Specs

• Huawei OS
• Huawei Well being app
• 1.47in OLED show
• 96 health/sports activities tracked
• Assisted GPS
• Coronary heart fee monitor
• SpO2 monitoring
• Sleep monitoring