Huawei Watch GT 7 Pro Review
Huawei Watch GT 7 Pro pros and cons
Incredible battery life, spanning weeks with decent use.
Bright 3,000-nit display.
Display brightness excels outdoors.
Huawei’s proprietary OS is slightly less refined, with fewer apps.
No 5G variant.
Chunky form and single 46mm size may not suit all tastes.
With Huawei’s broad wearables portfolio ensuring everyone’s lifestyle is catered to, the new Watch GT 7 Pro means business - aimed squarely at budding athletes looking for the best.
Marrying incredible battery life with clinical-grade metric monitoring, the GT 7 Pro improves both hardware and telemetry tracking, ensuring both newcomers and seasoned professionals will find a lot to appreciate in this device.
How does it shape up against the current smartwatch competition? Read our Huawei Watch GT 7 Pro review to find out.
Design and specifications
The Huawei GT 7 Pro is a whole lot of watch.
The octagonal face, inspired by top-tier mechanical watches but bathed in a super-strong titanium alloy and scratch-resistant sapphire glass, makes no bones about how serious it is as a fitness device.
It is a bit of a looker with its brushed metal edges interspersed with mirrored bevel cuts, but being available only in the larger 46mm casing means that it is certainly hard to miss on the wrist.
So while there's a paucity of options for those looking to go Pro, although the regular GT 7 arrives in both 41mm and 46mm set-ups.
The GT 7 Pro does deliver against its bulk, providing substantial screen real estate for maps and vital statistics, but the sheer footprint is worth bearing in mind for anyone after a more subtle tracker.
The watch’s ceramic rear sits comfortably flush against the skin to minimise sweat buildup, though the heft certainly becomes a little noticeable over time.
Rather than causing outright discomfort, the rugged nature of the device simply juts out a little instead of seamlessly complementing the wrist.
A protective ceramic bezel rounds out the premium materials comprising the GT 7 Pro, lending the 55.5g device almost complete protection.
Lightening the load is a selection of fluoroelastomer straps, available in green, black and a striking yellow, matching the three colour variants it arrives in. Designed to perfectly match the tone of the bezels, these straps feature a tapered end that tucks under itself to maintain security on the move. They are incredibly comfortable to wear and ensure the device is ready to be worn for days at a time, which is a major plus given the exceptional battery life.
Levelling up to a Premium Edition adds a second strap hewn from titanium for another £70, taking the watch to angular elegance for those buying directly from Huawei.
Our review GT 7 Pro was the green variant. Lacking the two-tone flourish of the yellow model’s bezel, it strikes the perfect balance of looking practical as a daily driver while remaining more than ready to handle going off-piste.
In terms of controls, a textured digital crown emblazoned with the Huawei name enables smooth list scrolling and map magnification, jutting out at a 45-degree angle on the top right of the smartwatch.
A red ring accents the crown, a nice element of subtle design refinement that highlights the Chinese manufacturer’s attention to detail.
Positioned beneath it, a tactile secondary button acts as a customisable launch option for workout tracking or digital passes, as well as for directly taking ECG readings.
One drawback due to this off-centre set-up, alongside the bespoke HarmonyOS the GT 7 Pro runs on, is that it still cannot invert its orientation for use on the right hand.
It is a shame for lefties like me, but the then-downward positioning of the crown would still make it a challenge to use.
In better news on the robustness front, the watch features resistance for up to 40 metres of free-diving and IP69 ingress defence, making the device just as capable amongst the waves as on a dusty mountain trail.
One important thing to note is that there is no 5G or eSIM version of the Watch GT 7 Pro, meaning that a mobile needs to come along for the ride if looking to stream music or take calls on the slopes. You are relying entirely on Bluetooth 6.0 to keep connected.
In summary, the GT 7 Pro does manage to marry a substantial presence and strong smartwatch credentials with a polished and premium aesthetic, with build quality doing a lot of the work to make this a great device for weekend warriors and seasoned competitors alike.
Display and audio
The 1.47-inch AMOLED screen is the undeniable star of the show here, pumping out a frankly ridiculous 3,000 nits of peak brightness alongside a crisp 466 x 466 resolution.
Even under the harshest midday sun, you will have zero trouble reading your pace counters or maps at a passing glance.
Text is pin-sharp, and the high refresh rate keeps navigating the menus feeling buttery smooth rather than sluggish.
On-wrist audio does exactly what it says on the tin.
The built-in speaker cuts through background noise with ease, ensuring pacing prompts and quick phone calls come through loud and clear.
You will absolutely still want proper Bluetooth earbuds for your running playlist, but the internal mic and speaker setup is perfectly fine for answering a quick call while your handset is buried at the bottom of your rucksack.
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Performance and software
Operating on HarmonyOS 6.1, the GT 7 Pro provides a frictionless navigational layout, although having been spoiled by the buttery nature of the Pixel Watch 5, it seemed to have that bit of a slightly lower frame rate when it comes to scrolling and transitions on the display.
Customisation is great though, with a wealth of watch faces, both free and paid, to sift through and match your personality.
The balance of free and premium complications is decent, as the best ones are not solely hidden behind a paywall. However, Watch Face VIP access will set you back £4.99 a month. It is a slightly steep asking price considering the designs are exclusively compatible with Huawei devices.
More monetisation comes in the form of Huawei Health+, granting immediate access to advanced training routines, 3D run tracking, personalised dietary analysis, guided recovery sessions, as well as sleep analysis.
The GT 7 Pro includes a three-month complimentary VIP membership to this premium service, which is available at a cost of either £7.99 per month, £19.99 for three months or £59.99 per year. Do not worry, Huawei will thoroughly remind you of this throughout the app.
Considering some real gems like a Marathon Masterclass with Eliud Kipchoge are included within this VIP tier, there is a great suite of services to make the most of the device even on the base package, but the additional outlay for subscription services ought to be a consideration.
Initial setup requires pulling the Health app package directly from Huawei’s AppGallery via a QR code on the watch, rather than relying solely on default storefronts - please don’t get tricked by the fake ones on Google Play!
Not as much of a headache for iPhone or Samsung owners, where it lives in their respective stores, but it is a few frustrating additional steps for those looking to pair the GT 7 Pro with any other Android handset.
Following this, synchronisation proceeds reliably, pushing incoming alerts and health records with steady consistency, provided you have accepted the dreaded Terms and Conditions.
An unfortunate issue that we also levelled at the GT 6 Pro that remains is the onerous nature of having to individually accept the privacy agreements for each health tracking feature on the watch before they start to collect any information.
The legal requirements of delivering such personal data are understood, but it is a pretty laborious - and literal - box-ticking exercise to ensure it is doing all the clever stuff it is meant to do.
We hold out hope for an easier and more seamless experience in future, but as it stands, you have to remember to do this, or you will not see any data pulled in from any apps not pre-approved.
Thankfully, what the GT 7 Pro can do is impressive once you break through, with measurement functionality getting a real boost over the GT 6 Pro.
The new Sunflower Positioning System is a massive win for runners. It leverages dual-band GPS and some very clever algorithms to keep a vice-like grip on your location, even when you are dodging skyscrapers or running through heavy woodland.
It also plays nicely with many of the more niche apps - from seamless integration for the hike-finding app Komoot, to managing menstrual cycle timings on Clue, with introductory offers of access to both as part of Huawei Health.
Huawei has also brought a Physical Readiness Score into the mix. By interpreting your last three days of sleep, heart rate variability and general recovery, the watch gives a surprisingly accurate steer on whether you should push for a personal best or take a well-earned rest day.
Skiers get a serious upgrade with a dedicated Pro mode that tracks G-force, edge angles and descent speeds, complete with preloaded topographical maps for thousands of resorts globally.
The watch now caters properly to golfers with vector green maps for over 15,000 courses, whilst cyclists can also train accurately using advanced metrics including FTP (Functional Threshold Power) and Virtual Power estimates alongside steep-incline notifications.
In fact, if you are a cyclist, the GT 7 Pro effectively turns your setup into a full-fledged bicycle computer.
Mount your phone to the handlebars, fire up the Huawei Health app, and the watch beams your real-time speed, virtual power output and cadence straight to the screen, easily saving you dropping a couple of hundred quid on a dedicated Garmin unit.
The core health tracking suite is undeniably top-tier, with continuous blood oxygen monitoring, skin temperature measurements and emotional wellbeing trends all captured capably.
Furthermore, a remarkable volume of formal certifications (now we know what all those Ts&Cs were for) validate the onboard ECG analysis and Pulse Wave Arrhythmia detection.
This provides highly dependable cardiovascular tracking, with the ECG functionality remaining entirely exclusive to the Pro model.
The software landscape remains relatively conservative in third-party utility.
Huawei's AppGallery continues to offer a smaller catalogue of lifestyle tools for key apps than Apple or Google ecosystems.
Those looking for seamless Spotify or WhatsApp integration on their smartwatch will find the GT 7 Pro a little behind the curve, but alternative apps do shore up some of the gaps.
Speaking of Curve, it is a massive boon to have NFC transaction support, made possible via the digital wallet service of the same name.
That being said, broader native contactless banking options remain relatively limited, as per the app shortcomings inherent to Huawei’s restrictions.
Battery life and charging
This is one category where the GT 7 Pro is an unmitigated triumph, with 12 days of battery life on a single charge, and as much as three weeks with conservative use. Even with the notoriously hungry Always On Display, there is still a full seven days of juice, placing it head and shoulders above the competition.
Whilst the above is quite similar to the GT 6 Pro on the surface, there are material gains abound when it comes to efficiency during more strenuous use.
Where last year’s model watch topped out at around 40 hours of GPS tracking, the GT 7 Pro delivers more than 51 hours of active positioning, absolutely essential for keeping to the course when off the grid.
With these kinds of credentials, ultra-marathons or weekend hikes are an absolute walk in the park for Huawei’s latest incarnation.
That is certainly good news given the proprietary magnetic puck is a little unwieldy, although it thankfully provides more than a week of battery in mere minutes via rapid charging.
Huawei Watch GT 7 Pro UK pricing and availability
The Huawei Watch GT 7 Pro launches in the UK with a headline price of £379.99 - a meaningful hike (no pun intended) over the GT 6 Pro's original £329.99 RRP.
The Huawei Store exclusive Premium Edition adds a second titanium strap to coloured variants for £449.99.
Promotional launch packages sweeten the proposition substantially until mid-October, where checkout code A50WATCHGT7 knocks £50 off the bill on the official Huawei Store, reducing the entry price back to last year's £329.99 or a penny under £400 for the Premium Edition.
Huawei is also including a complimentary Scale 3 smart body analyser with all orders until October 13th.
Factor in the three-month Health+ VIP pass worth £20, a month of Watch Face VIP, and early GT 7 Pro buyers can score some exceptional additional value out of the gate.
Final verdict
The Huawei Watch GT 7 Pro demonstrates the high watermark for endurance wearables on the market.
Although the absence of a 5G-enabled model limits standalone freedom, and a user experience app selection that remains modest next to Wear OS competitors, the GT 7 Pro thoroughly outclasses rivals on its chosen terrain, and at a great price to boot.
While mainstream competition might offer a more streamlined experience, they fall at the first hurdle when it comes to offering anything close to the stamina of multi-day battery life and dedicated sporting analytics of the Huawei GT 7 Pro, often at a higher cost.
By pairing luxury design styling with outstanding battery life and a host of professional performance analytics, the Watch GT 7 Pro is a confident choice for those committed to fitness.
