Huawei Band 10 Review: Smart Choice Over a Budget Smartwatch

With the democratisation of smartwatches, the recognition of health bands among the many plenty has been in a downward spiral. The first wearable gadget I keep in mind buying was a Xiaomi Band 2, which remained my companion for each day use and train routines for a couple of years. But then got here my first smartwatch, after which one other, and one other, and so the health band bought buried beneath the retail packing containers of all these wearables, and maybe stays there to this present day.

In June, Gadgets 360 solely reported concerning the impending launch of the Huawei Band 10 in India, and it certainly made its method to the market a few days later. The health band not solely arrived as a competitor to the Galaxy Fit 3 but in addition offered me with one other alternative to check out a health band, after prioritising a smartwatch over it for all these years.

The Huawei Band 10 worth in India begins at Rs. 6,499 for the polymer case, whereas the aluminium alloy case is priced at Rs. 6,999. However, it was initially bought at a particular launch worth of Rs. 3,499 and Rs. 4,199 for the polymer and aluminium choices, respectively. At this worth level, is the good band value investing your cash in over a finances smartwatch? Let’s discover out on this evaluate.

Huawei Band 10 Design: Function Over Form

• Case Material – Aluminium Alloy
• Colours – Matte Black, White, Green, Blue, and Purple

The Huawei Band 10 options a comparatively easy design with conventional good band aesthetics, but it’s useful in most elements. It has an aluminium alloy case which feels sturdy. At simply 15 grams, the good band is actually light-weight, and it’s 8.99mm skinny, permitting you to put on it comfortably all through the day with out a lot discomfort. Even in Delhi’s peak summers, the fluoroelastomer strap materials didn’t trigger any uneasiness whereas sporting the band for extended intervals.

The Huawei Band 10 is fairly light-weight which makes it snug to put on for lengthy intervals

The aluminium alloy variant of the Huawei Band 10 is on the market in 5 shades: Matte Black, White, Green, Blue, and Purple. I acquired the Matte Black one for evaluate, and it’s the most minimal-looking of the bunch. It is fairly sturdy too, with no scratches or paint chips in any respect on the case, even after greater than a month of each day use. And talking of the case, it options chamfered edges, which improve the general attraction and look.

Huawei has outfitted the Band 10 with a single button on the precise aspect of the body. It can be utilized to navigate to the exercise display or return to the house display. Both straps may be indifferent and swapped through a launch button on both sides of the again of the good band. You may also discover the charging pins and the center price and SpO2 sensor right here.

Huawei Band 10 Display: Does the Job

• Display Size – 1.47-inch
• Resolution – 256 x 402 pixels
• Display Type – AMOLED

On the entrance of the Huawei Band 10 is a 1.47-inch AMOLED display with a 256 x 402 pixel decision, 302 ppi pixel density, and touchscreen performance. The display helps swipe and contact gestures for navigation, which is easy more often than not, with none noticeable lag. The Huawei Band 10 options adjustable brightness settings and stays legible even in direct daylight.

The display is rated 60Hz however seldom doesn’t really feel prefer it

While the panel doesn’t have the best decision, I didn’t discover any main pixelation. It additionally has first rate color replica. The refresh price is one space the place I felt the necessity for enchancment. The Huawei Band 10’s display refreshes at barely 60Hz, which might hamper the in any other case easy expertise. However, at this level, it’s simply greedy at straws and never a actual dealbreaker.

For customisation, there are many watch faces so that you can select from. You can set them up through the companion app (extra about that later). It consists of traditional, multifunction, health-centric, energetic, number-based, astronomy, and dynamic faces, which may be chosen primarily based on the consumer’s desire. Further, the Huawei Band 10 additionally shops some watch faces for on-the-go use.

There can also be an always-on show function, which shows the time and different info always. However, it massively impacts the battery life. If that is a trade-off that you would be able to dwell with, then it may be enabled.

Huawei Band 10 Software and Companion App: Easy to Use

• Operating System – HarmonyOS 5.0
• Companion App Platforms – Android 9.0 or later, iOS 13.0 or later

The Huawei Band 10 runs on the corporate’s proprietary HarmonyOS working system (OS). Its general consumer interface is fairly easy to make use of and has simple navigation. Swiping up on the house display opens the notification window, which shows mirrored notifications out of your telephone. It can show alerts from apps equivalent to Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, and lots of extra.

You can see test your telephone’s notifications straight from the good band

Meanwhile, a fast swipe down brings up the short entry window, via which you’ll arrange a timer or alarm, allow the flashlight, toggle sleep mode, alter brightness, and in addition open the settings. You can scroll via the carousel of widgets, equivalent to coronary heart price monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, step rely, and exercise rings, by swiping left or proper on the Huawei Band 10’s dwelling display.

The good band is suitable with the Huawei Health app, which has an easy-to-use interface. However, it does require you to sign up along with your Huawei account. It shows a devoted well being web page with metrics equivalent to train information, exercise rings, coronary heart price, sleep, blood strain, and SpO2. Through the train window, you may entry coaching plans for numerous actions, together with primary working, half-marathons, indoor and outside biking, strolling, and even golf.

The gadgets web page exhibits your linked Band 10 and permits you to tweak its numerous settings and obtain watch faces. Through right here, you can even allow the ‘Find Device’ choice to find your good band when you ever lose it.

Performance and Battery Life: Good and Good!

• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient mild sensor, Gyroscope, Optical coronary heart price sensor
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
• Battery life: Up to 14 days

In phrases of efficiency, the Huawei Band 10 does the job 9 occasions out of 10. There is a boatload of well being and fitness-centric options, tailor-made to completely different wants and use circumstances. During my testing, I attempted a number of of them, and all of them delivered first rate outcomes.

Heart price monitoring on the Huawei Band 10 carefully matches that of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic

For comparability, I wore the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic alongside the Huawei Band 10 when testing the step-count, SpO2, and heart-rate monitoring options. The step monitoring was practically equivalent, with the full variety of steps taken all through the day deviating by 50-60 at most. The identical applies to SpO2 and heart-rate monitoring, with the outcomes being nearly equivalent.

A notable function of the good band is coronary heart price variability (HRV). It tracks the stability between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous programs to evaluate stress ranges. Leveraging this function, it informs you when your stress ranges are too excessive, advising you to relaxation or interact in a exercise. The gadget additionally options 100 exercise modes and numerous swimming-related choices, however I used to be unable to check them.

There are a number of exercise modes to select from on the Huawei Band 10

The Huawei Band 10 doesn’t supply Bluetooth calling performance. However, you may nonetheless obtain and finish calls out of your wrist when paired through Bluetooth. During my time with the good band, the connection remained secure, and I didn’t expertise any disconnection points. You may also use it to set a timer, a stopwatch, and an alarm. Further, the Band 10 may also function a media controller and a distant shutter for taking pictures.

Moving on to the battery life, which is superb. The firm guarantees as much as 14 days of operation on a single cost. I used to be in a position to extract about 13 days of efficiency when linked to the telephone through Bluetooth. However, it decreases drastically when the always-on show function is enabled. A five-minute fast cost delivers as much as two days of utilization, whereas the good band may be absolutely charged in about 45 minutes.

Huawei Band 10 Verdict

Should you purchase the Huawei Band 10? Read on to seek out out

The Huawei Band 10 is undoubtedly a compelling possibility, contemplating the restricted variety of good bands accessible within the Indian market. It excels on the elementary capabilities of a good band, with correct well being and health monitoring, lasting battery life, and a strong construct. Although there are some noticeable trade-offs, equivalent to a low refresh-rate display and lack of Bluetooth calling, their omission means that the corporate has prioritised dependable health metrics over superior options, which is what a great good band ought to primarily deal with.

So, do you have to purchase the Huawei Band 10? Well, when you’re available in the market for a new wearable and Bluetooth calling is not a precedence, take into account a finances smartwatch from manufacturers like boAt, Fire-Boltt, or Noise. And I’d undoubtedly take into account doing the identical myself.