Table of Contents
WITH Brits lastly rising from the nation’s newest coronavirus lockdown this week, 1000’s of health freaks are questioning whether or not to bin or hold their newfound train routines.
House exercises have develop into the norm in 2020 and exercise tech has made that transition a clean one – however can a smartwatch persuade anybody to ditch the health club and persist with exercising from residence for good?
Huawei’s GT 2 Professional smartwatch pulls no punches
Over the previous few weeks, I’ve taken Huawei’s GT 2 Professional for a spin to see whether or not the Chinese language agency’s wonderful smartwatch can up my health sport.
I’ve come out the opposite facet of lockdown very impressed, and might safely say it’s modified my exercises for good.
Design
To start out with, the GT 2 Professional is among the best-looking smartwatches I’ve tried.
It boasts a premium titanium shell and sapphire glass floor, with a ceramic again besides.
The smartwatch has a enjoyable choice of digital faces to select fromCredit score: Huawei
The face contains a 1.39-inch OLED show with a pleasant choice of digital designs to select from, although the vary isn’t fairly as trendy as these accessible on the Apple watch.
You may slap a leather-based or silicon strap on it, relying in your style. Each of these clip on with a straightforward to make use of clasp.
All in all, the GT 2 Professional is available in a cultured design that – offered you decide the fitting watch face – wouldn’t look misplaced in a board assembly, or out at a flowery restaurant.
It lacks the daring and futuristic type of devices just like the Apple Watch or Nubia Watch, however Huawei’s providing seems to be and feels nice to make use of.
Options
The gadget’s two-week battery life may be very spectacularCredit score: Huawei
Whereas design is vital (nobody desires to put on one thing that appears naff), it’s what a smartwatch can do this helps it stand out from the group.
The GT 2 Professional runs off of Huawei’s Lite OS software program, which is easy and straightforward to make use of, and boasts a large battery lifetime of as much as 14 days.
Importantly, it additionally comes with a wealth of exercise monitoring.
The watch can monitor 100+ exercises, providing stats on every little thing from operating and full physique exercises to open water swimming and snowboarding.
You’ll discover every little thing from coronary heart fee to elevation is monitored by the intelligent little ticker, permitting you to observe your progress all through your exercise.
I largely used the GT 2 Professional for operating in addition to circuit exercises carried out from the consolation of my front room, and I used to be fairly impressed.
Huawei says the gizmo can act as your “private exercise associate”, and it’s definitely not far off, providing operating programs, evaluation of your coaching regime and extra.
I even had my music tastes catered for. The GT 2 Professional helps Spotify, and you’ll retailer just a few hundred tracks on it for once you’re taking it out and about with out your telephone.
You may hook it as much as your smartphone, even when it isn’t a HuaweiCredit score: © 2020 SOPA Img
I’ve been operating for years however am a little bit of a beginner to the circuit coaching scene, and the GT 2 Professional was nice for somebody taking his first (achy) steps into a brand new world of health.
Whether or not it might be as useful to somebody who’s a extra seasoned health guru is one other query, nevertheless, and the GT 2 Professional does have its drawbacks.
Specifically, the watch’s lack of third social gathering app assist actually grates after some time, particularly if switching from one thing as excellently built-in because the Apple Watch.
The GT 2 Professional will present notifications out of your smartphone (even when it’s an iPhone!) however gives no solution to work together with these notifications.
Which means if you happen to get a WhatsApp message, as an example, you possibly can see the notification however don’t have any approach of responding through your watch.
As a substitute, you’ll should whip your telephone out of your pocket and do it the “quaint” approach. A minor inconvenience, however one customers of different smartwatch manufacturers do not need to endure.
Worth and launch date
At round £300, the watch is definitely on the dear facetCredit score: Huawei
All that fancy health monitoring and sensible design comes at a value (and a steep one, at that.)
The GT 2 Professional is available in at round £300, which means it prices simply as a lot as heavy hitters just like the Apple Watch and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch line.
The watch is out now within the UK. It’s not clear if the gadget will ever launch within the US.
Given the Huawei ban nonetheless in place within the States, it’s secure to imagine the gadget gained’t be making its approach there any time quickly…
Closing verdict
The GT 2 Professional is a superb piece of {hardware} that ought to fulfill the wants of any health fanatic trying to monitor their stats.
The design is nice, the battery is implausible, and the power to recommend updates to your coaching regime is helpful for anybody attempting out new types of train.
Nevertheless, the gadget falls nicely beneath expectations on the subject of third social gathering app assist, which is admittedly disappointing when you think about its beefy price ticket.
I’d say the GT 2 Professional is a good choice for somebody in search of a smartwatch solely for the health choices, moderately than those that need a gadget that may do every little thing their telephone can.
As for whether or not it might probably change the health club: Possibly, if you happen to’re focussed on cardio alone, however really devoted train junkies ought to hold maintain of their memberships (and the machines they grant entry to) for now.
Score: 4/5
In different information, Apple’s new iPhone 12 Mini and Professional Max launched last month.
The complete iPhone 12 vary will not include a power adapter within the field.
And, Apple not too long ago unveiled the newest model of the Apple Watch – its cheapest smartwatch in years.
We pay on your tales! Do you might have a narrative for The Solar On-line Tech & Science workforce? Electronic mail us at [email protected]
