Review of the Huawei Honor Band fitness tracker. Almost hours

The display of the gadget is monochrome, diagonal - or rather, diameter - 1.06 inches, PMOLED 128x128 pixels, and its pixels in icons and numbers are clearly visible. But you can remember the same old Nike FuelBand: the information was displayed using several rows of LEDs, and it was clear. The most important thing is that Honor generally displays data on the screen, and you don’t have to turn on your smartphone every time to see the number of calories burned or steps taken. The screen brightness is adjusted automatically; there is no manual adjustment, but even in bright sunshine the information is readable.

What can he do?

Thanks to the motion sensor, the watch turns on if you simply raise your hand, but if this gesture does not work, you can activate the screen with a double tap (quick touch). The operating system here is proprietary, developed by Huawei. There are a couple of simple dials, data on calories burned, a pedometer, and a timer. There are also primitive settings: the user is only allowed to change the dial theme or reset the gadget to factory settings. Among other things, Honor Band can display notifications about incoming calls and SMS, accompanied by vibration, so you won’t miss anything important. But it is impossible to reject or accept a call using the bracelet; you can only mute the sound on the phone.

Already from the name it is clear that Honor Band 3 is the third fitness tracker from Huawei’s subsidiary. What has changed compared to the previous two? Much. We added a heart rate monitor, a high-capacity battery, optimized it here, tweaked it there - we got the hero of our review.

Two years ago we tested the first wrist device (review) under the Honor brand. Then it came out - a stylish, neat and very cheap tracker. And now the time has come for a new generation, which has acquired new capabilities and functions. There is even an NFC module announced, although our version with it will not be sold. It's a pity.

Honor Band 1st generation

What is what

I don’t think I need to explain to anyone what a fitness tracker is for in 2017. Many people have had a similar device for a long time, and some have even managed to change a couple.

Honor Band 3 is not a revelation for the market; it does everything the same as its competitors, but to understand the nuances, you need to properly test the gadget.

Let's start with the declared functionality:

  • counting steps and calories
  • sleep phase monitoring
  • heart rate measurement (during training, real time and forced)
  • notification of everything possible (*we'll talk about this separately later)
  • alarm clock (including smart)
  • Tracking specific workouts: running, swimming
  • inactivity notification

Features and convenience

We looked at the functionality of the tracker, now let's look at technical characteristics of Honor Band 3(model NYX-B10HN). Also an important point.

  • monochrome PMOLED display with a diagonal of 0.91 inches and a resolution of 128 by 32 pixels
  • Cortex M4 processor
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • 100 mAh battery
  • Dimensions: 43 x 16.5 x 10.3 mm
  • weight 18 grams
  • Water protection up to 50 meters
  • three colors available: always black core and the same bracelet, blue or bright orange strap

And now a little more about the most important points.

I really liked the strap. In theory, it can be replaced with a compatible one, and to do this you will have to unscrew a few bolts from the inside. But this is not the main thing.

The fitness bracelet fits perfectly on the hand. There are a lot of adjustment holes, so the strap will fit on any wrist. I especially liked the double latch. A simple rule works here: one fastener is good, but two are more reliable.


I hasten to report that the screen looks great both in the dark and on the street. Problems arise when you are wearing sunglasses, and especially with a polarizing filter. In this case, you cannot see what is happening on the display at all.

More about the features

I wouldn't say that heart rate measurement is perfect. An error of 5-8 strokes is normal. Yes, there is a special and very authoritative calculation algorithm called HiRythm, but a handheld heart rate monitor is for most advanced amateurs. Professionals should still choose chest-mounted gadgets - they are more reliable.

But in terms of the capabilities of the heart rate monitor, you can’t dig much. You can set up heart rate measurement in any way you want: continuous monitoring, manual tracking, or during training. In the latter case, there is an option to set heart rate limits, and if you exceed them, the tracker will immediately warn you about it. A useful thing during good cardio, and especially if you take into account the useful tips inside the Huawei Health application.

But what happens very clearly is tracking sleep phases. The tracker catches all night vigils as accurately as possible, as well as the time of falling asleep and getting up. Statistics, graphs, recommendations - everything is there.

The only thing we can criticize the tracker for in terms of functionality is the lack of a built-in GPS module. True, you can use it and connect it to your workouts, but only if you use a Huawei / Honor smartphone or iPhone, starting with iOS 8.0.

Control

There are wrist gestures that work like this. I raised my hand and the display backlight came on. He shook his wrist and the image scrolled forward. It works well, and most importantly, it's really convenient.

There are no physical buttons. There is only one touch pad. Touch it once - turn on the backlight, press it again, see what's next in the menu.

There is also long-term retention. In some places it opens a submenu, and in the case of running and swimming, it activates a workout. Thus, there is no need to reach for your smartphone.

In general, you can leave the tracker in the locker room and calmly go to the pool. The next time you connect, all the information will be sent to your smartphone and temporarily stored in the heart rate monitor’s memory.

Connection

Of course, Honor Band 3 connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. However, you won’t be able to find it so easily from the phone’s settings menu. Everything needs to be done through a special application - Huawei Wear (available for both iOS and Android - no worries). Only after installing it can you make friends between two devices.

Ideally, by the way, you will need another utility - Huawei Health. This is where all the extended information about your activity will be stored. In addition, there are a lot of additional features and training recordings. In general, installation is also mandatory.

When the tracker loses connection (it doesn’t do this at all, it’s not buggy, that is), it seems that everything is lost, you will have to reconnect manually. Nothing like this. We enter the Bluetooth accessibility zone on the smartphone and the tracker automatically restores the connection. At the same time, it synchronizes there, transmits some statistics - everything is as it should be.

Notifications

They arrive quickly, and the bracelet sometimes vibrates even before the notification is announced on the phone itself. Such is the paradox.

However, not all notifications come to the bracelet. WhatsApp, Telegram, calls, SMS, calendar reminders - there are no problems with all this. Again, my S7 Edge is still silent, but the tracker has already begun to vibrate with all its might, which means they are calling me. But some of the specific applications like Webmoney, Yandex Taxi, etc. - all this is silent on the wrist and only beeps on the smartphone.

Sometimes, rarely, notifications do not arrive. I don’t know what this might be connected with, but in 95% of cases there are no problems.

The only thing that was a little annoying was the lack of backlight when the tracker vibrated during the next notification. You have to either press the touch button to light up the screen, or wave your hand.

Unfortunately, individual applications do not have their own icons. If the notification arrived from Telegram, then it will be written on the screen. And the icon on the monochrome screen is always the same - a cloud, like from a comic book.

Following the name of the utility where the notification came from is the introduction of the message. Enough to understand what the message is about: they praised you or sent you away.

Of course, there are no stupid restrictions, like some, such as setting notifications from only three applications. Messages will arrive from everything through which you can communicate in one way or another. The whole thing is configured in the Huawei Wear application.

Autonomy

I charged the tracker (1.5 hours for everything) only once after receiving the gadget for testing. I've been using it for two weeks and still have 20 percent of the charge left. In addition, I looked at my watch all the time; the bracelet often vibrated when notifications, calls, etc. arrived. These are the results of the battery life of the Honor Band 3. In my opinion, everything is fine.

I am sure that autonomy will not suffer much if you actively engage in training (running or swimming) and record all the “stats” in the bracelet.

If anything, a 100 mAh battery was placed inside the case. For comparison, it boasted a 70 mAh battery, and the ubiquitous Mi Band 2 received the same 70 mAh.


From experience, I can say that the Mi Band 2 lasts longer on a single charge, but we take into account a bunch of limitations of this gadget: for example, notifications from only three applications.

Bottom line

If anyone else in 2017 did not have time to acquire a fitness tracker, then I recommend paying attention to the Honor Band 3. Why? But because it knows its business, is stuffed with all possible sensors and sensors (except GPS, but it is used in a smartphone), and also very clearly monitors the user’s activity.

More buy Honor Band 3 It’s also possible because it’s mainstream and everyone has it. And our animal will definitely be a rare occurrence. At least at first.

By the way, Honor Band 3 price quite acceptable - 2,990 rubles. In China, if anything, it costs $33. And this example shows the entire pricing policy of the Honor brand and Huawei in general. Companies don't give a damn about our market and customers, so they can be praised without pretense. Any doubts? Look how much analogues from Fitbit or Jawbone cost.

In general, a fitness tracker is not just a piece of hardware with a wrist strap. These are algorithms, developments, software optimization and, of course, an application for a smartphone. In our case, there are two applications. In addition, the advantage of Honor Band 3 is that it was not produced by some underground company selling trackers for 20 bucks per kilo, but by a world-famous brand, so you don’t have to worry about support and firmware updates.

And now an appeal to Huawei/Honor. Bring us an Honor Band 3 with NFC support and I'll be the first to line up to buy it. Paying for everything right from your wrist is the magic that we, consumers, expect so much from you.

Yes, I know that smartwatches have this. But how much do they cost? This is not in any way.

  • 1. Specifications
  • 2. Packaging and accessories
  • 3. Design and ergonomics
  • 4. Display
  • 5. Interface and compatibility
  • 6. Performance and functionality
  • 7. Autonomy
  • 8. Where can I buy it?
  • 9. Conclusion
  • 10. Video review of Huawei Band 2 Pro

The market for inexpensive fitness bracelets was quickly conquered by well-known Chinese brands like Xiaomi and Huawei. The latest Huawei Band 2 Pro tracker, reviewed below, recently appeared on the shelves of Russian stores. The device offers a wide range of functions and a GPS module for tracking your running activity. What else is the advantage of this device over its competitors? Read below.

Specifications

  • Display: OLED, 0.91 inches, 128×32 px;
  • Processor: ARM Cortex-M4;
  • Communication: Bluetooth2, GPS;
  • Battery: 100 mAh;
  • Protection: IP68;
  • Dimensions: 10.3 x 44 x 19.7 mm;
  • Weight: 21 g.

Packaging and accessories

Huawei Band 2 Pro is packaged in a transparent plastic box, through which the device itself is clearly visible. The back of the package shows the main technical characteristics of the device. Additional accessories can be found in the cardboard box under the tracker.

  • Dock station;
  • USB cable;
  • Documentation.

The average cost of Huawei Band 2 Pro in Russian online stores is 4,000 rubles.

Design and ergonomics

At first glance, the hero of the review is practically no different from most of the same relatively cheap fitness bracelets. Outwardly, it is an unremarkable plastic capsule attached to a silicone strap. Next to the small OLED display on the top edge of the capsule there is a touch navigation button.

Under the capsule there are sensors for measuring the wearer’s body parameters, a GPS module and a contact surface for charging the device from the docking station.

The Band 2 Pro strap has three color options: black, blue and bright orange. The standard strap included in the kit can be replaced with another one, although to do this you will have to tinker with two small screws near the case. Silicone fits your hand perfectly without causing an allergic reaction. If desired, the diameter of the girth can be adjusted to suit your hand. The fastening is made in the form of two T-shaped pins, which are fixed in the oval holes of the strap. By the way, for more accurate heart rate measurement, it is recommended to wear Band 2 Pro just above the wrist.

The bracelet is ideal for active sports; thanks to its weight of 21 grams, it is not felt at all on the hand, which cannot be said about more bulky smart watches on Android Wear. Band 2 Pro is completely protected from water and dust; the gadget can withstand immersion to a depth of 50 meters. During the test, the capsule body remained undamaged, and no small scratches appeared on the screen.

Display

The fitness tracker has a small 0.91-inch display with an OLED matrix. With a resolution of 128x32 px, it’s not difficult to notice individual dots on the panel, however, at least the presence of a display is already a plus for the bracelet. The screen displays the most important information - time, date, number of steps taken, calories burned, battery charge and even incoming notifications from a smartphone. The functions of the latter can be configured in the synchronized application, but the style of displaying information on the tracker cannot be changed.

The Band 2 Pro does not allow you to manually adjust the display brightness, which is a slight drawback for the owner's night's sleep. The screen is activated with a wave of your hand, so the annoying blue glow can be a little annoying at night. Under the bright sun, the symbols on the panel are readable without problems, so there is no need to cover the display with your hand during outdoor exercise.

Interface and compatibility

You can control Band 2 Pro using gestures and pressing the touch button below the screen. A light touch switches modes, and a long hold reveals the details of each of them. You can configure the menu functionality in the synchronized application on your Huawei Wear smartphone. By default, there are seven interface points: clock, breathing activity, running, pedometer, bicycle, heart rate and water exercises.

The user's activity is displayed in Huawei Wear in a small line, where the most important information is displayed - steps taken and calories burned. For a more detailed analysis of the wearer’s physical activity, you will have to install another Huawei Health application. Here, each indicator is displayed in the form of detailed graphs with recent statistics.

Synchronizing Band 2 Pro with your smartphone takes just seconds. After the first launch, Huawei Wear immediately detects a nearby bracelet (if it is turned on) and displays a confirmation window on the phone screen. After this, the user only needs to agree to the synchronization process. Subsequent activity updates appear in the application almost imperceptibly.

Performance and functionality

In addition to the standard set of all fitness trackers (accelerometer, cardiotachometer), Band 2 Pro also received a GPS module that allows you to very accurately track the route, distance and speed while running. After launching the corresponding menu from the bracelet or application on the smartphone, GPS is automatically turned on with information about the current distance traveled.

In general, Band 2 Pro is highly geared towards running. Huawei Health even has a “virtual coach” that creates a training plan based on the goals the user has previously set. For example, a bracelet can remind you of the required number of races before the upcoming city marathon.

Thanks to the excellent moisture protection of the Band 2 Pro case, it is quite possible to use it for training in the pool; the corresponding mode is also present in the interface. True, the gadget’s capabilities in this matter are very limited, since the user is shown only the number of calories burned and the length of the swim. There is no information about the number of strokes and swimming style.

Huawei TruSleep option is used to track sleep phases. It determines the time of falling asleep, the duration of REM and deep sleep. Based on sleep quality results, the device gives a rating on a 100-point scale and gives a list of recommendations for falling asleep faster. It is best to use Huawei TruSleep in conjunction with a “smart alarm clock” that wakes you up at a certain period of time, taking into account the duration of the fast sleep phase. The function drains the battery quite quickly, since to constantly monitor the night time mode, you need to continuously read the user’s heart rate.

By the way, Band 2 Pro can also track your heart rate throughout the day. The device records the measurement results in Huawei Health, where the data is presented in the form of a visual graph. Please note that continuous heart rate measurement drains the device’s battery very quickly; a corresponding notification is displayed before activating the mode.

Another interesting mode is “Breathing”. After its activation, a pulsating sign is displayed on the tracker screen, which sets the rate of required breathing for the user. The result of the exercise is assessed on a 100-point scale. In essence, this mode is a meditation aimed at calming and increasing concentration.

The bracelet can display notifications from instant messengers, mail and SMS in the form of a ticker. An individual list of applications that are allowed to send notifications can be configured in the Huawei Wear settings. There is also a night mode that automatically turns off all notifications while you sleep.

Autonomy

A small 100 mAh battery is more than enough for about two weeks of battery life of the bracelet in normal mode. Continuous heart rate tracking drains the battery twice as fast, and the included GPS module reduces the device's lifespan to just 3 hours.

Band 2 Pro supports fast charging mode from a proprietary docking station. From zero to 100%, the bracelet's battery is filled in about an hour and a half.

Where can I buy

Conclusion

  • Availability of GPS module;
  • Possibility of round-the-clock heart rate monitoring;
  • Waterproof housing;
  • "Virtual trainer" for running;
  • Lightweight case with a comfortable strap.
  • Weak functionality in swimming mode.

Huawei Band 2 Pro is positioned as an advanced fitness tracker for amateur sports. It has everything you need: a GPS module, an abundance of workout tracking modes, and even your own “virtual trainer.” Professional athletes, alas, will miss a barometer, a proper swimming mode and a more accurate heart rate sensor. However, Band 2 Pro does not particularly pretend to compete with flagship devices. In its price category, the bracelet remains one of the best options for beginner athletes.

If the lack of GPS doesn’t bother you, you can buy the Xiaomi Mi Band 2. The direct competitor costs almost half the price, but has a relatively identical set of functions.

We tested the new Honor fitness bracelet and wrote a review in which we talked about the pros and cons of the gadget.

Characteristics of Honor Band 3

  • Monochrome PMOLED display with a diagonal of 0.91 inches, resolution 128 by 32 pixels.
  • Cortex M4 processor.
  • Bluetooth 4.2.
  • Battery capacity: 100 mAh.
  • Dimensions: 43 x 16.5 x 10.3 mm, weight: 18 grams.
  • Protection from water at a depth of up to 50 meters.
  • Compatibility: Android 4.4 and above, iOS 8.0 and above.

The price of Honor Band 3 on the official website is 2990 rubles.

The gadget is sold in three versions with a blue, black and orange bracelet. In this case, the central part (capsule with the screen) is always made in black. The fitness tracker arrived to us without a box, but with a charger that is attached to the inside of the gadget.

Ergonomics and feel

Honor Band 3 fits comfortably on your hand, you get used to it almost instantly, especially if you have used it before. Looking ahead, we note that today there will be many comparisons of the two fitness trackers - they are similar in many ways and are direct competitors.

Honor Band 3 is a monolithic device, it is difficult to replace the strap (you need to look for a suitable one and unscrew the screws). The weight of the gadget is only 18 grams, as on the Mi Band 2, the strap materials here are almost identical - rubber that is pleasant to the touch with a slight texture.

The device is attached firmly; there are two latches at once. We also note that the bracelet has many holes, so it can be comfortably adjusted to any wrist.

The central capsule is completely black and covered with glass, with a round touch button located at the bottom. Yes, yes, like on a Xiaomi device.

When you press this button, the screens change:

  • time, date, charge percentage;
  • number of steps taken;
  • heart rate measurement;
  • swimming.

To start measuring running and swimming, you need to hold down this button. Doing this on the steps screen will open additional screens with sleep time, miles traveled, calories burned, and inactivity time. Of course, all this data will be available on the smartphone, but more on that later.

The screen itself is monochrome, its diagonal is 0.91 inches (resolution 128 by 32 pixels). The screen is quite clear, all information is clearly visible, but in terms of brightness it is inferior to Mi Band 2. This is especially noticeable in bright sunlight.

Connecting to a smartphone and Huawei Wear

Connecting a fitness bracelet is carried out in a simple and familiar way - you need to download the Huawei Wear and Health application (also from Huawei), activate Bluetooth and start searching for the device in the application. This procedure is very simple and takes minutes of time.

The main Huawei Wear app displays the name of the connected device, its charge percentage, the number of steps, calories and distance traveled.

In the application, you can configure the fitness tracker at your discretion, for example, enable/disable inactivity notification (the bracelet vibrates when its owner sits without moving for more than an hour) and automatic heart rate monitoring. Activating the latter function will expand the information in the health application, since it will constantly measure the heartbeat, but will also affect the battery life of the gadget.

There is an alarm section in the settings. Here you can set up to 5 alarms, one of which will be “smart”. The principle of operation is simple - the alarm clock begins its mission 5-30 minutes before waking up (we select the time + manually). Moreover, the developers do not say that the fitness bracelet will wake up the user in the light phase of sleep, which will brighten up the gray morning - it is simply a gradual awakening at a clearly specified time.

In the “Manage Notifications” section, notifications are configured for each specific application installed on the smartphone. The bracelet notifies you of this with a slight vibration. It is noteworthy that the gadget’s screen even displays information, for example, from whom the letter came or the call was missed.

We will not describe the remaining settings in detail; they are rather additional and systemic.

Health (Huawei Health)

All data collected by the smart bracelet is stored in the Health application. It presents step statistics (numbers, calories, distance in km). This section stores information by day, week and month, with averages calculated for each period.

The situation is similar with heart rate and sleep - there are convenient and understandable graphs with the necessary information.

There is also a workout mode in the Health app - you can count running, walking and cycling. Depending on the type of sports activity, the program algorithms will calculate information differently. There is no swimming mode here, although it can be activated on the screen of the bracelet itself.

It so happened that before testing Honor Band 3, I spent a year with Xiaomi Mi Band 2. A comparison of two almost interesting competing devices suggested itself.

In terms of structure and ergonomics, they are almost identical. Perhaps the design of the device from Honor looks more stylish, it is not yet so “boring”. At the same time, Xiaomi offers more possibilities for personalization - here you can change straps without any problems (from 60 rubles apiece on AliExpress).

We will separately talk about errors in step measurements. It is difficult to determine what explains the significant discrepancies in the data, but the fact remains. Either the Honor Band 3 exaggerates the steps, or the Mi Mand 2 understates them.

In terms of measuring sleep and heart rate, the data is almost the same, which applies to both gadgets.

Honor Band 3 operating time

As soon as the device arrived for testing, I charged it to 100 percent, immediately connected it to my smartphone and put it on my hand.

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