The Huawei GT6 Pro is the latest in the company’s fitness-focused smartwatch lineup, and they have really amped the feature set to bring a comprehensive and holistic approach to health and fitness tracking, while also providing premium materials and staggering battery life to keep you going.
At AED 1,200, it sits at an interesting price point – more expensive than basic fitness trackers but less than flagship offerings like the Apple Watch Ultra series or the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, which retail for significantly more.
The Huawei Watch GT6 Pro delivers solid performance back with a staggering multi-week battery life. It’s got tons of health and fitness tracking, a bright display, and titanium construction at a reasonable price. If you aren’t looking at spending the big bucks for the Apple Watch Ultra but still want to have most of the features, the GT6 Pro has them in spades.
- Premium titanium build
- Battery life is impressive
- Plethora of fitness and sports modes
- Nearly comprehensive health tracking features
- Comfortable for all day wear
- Comes in one size only
- Proprietary strap system
- No app store
The GT6 Pro comes loaded with features that should appeal to fitness enthusiasts: over 100 workout modes, professional-grade cycling tracking with virtual power estimation (a first on a smartwatch), comprehensive health monitoring, and upgraded TruSense health tracking system. The titanium construction with sapphire glass gives it a premium feel that rivals much more expensive watches, while the silicon-carbon battery promises 21 days of use.
However, like most other smartwatches that aren’t Apple, the app ecosystem is rather limited, and some features like ECG and virtual pet for emotional wellness are missing (might be available in different regions), which brings the value proposition down somewhat if those features are important to you.
Design and Display
The first thing that strikes you about the GT6 Pro is how premium it feels in hands. The octagonal titanium case with its TC4 titanium alloy constructions gives it a substantial, almost automotive-inspired present on the wrist (fun fact: Huawei’s GT series was inspired by Gran Turismo, hence the name!).
The hard metallic coating adds to the industrial aesthetic – it’s reminiscent of something you would find in a high-end sports car rather than a typical smartwatch. At 51 grams and 11.2mm thick, it feels substantial but not cumbersome, sitting comfortably on my wrists without feeling overly bulky or restricting any motor functions.
We got the Brown version with the composite woven strap, and it’s genuinely attractive – albeit too fashionable for my taste. The strap features a beautiful weave pattern with brown, tan, and orange accents that complement the titanium case quite well.
The texture is pleasant against the skin, and the slightly rugged appearance gives the watch a more adventurous, outdoorsy vibe but also something that fits right in with a suit. You can also get the watch in Black with a more traditional rubber strap, or if you want to go all out, the Silver version comes with a titanium strap.
However, there’s a catch – the strap uses Huawei’s proprietary locking mechanism. While it creates a seamless transition between the case and strap, you can’t simply swap in standard 22mm bands. The system uses pins like standard straps, but includes two small metal plates that slide into guiding slots on the watch body. It looks clean, but it limits your strap options to Huawei’s own ecosystem.
The sapphire glass covering the display is practically scratchproof with its 9 rating on the Mohs hardness scale, and the ceramic back is both hypoallergenic and comfortable for extended wear. The crown and secondary button both offer satisfying tactile feedback and smooth motion, with the crown featuring subtle haptic vibrations when rotated. The overall fit and finish easily rivals watches costing significantly more.
The 1.47” AMOLED display is gorgeous. It has seen a 5.5% increase in size over the previous generation as well as reduced bezels, which helps it create a more immersive experience, provides more screen estate to read messages and notifications, and the 3,000nit peak brightness means visibility is never an issue, even in direct sunlight. The display quality and resolution are nice too – colors are vibrant, text is crisp, and the always-on display remains clearly readable throughout the day.
The 24-hour markings etched into the raised bezel create an elegant frame that further enhances the premium aesthetic while serving a function purpose. Watch faces range from classic analog designs to modern digital layouts, most of which are free, though some premium options require payment. The interface is smooth and responsive, with animations that feel fluid. No complaints here.
Software and Smart Features
Running HarmonyOS 6.0, the GT6 Pro pairs to your phone via the Huawei Health app, which you can find on both the App Store and Google Play Store. The pairing process is straightforward – you can scan a QR code on the watch and follow the setup steps. The watch works with both iPhone and Android devices, though some features work better on Android due to iOS limitations (such as interactable notifications).
The gap that Huawei doesn’t exactly cover when compared to the Apple Watch series are the apps. Huawei has an AppGallery which has some apps that can add certain functionalities to the device, unfortunately it does not seem to be available in the UAE – or at least I couldn’t find it on the app or on the watch.
Watch faces are plentiful, with both free and paid options available. You can also access the Watch Face VIP subscription service, which offers a month of premium watch faces and additional customization options. You can store plenty of watch faces on the device itself and swap them out easily based on the occasion.
Notifications work reliably, displaying messages, calls, and app alerts on the watch screen. You can reply to messages using the built-in keyboard (only on Android) – a full QWERTY layout that, while challenging on a 1.47” circular screen, is considerably better than being limited to pre-written responses. It supports popular apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and more, making it functional for basic communication.
Voice calls through the watch’s speaker and microphone work well for short conversations. The audio quality is clear enough for quiet environments, albeit very quiet, and so the speakers aren’t powerful enough for noisy environments.
The wallet app is present but non-functional for payments in most regions outside China, including the UAE. Again, I couldn’t find the relevant setting on the app to add my cards in, so contactless payments through the watch aren’t possible, which is a bit disappointing – or at least, that’s the case with an iPhone.
You can also set custom widgets that show stacks of information like health stats, activity rings, weather, your schedule, and other data. There’s also a virtual pet feature that monitors your stress levels and encourages better breathing habits, which can be a useful wellness tool for some users, especially if they are having a rough day and want a nudge in the right direction to destress. I tried destressing myself but could not get it to trigger it but I am sure it works fine.
Sports Tracking and Health Features
The GT6 Pro supports over 100 workout modes (that’s 99 more than I am willing to do) with detailed statistics and useful metrics. The watch can track a wide variety of activities and offers comprehensive data that goes beyond basic step counting and heart rate monitoring.
GPS performance for outdoor activity is generally solid, though lock-on can take a few seconds, which can be slightly annoying when you are eager to start a workout. Once connected, the upgraded Sunflower positioning system with dual-band GPS and 3D distance tracking maintains good accuracy.
The standout feature for cyclists is the new virtual power meter functionality. Huawei spent considerable time perfecting algorithms trained on over 1000 datasets across different bike types, rider weights, heights and wind conditions. However, we can’t speak to absolute accuracy without extensive testing against calibrated power meters as neither I or anyone from the team rides bikes professionally. But even if it comes close to the actual thing, you are saving thousands of dirhams on physical hardware, which would be quite impressive. You can also import courses, upload maps, and even turn your phone into a secondary bike computer display showing workout data, making it easier to read while cycling.
The cycling mode includes auto-detect functionality and can automatically pause at traffic lights and resume when you are back on the pedals. If you upgrade to a proper power meter, the watch can calculate your FTP (functional threshold power) for more accurate training zones, though for most users, the virtual power estimation provides useful relative data for tracking improvements over time.
Runners get comprehensive features including training plans for marathons and half-marathons, detailed metrics like VO2 Max, HRV, vertical oscillation, stride length, ground contact time, and balance analysis. The auto-detec feature works well for running too, and you can preview gradient profiles of planned routes, which is useful for trail running preparation.
Sleep tracking is well-implemented and goes beyond basic stage detection. The watch recognizes different sleep stages based on heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and movement patterns during the night, providing an aggregated sleep score in the morning along with practical suggestions for improvement. The new HRV integration helps identify potential breathing irregularities and conditions like sleep apnea, though this shouldn’t replace proper medical evaluation.
The comprehensive health monitoring suite includes standard metrics like heart rate, SpO2, and stress tracking, plus more advanced features like ECG readings and arterial stiffness measurements. The ECG functionality allows you to take readings by resting your finger on the lower right button for 30 seconds, and you can export the results as PDFs to share directly with your doctor via email. The arterial stiffness measurements can indicate stroke risk and cardiovascular conditions, making this a useful health monitoring tool.
The watch also has fall detection feature which will contact your emergency contact and offer to call emergency services, though it lacks some advanced features like automatic location sharing found on other platforms.
I mostly used the watch to track my jaunts to and from the gym, which involves around a 20-min walk back and forth, as well as my weight lifting sessions. For walks, the watch tracks your pace, heart rate, cadence, elevation, active calories, stride and more. Meanwhile, the strength training module provides basic readings like average heart rate, active calories burned and aerobic training stress.
Battery Life
The 867mAh battery is notably larger than comparable watches from Apple or Samsung, and the difference shows in daily use. With always-on display enabled, regular GPS workouts, and typical notifications, the watch just ticks along as if nothing is bothering it. I have been using the watch for a little over a week now and I have yet to unpack the charger from the default charge state of 80% (it’s at 54% now).
Charging takes about 90mins from empty using the included wireless charger, which is reasonable given how infrequently you will need to plug it in.
Final Thoughts
The Huawei GT6 Pro delivers on a solid smartwatch experience that can also double duty as a comprehensive health and fitness tracker. The titanium construction and sapphire glass feel solid, GPS and health features perform well, there are plenty of sports modes to cover all kinds of needs, and the week-plus battery life is a practical advantage over any other smartwatch out there.
The limited app ecosystem and missing NFC payments are notable drawbacks, but the GT6 Pro still offers good value at AED 1,200. You get premium build quality and reliable health and fitness tracking at a price point below flagship alternatives from Apple or Samsung. Honestly, there isn’t much that the GT6 Pro cannot do and for its price, it’s an easy recommendation to make if you don’t want to shell out for the pricier alternatives without missing many of the features.
