Huawei Watch GT Runner Review

Posted On December 1, 2021

Huawei Watch GT Runner is the first Huawei Watch designed for aspiring and professional runners. It has improved satellite tracking, lighter form and design, long battery life and analyzes the Runner Ability Index (RAI).

This review is based on using the Huawei Watch GT Runner for 2 weeks already. I have used it during my runs and bike rides. As I fitness tracker, I used it for walks and for checking the health monitors available. I would wear another brand of smartwatch to compare them, especially to check the tracking accuracy.

Below is my review of the Huawei Watch GT Runner.

Stylish, Lightweight and Bright Display

GPS watches tend to be big and thick. The Huawei Watch GT Runner has a 46mm case size which is quite big but the design is thin and weighs just about 38.5 grams. The benefit of a big watch case is having a big screen. The 1.43 inch AMOLED touchscreen provides plenty of data. While, some watch faces can look crowded already there are many display options to choose from. While running, you can easily scroll through the different screens to show the distance, pace, heart rate, and more in real time.

Five-System GNSS

The tracking features of the Huawei Watch GT Runner is impressive. It features five major satellite systems: GPS + Beidou + GLONASS + Galileo + QZSS. Among them, GPS, Beidou, GLONASS, and Galileo 3 are global satellite positioning systems, and QZSS is an independent satellite positioning system developed by Japan, which mainly covers Southeast Asia.

As a result, the GPS fix is really fast. In less than 10 seconds, the Huawei Watch GT Runner has locked in a GPS Signal. The GPS accuracy is very good as well. My usual 7KM route will be recorded with a variance of just 70-100 meters.

I also used the Huawei Watch GT Runner for bike rides and the accuracy is still OK. It just differs from other watch by less than 300 meters for a 50KM bike ride.

Runner Ability Index

The Runner Ability Index, or RAI, is unique to the Huawei Watch GT Runner. RAI is a comprehensive index used to measure the endurance level and technique efficiency of a runner. A runner with a higher RAI will means faster race times. Other training indicators include VO2max, Fatigue and Recovery, and Predicted Times.

I find these very useful. It gives me a baseline of my capability as a runner. For example, I ran a 1:59 half marathon and my Predicted Time for a half marathon according the GT Runner is at 1:58:46. They matched.

Then, I always think I can no longer run a marathon under 4:50. My marathon PR is at 4:56. But the Predicted Times says I can run a 4:11 marathon. That is something to train for.

Other GPS watches would give a percentage or a recommended time to recover. It just says, for example, that I need to rest for 2 whole days before I can run again. The Huawei Watch GT Runner gives a better insight on recovery. It says when to train and how intense the training can be. So even if I am just 60% in my recovery, the watch says I can continue to train at low intensity.

4GB Music Storage

I like listening to music while I run. I prefer using a bone conduction headphones so I can still hear my surroundings. However, using your phone as the music source drains the phone battery faster. This is not a problem for short runs. But for longer runs and bike rides, I need to conserve my phone’s battery.

The Huawei Watch GT Runner comes with a 4GB memory where I can store music. This is enough for about 500 songs. The watch has a built in speaker which is surprisingly loud. But don’t expect the music to have high fidelity sound. Instead, you can connect your watch to a Bluetooth speaker or headset. That’s very convenient.

14-Day Battery Life

Huawei Watch GT Runner can last up to 14 days in smart mode. It can still last for 8 days of heavy usage. With the GPS on, the battery drains by just about 30% after 4:30 hours of activity. This watch can surely last for more than 12 hours. It can be used for a marathon or even an ultra marathon.

Health Monitors and Smart Features

HUAWEI Watch GT Runner supports several health monitoring functions, including abnormal heart-rate notifications, 24/7 SpO2 or blood-oxygen monitoring, sleep monitoring, stress monitoring and period management.

When connected to a smartphone, the Huawei Watch GT Runner will provide alerts for calls, messages, and app notifications. I can even reply to the text messages using the watch prepared messages.

Huawei Watch GT Runner Review Summary

The Huawei Watch GT Runner is a performance watch for runners. It is truly design with the needs of a runner in mind. The distance shown on the watch for runs is very accurate. The battery life is perfect for marathons to ultramarathons. I love that they added the music storage.

The Runner Ability Index is very useful not just for training hard, but for training smart. There are valuable information from the watch for Training Load, Recovery, VO2max and prediction times.

Price and Availability

The Huawei Watch GT Runner is sold for 13,999 PHP at Shopee and Lazada. Avail of the freebies worth 4,388 during the Pre-order period until December 3, 2021.