Which smartwatch to choose? Or rather, which wearable to buy? Yes, because not all wearables are smart watches. In recent years there are two categories that have established themselves on the market: smartwatches and smart bands. But what distinguishes them? Who are they suitable for? We have spent the last few months in the company of wearables from Honor and now we are ready to tell you what their characteristics and strengths are to help you find the right product for you.
Smartwatch vs Smartband: what changes?
Before telling you more about Honor devices, let's take a step back and start with a question: what distinguishes smartwatches from smartbands?
Smartwatches
Startups and technology giants have been producing and developing for ten years now smartwatch, that is, devices equipped with a display that, in addition to showing the time, perform a lot of other activities. In the last decade we have in fact gone from basic models, capable of showing only the notifications received on the smartphone, to devices with their own operating system which can operate independently.
A modern smartwatch can show the time in a more or less captivating way using the famous watch faces, can report you and even manage calls and messages, can integrate different applications and can have its own dedicated store. In addition, it is often devoted to monitoring health and physical activity, with functions ranging from the use of GPS to track a run to the ability to monitor the heartbeat.
It is not a substitute for the smartphone, mind you. You can consider it a sort of extension of the latter, a way to always stay connected with the rest of the world without having to check your phone dozens of times a day. If something relevant happens, he will tell you. All time. 24 hours a day. Or at least as long as the battery lasts.
The smartband
Smartband it is a relatively recent name. In fact, at the beginning there were the fitness tracker, bracelets born to monitor physical activity. They counted the steps, the calories and the kilometers traveled. The more advanced also tracked sleep but nothing more.
Then things evolved. On the one hand, the smartwatches, those that initially only showed notifications, began to introduce features related to fitness and sport, on the other hand, the former fitness trackers understood that to remain competitive they had to offer something more.
So today we have smart bands, with a small display, the integration of notifications and features related to physical activity monitoring. Practically a minimal version of the smartwatch with an excellent battery and a much lower price.
I wearable di Honor
Now that we have clarified the main differences between smartwatch and smartband, let's try to understand what distinguishes Honor's different wearables from each other.
Honor Band 5: Honor's smartband
Let's start with the simplest and cheapest device of the family. For sale in 34,90 €, Band 5 comes with a compact body, a knurled silicone strap and a 0,95 inch AMOLED display slightly curved and rather bright.
Worn turns out comfortable and very light. You will hardly notice you have it on your wrist. A nice advantage especially when you do sports.
Speaking of fitness, there are several sports that Honor Band 5 can track, showing you your heart rate, workout time, distance, pace rate, speed, calories and aerobic and anaerobic results. Supported activities include rope, cycling, bodyweight training and even swimming. This smartband in fact is water resistant up to 50 meters and recognizes the four main styles, namely freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
Add to this the ability to view notifications, customize the watch face and strap, monitor heart rate and oxygen saturation, and even monitor sleep. You also have the ability to find your smartphone, take photos remotely and remotely control your music.
So on your wrist you have a super complete device despite being "only" a smart bracelet. If you don't need more advanced features or more detailed notifications, know that Honor Band 5 is a great product, perfect for those who want to spend little and keep track of their physical activity first and foremost. Among other things, all data can be reviewed and analyzed using the app Huawei Health, required for product configuration and customization and available on the AppGallery, App Store and Play Store.
Ah, we forgot: the battery lasts a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 14, depending on the use you make of it and the features you decide to activate.
HONOR Band 5 Smartwatch Fitness Tracker Watch Men Women ...
- 【AMOLED Symphony Big Screen】: Full Screen Touchscreen The large 0,95 inch screen features a ...
- 【SpO2 blood oxygen monitoring】 Detect blood oxygen and easily check the condition of the ...
- 【24/24 heart rate monitoring】 Real-time sleep heart rate monitoring, ...
Honor Watch ES: the middle way?
Honor Watch UK is one of the newcomers in the family e it almost seems like somewhere in between, the link between smartbands and smartwatches. In reality it is in effect a smartwatch despite the choice to adopt a rectangular display. THEHowever, the format is not the only point in common with smart bracelets. Honor Watch ES is very light (only 21 grams), rather thin and really comfortable. Wearing it is a real pleasure as well as taking advantage of hers display AMOLED touch da 1,64 pollicthe. It is very responsive, with deep blacks, bright colors and a brightness that allows it to be used even in direct sunlight. Plus we have always-on functionality, so the screen can stay on all the time and show you the information you need.
Come Band 5, Watch ES has a strong sporting vocation. Here, however, the fitness features are enhanced to be able to track over 95 different training modes, including swimming since we have water resistance up to 5 atmospheres.
But that's not all. Honor has in fact provided for the inclusion of guided activities. This means that you find preloaded 12 training courses with lots of animations that help you understand how to do the exercises. They are an excellent solution for those who cannot or do not want to go to the gym or for those who want to do activities for a few minutes a day, perhaps on a lunch break or early morning flight.
All data collected during physical activity is sent to the Huawei Health app again. Here you also find all other statistics such as those related to heart rate, sleep tracking, blood oxygenation and even stress levels. There really is everything. The only lack is that of the GPS which makes it less suitable for outdoor activities but do not panic: for that there is another Honor smartwatch that can help you.
But let's go back to Watch ES because this hybrid has more to offer. We are obviously talking about notifications, coming from any application.
Finally, we come to the autonomy that on average it reaches 7 days. Not bad at all, especially if you want to go for a weekend without having to bring your charger.
Honor Watch ES is for sale in 99 € and it's suitable for a rather heterogeneous audience. It is perfect for those who want an elegant smartwatch, it is suitable for those looking for something sporty and performs well in everyday life. It is a truly versatile product, suitable for both genders and extremely discreet. If you then add the competitive price, you get one of the most interesting smartwatches on the market.
HONOR Watch ES - Fitness Smartwatch, 1,64" AMOLED Display...
- 1,64 inch amoled touchscreen- 70% screen-to-body ratio, 326ppi, color display offers vivid images that ...
- 95 training modes and 12 fitness courses - automatic training detection and stores all your ...
- Stress spo2 sleep monitoring- huawei trusleep (tm) technology specialized in scientific sleep stages (deep, ...
Honor Magic Watch 2: lo smartwatch classico
If you are looking for a product with a more traditional form factor then you should bet on Magic Watch 2. A name that actually includes two different models: the 42 mm one and the 46 mm one.
The first, we confess, is one of the wearables we have most loved in 2020. It is compact, very elegant, apparently without edges and perfect for those looking for a complete device.
The second version is obviously larger and a little more masculine but just as well finished. The case is 316L stainless steel, is scratch and impact resistant and accommodates an AMOLED display che supporta l’Always-On.
We have already seen many features on Watch ES: we have notifications, weather, monitoring of physical activity, heart rate, stress levels and sleep. There is no lack of water resistance and some additional applications. Among these there is also Music. In fact, you can take advantage of the 4 GB of internal memory to load your favorite songs and listen to them even when you are without a smartphone, perhaps by connecting a pair of headphones.
The real plus, however, is represented by the presence of speaker and microphone so you can answer and manage calls using only the watch. A nice convenience if you are away from the phone.
Plus we also have he GPS, very fast in hooking up the satellites and perfect for those who love to run outdoors.
Honor Magic Watch 2 is on sale at 169,90 € and it is the best choice for those looking for a complete smartwatch, equipped with all the necessary functions for both daily use and sports use. All this without sacrificing design: with its clean and modern lines it really adapts to any situation, from a formal dinner to a run in the park.
Discount
HONOR Smartwatch Magic Watch 2 46mm, 14 Giorni in Standby,...
- 【14 Days Battery Life】 - Powered by the brand new HUAWEI Kirin A1 chipset, MagicWatch 2 processes the most ...
- 【15 Goal-Based Fitness Modes】 - Stay motivated on the way to crush your goals. The...
- 【Wrist SpO2 Monitor】 - Measures oxygen saturation levels in the bloodstream so you can assess ...
Honor Watch GS Pro: for outdoor lovers
A 249,90 € it is Honor's most expensive smartwatch and clearly stands out from the models seen so far. If Honor Band 5, Watch ES and Magic Watch 2 were born to be sober and suitable for anyone, this model is instead devoted to sports and outdoor activities.
To testify this vocation is first of all the design: muscular lines, more abundant dimensions and an above average weight which however translate into resistance to falls, to extreme temperatures (from + 70 ° C to -40 * C), water (up to 5 ATM), sand and even fluid contaminants. All this is testified by the a 14MIL-STD-810G military certification, which means that the smartwatch has been subjected to specific tests to make sure it will withstand the most extreme conditions.
The shell is in polycarbonate, the bezel is in metal and the strap is in rubber. It turns out like this comfortable and solid at the same time, also perfect for trekking in the mountains or to spend a few hours in the snow.
The display is a 1,39 inch AMOLED, obviously touchscreen, but we also have many sensors, the microphone and the speaker. Then comes back the possibility of storing music inside and the indispensable GPS / GLONASS that is combined with the functionality Route Back. The latter allows you to retrace the path taken in reverse using the data collected by the smartwatch, without therefore needing a phone.
Then there are the usual functions of monitoring physical activity, of the heartbeatand oxygen saturation, sleep and stress. We then have the support a 100 different training modes, from the most classic to the most unusual. All the statistics are then sent to the Huawei Health app which among other things allows you to customize the experience and change the aesthetics of the dial. From here you can also see the status of the battery, a battery that gives you about two weeks of use.
Honor Watch GS Pro is the perfect choice for those who love extreme sports and the outdoors. You have to take into account important dimensions but on the other hand you will have a resistant product with a lot of functionality.
HONOR Watch GS PRO - Multisport GPS Smartwatch with Body ...
- 【Wild and Rugged Design】 - Ideal for urban adventurers, the rugged exterior is crafted with mechanical precision to...
- 【14 MIL-STD-810G Test Types】 - Built to withstand the harshest environments. It includes resistance ...
- 【25-Day Battery Life】 - No more worrying about running out of battery when exploring nature. Also...
And the future?
Honor Band 5, Watch ES, Magic Watch 2 and Watch GS Pro are the Honor wearables currently on the market and capable of responding to the needs of any kind of user, without however exceeding the threshold of 250 euros. The Chinese company therefore demonstrates that it is also attentive to the wallet of its users without sacrificing functionality and quality.
But will it always be like this? Honor Band 6 has already appeared on the market, which seems to elevate the concept of smartband without raising the price. However, we expect other interesting news for 2021. We just have to wait for the new announcements to find out what the future of Honor wearables will be.
Honor smartband and smartwatch: to learn more
Would you like to know more? Read also:
- Honor Band 5 review
- Honor Magic Watch 2 review
- Honor Watch GS Pro review
