Details
Brand
Huawei
Model
2 Classic
Battery Life
1-2 Days
Use
Tracking
Latest Version
Yes
Key Features
• built-in barometer, heart rate monitor, WiFi, and GPS• NFC Android Pay for making credit card payments with the watch• Stainless steel body with a ceramic bezel for a classic look• Leather outer and rubber underside strap for style and comfort• Replaceable 22mm band• Offline music playing• Workout coach evaluates performance and recovery, and helps the wearer achieve their fitness goals• Smart Assistant receives notifications for apps, calls, and texts• Water and dust resistant• Android Wear 2.0 gives compatibility with many Google Play store apps
Comfort
Reviewers found that the Watch 2 Classic is very comfortable to wear. It is thicker than the previous edition because of all its built-in features, but it does not feel heavy to wear and is actually lighter, weighing only 57 grams, or 2.01 ounces. Depending on the color chosen, the band has rubber on the underside (Titanium Grey) or the entire band is rubber (Carbon Black, Concrete Grey), so it feels comfortable against the skin.
Size
s Available;The Huawei Watch 2 Classic is available in a single size that was designed to fit most wrists. The face size works well on all wrist sizes, although it appears a little large on small wrists. The strap has a standard 22mm width, so if the band that comes with the watch is too long or too short, it can be replaced.
Accessories
There are many compatible accessories for the Watch 2 Classic. Wrist straps and watch bands are available in many different lengths, colors and materials and can work as long as they are 22mm wide. Screen protectors protect the glass against things like fingerprint smudges and scratches. There are also replacement charger cradles and cables in case the one that comes with it gets lost or breaks, and USB wall adapters so it can quickly charge in the wall instead of needing to be plugged into a computer.
Style
True to its name, the Huawei Watch 2 Classic has a classic look to it. Currently available colors are Carbon Black, Titanium Grey, and Concrete Grey. It measures 48.9 mm by 45 mm by 12.6 mm, or 1.93 inches by 1.77 inches by 0.50 inches. Around the ceramic bezel are dashes for the clock numbers that end in 5 and numbers for the ones that end in 0. There are two buttons on the ride side of the watch. The Corning Gorilla Glass-covered screen is slightly smaller than the previous version, so it looks good on smaller wrists as well as larger ones. The band that comes with the Titanium Grey watch is leather on the front so that it looks stylish yet professional, and the other colors come with a rubber band that matches the color of the watch. The band can be swapped with another style that matches a different outfit. Some reviewers thought that it looked slightly masculine and wanted Huawei to make a ladies’ version.
Activities
The Huawei Watch 2 Classic is wearable for just about any activity except for the ones that involve swimming. Not only is it good enough for runners to wear on trails, daily runs, or long distance runs, its Android Wear 2.0 capabilities allow users to install native apps or connect with smartphone apps that can track gym workouts, indoor and outdoor cycling, golf, sports, and more.
Basic Features
The Huawei Watch 2 Classic is wearable for just about any activity except for the ones that involve swimming. Not only is it good enough for runners to wear on trails, daily runs, or long distance runs, its Android Wear 2.0 capabilities allow users to install native apps or connect with smartphone apps that can track gym workouts, indoor and outdoor cycling, golf, sports, and more.
Advanced Features
This watch has many advanced features that help serious runners with their goal setting. It has a built-in heart rate monitor to track heart rate and estimate the number of calories burned during runs and other activities throughout the day. The gyroscope and compass help the watch detect direction and the GPS helps the apps that use maps work properly for finding directions or tracking hikes. It has built-in Near Field Communication (NFC) for credit card payments. It is IP68 dust and water resistant, and can go up to 1.5 meters below the surface for up to 30 minutes. It also has an MP3 player and speaker for listening to music offline, a photo viewer, voice commands, a Smart Assistant for smartphone calls, texts, and notifications, and a Workout Coach for setting goals.
Connectivity
The Huawei Watch 2 Classic has lots of connectivity options which only take a few seconds to a minute depending on conditions. It can use 4G or WiFi to connect to the Internet. It uses its GPS to find its current location. It has Bluetooth, but reviewers suggested using the iOS or Android smartphone’s Android Wear app instead of Bluetooth for watch pairing. Android users did not have problems, but some iOS testers reported that the watch did not work well with their smartphone.
Ease of Use
This watch is somewhat easy to use, but some testers felt that the interface could be more customizable or intuitive. It has a touch screen to navigate (tap and swipe) through the different faces and two buttons on the right side. The top button launches apps, works as a back button, and launches the Assistant. The bottom button is customizable to launch whichever app you choose. The buttons do not scroll, so a few previous smartwatch owners took some time to get used to that. The watch can lag if too many apps are installed, so it is better to have a few favorites than to keep installing apps until the 4 GB of disk space is full.
Power Source
The Watch 2 Classic is powered by a single rechargeable 420mAh lithium ion battery. With normal use, it can last around a day and a half between charges. Under constant GPS usage, it only lasts ten hours. There are ways to make the battery last longer, such as dimming the brightness, disabling the always-on feature, and disabling tilt to wake. In watch mode, by disabling everything except the clock and pedometer, it can last around three weeks. The watch comes with a charging cradle that makes it easy to line up the pins in order to charge it, and the battery is fast charging.
Accuracy
All of the components have great accuracy. The heart rate monitor is very accurate. Testers found that the numbers were very similar to the Apple Watch ‘s heart rate monitor, which is known for its high accuracy. The voice recognition is also very accurate and easily recognizes voice commands. The GPS and maps work well and correctly detect and track the wearer’s current location. The clock and stopwatch keep time correctly.
Face
The face has a 1.2” (3 cm) round AMOLED touch screen that can display 16 million different colors. It has a resolution of 390 pixels by 390 pixels and a density of 326 pixels per inch. The screen is clear and easy to read. Some reviewers felt that the faces that come with the watch clash with the design, but there are lots of third-party watch faces to choose from if you want to customize the look of the watch. There are faces for the clock, stats, different apps, message notifications, finding the GPS, and more.
Band
The Titanium Grey watch’s band is a high end-looking leather band with rubber underneath for comfort. The Carbon Black watch has a black rubber band and the Concrete Grey watch has a dark grey rubber band with white spots to resemble the pattern on a rock. For people with different preferences, it can be swapped out for any 22mm band. It adjustable to get a more exact fit and testers found that it naturally goes back to the wearer’s wrist shape if it is taken off and put back on again after charging.
Apps
There are many Google Play store apps that work on Android Wear 2.0 smart watches. Included is Huawei’s Workout app. Some of the most popular apps include Strava for cycling, Runtastic, Foursquare City Guide, Uber, Android Pay, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps, Google Messenger, Google Music, Google Translate, and game apps. When asked, be sure to choose the Heartbeat app (not the Fit app) for heart beat detection. The watch tends to lag if too many apps are installed, so users should choose a few apps that seem the most useful and stick with those.
Sizes Available
The Huawei Watch 2 Classic is available in a single size that was designed to fit most wrists. The face size works well on all wrist sizes, although it appears a little large on small wrists. The strap has a standard 22mm width, so if the band that comes with the watch is too long or too short, it can be replaced.
Durability
The Watch 2 Classic is made of durable materials. It is dust and scratch resistant and can withstand contact with harmful dust, rain, showering, splashing, and accidental submersion for up to 1.5 meters and up to 30 minutes (IP68). The frame is made of sterling silver, which can withstand being dropped, and the face display is protected by durable Gorilla Glass. The ceramic bezel and leather/rubber strap both look high end and similar to what is used in luxury watches, although a few testers had problems with them chipping or breaking. The charging cradle and cable have mediocre durability, so users will need to be careful not to break or pull on them.
Price
At full price this watch costs around one-and-a-half times the price of the average fitness watch. Making up for this cost are its many features that are built into the watch (heart rate monitor, GPS, WiFi, NFC, accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, MP3 player) so that it does not need to stay connected to a smartphone to work properly. Also a plus is its Android Wear 2.0 operating system, which makes it compatible with an ever-growing number of apps for just about any activity except those that involve swimming. The full price is a bit high for a lot of people, but it is reasonable for all of its included features. Current prices range from 11% off to 26% off the original price.
Bottom Line
The Huawei Watch 2 Classic is a good watch with a lot of features that are useful to runners. It is has a nice, classic watch look, is comfortable to wear, and has great accuracy and good durability. It has lots of app options due to its Android Wear 2.0 OS, which allow tracking for most activities as well as games and social networking apps. It has many connectivity options including WiFi, 4G, GPS, NFC, and Bluetooth. It also has a built-in heart rate monitor, so no a chest strap heart rate monitor is not needed. Things to improve include better iOS compatibility, a more intuitive interface, and better durability on the bezel and leather-and-rubber band. Overall, the Watch 2 Classic is a good investment for someone who is planning to use all of its built-in features, but less expensive options are available for people who only want some of those features
