Smartwatches are essentially more compact second screens for our smartphones, designed to make us focus less on the phones they’re paired up with, to motivate less time on our distracting portable rectangles and most importantly; The moment.
In this comparison review we have the just launched HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 up against the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen.)
One of them gets up to 10 days of battery life, and the other is rated for 18 hours.
Find out which one and more below!
Table of Contents
Design and Build
Starting off with design and build these two watches look similar at first glance.
They both feature fashionable squared-faces or screens, but upon closer inspection the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 gets sleeker and sharper edges compared to the more rounded ones on the Apple Watch SE. The latter is also thinner at 9.9mm in contrast to the former at 10.7mm.
And not only that, the WATCH FIT 3 is EVEN lighter weighing in at 26g, making it 7 grams LIGHTER than the WATCH SE at 33g.
Our WATCH FIT 3 review unit is the Grey NFC model, which should also be available in a Gold finish paired with a white leather strap later this year.
It’s also available in Black, Green, White, and Pink; with only this Grey and the White models featuring red-accenting, seen with the navigational crown, and side button.
The rest also feature color matched accenting with their side buttons and Fluoroelastomer straps. This Jacquard-weaved Nylon is currently only available with ‘this’ Grey NFC model, and it’s pretty cool for workouts since it’s anti-sweat!
Our Apple Watch SE unit is of the 44mm variety. The case is available in Midnight, Starlight, and Silver colorways.
It’s available in a variety of Rubber, Textile, and Stainless Steel straps, but do note that the steel straps bump up the cost! We have ours in a Navy Blue Sport Band and it definitely traps moisture a lot more compared to the WATCH FIT 3’s Gray Nylon one.
But hey, straps can always be replaced or changed! And we do prefer how much easier it is to remove and insert the strap of the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 over the Apple Watch SE.
Both the WATCH FIT 3 and Apple Watch SE get water resistance of 5 ATM, or water pressure up to a depth of 50 meters, which means end-users can go swimming with either one in freshwater or a pool.
Overall, we like the sleeker look of the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3, and its lighter weight. But we also like the more flush side button on the Apple Watch SE.
–There are more strap options with the Apple Watch SE but depending on which one users get, it could also add more to the initial cost.
Either way, design is subjective but we do see more pros in the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3’s build.
Display
Moving over to their displays.
The HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 sports a 1.82-inch Hybrid AMOLED panel that gets Always-On Display support.
On the other wrist, the Apple Watch SE features either a 1.57-inch LTPO OLED for the 40mm, or a 1.78-inch LTPO OLED for the 44mm variant.
–Neither of the two Apple Watch SE variants get Always-On Display support.
And lastly, the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3’s display gets a peak brightness of 1,500 nits, while the Apple Watch SE only goes up to 1,000 nits; Giving the WATCH FIT 3 the edge in outdoor viewing.
The color reproduction on the displays seem just as good as each other, both outputting vibrant colors within each respective interface. But of course, the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 takes the round for display for its more energy-efficient AMOLED panel, Always-On Display support, and higher peak brightness.
Software and UI (Health Features)
For software, the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 runs on HarmonyOS 4.2, while the Apple Watch SE initially shipped with watchOS 9 but is upgradable to 10.4.
Although a big notable difference here is Apple’s closed ecosystem; which means any Apple Watch can only be paired with iPhones. Wherein the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 gives users cross-compatibility support!
–So, whether they’re on HarmonyOS, Android or iOS, the WATCH FIT 3 will pair.
For the fitness nuts, the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 features 102 templated workout modes featuring anything under the sun like Golf, Basketball, or Football, to indoor workouts for E-sports and or even martial arts. And for fitness courses, it features over 200 FREE ones baked in, accessible through any platform.
While the Apple Watch SE gets a palatable 80, although both watches have support for “Other”, in case end-users can find the type of workout they’re looking for.
It also features over 200 fitness courses, but requires a subscription to access with an iPhone.
The HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 also gets calorie management baked in with the new Stay Fit software, which made me input my weight and height upon initialization and requested me to set caloric goals.
–Unfortunately, I’m on a perpetual bulk, so counting my macros isn’t necessarily for a deficit. Instead, it’s for making sure I get enough calories in me tummy. But it’s really cool we get diets baked into the watch too.
The Apple Watch SE does not feature calorie management natively, but only how much you burn. Alternatively, Apple Watch SE users can use and sync MyFitnessPal for this.
For Health Management, the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 gets the edge once again, with TruSeen 5.5 we get support for Heart rate, blood oxygen, stress level and sleep monitoring. While the Apple Watch SE only gets heart rate and sleep.
Not to mention, the WATCH FIT 3 also gets Pulse Wave Arrhythmia Analysis, to monitor irregular heart rhythms!
Focusing on sleep tracking, which I used a lot.
I can attest that the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 did a better job of tracking my sleep.
This is because it gets 91.8% sleep detection accuracy within 15 minutes of sleep and 92.9% awake detection within 15 minutes of being awake. The Apple Watch SE is rated for 81% within 15 minutes of sleep, and 77% awake detection within 15 minutes of being awake.
Which means, the Apple Watch SE WILL NOT track user’s naps automatically. Right before a nap, it needs to be manually set to do so.
Which makes the Watch SE a lot more of a hassle if you ask me, because I don’t want to have to make sure my watch is tracking me right before I pass out.
Battery Life and Other Hardware Features
For battery, the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 sports a 400mAh capacity, while the 40mm Apple Watch SE gets 245mAh, while the 44mm gets 296mAh.
The Apple Watch SE is rated for up to 18 hours of battery life, realistically making me have to charge the watch after around 2 days, which kind of sucks if you do so right before bed, ‘cause then I wouldn’t be able to track my sleep.
The HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 gets up to 7 days of battery life with the Always-On Display enabled, and up to 10 days of battery life with it off.
And how does that translate to real-world use?
–Well it’s been 4 days of testing since writing this comparison and I haven’t charged it yet.
Both watches come with chargers that magnetize to the bottom of the watches.
Charging time with the Apple Watch SE takes about an hour and a half, while the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 only takes an hour; And we can get a day’s use out of a 10 min charge with the included charger.
So, it’s pretty clear which one takes the win for battery life at this point.
Both watches get a microphone and speaker built-in, allowing users to make and receive phone calls while paired to phones.
–Giving us even more reasons to not take our phones out of our pockets!
Both watches get support for GPS positioning for outdoor activities and tracking.
The HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 gets Bluetooth 5.2, while the Apple Watch SE gets Bluetooth 5.3.
Both the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 and the Apple Watch SE get NFC support. Mind you readers, only the Gray WATCH FIT 3, and the unreleased Gold one gets NFC.
But aside from payments, the NFC support on the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 allows for access card reading.
Meaning access cards for work or office can be registered to the WATCH FIT 3, virtually eliminating the need to bring those cards out for getting into card-locked workspaces.
Of course, if users don’t see a need for this, they can always save a few pesos and just get a non-NFC model.
Conclusion
Before we conclude, we need to consider price.
The Apple Watch SE starts at PHP 15,990 for the 40mm, with selections between a rubber or textile strap. And can go up to PHP 39,490, if users opt for the bigger 44mm face with cellular support, and dripped with the stainless steel link bracelet.
The HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 starts at PHP 6,499 for either of the non-NFC models and PHP 6,999 for the grey with NFC variant.
It’s an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a smartwatch that isn’t on an iPhone, and is a good option to consider for iPhone users who don’t want to shell out 15 grand to experience the smartwatch lifestyle.
The HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3, tops the Apple Watch SE mainly in terms of display, battery life, health management features, and undoubtedly the price.
HUAWEI WATCH FIT 3 specs:
Display: 1.82-inch Hybrid AMOLED display @ 480×408 pixels, 347 ppi, Always-On Display support
Brightness: Up to 1,500 nits
Sensors: 9-axis IMU sensor (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer), optical heart rate sensor, ambient light sensor
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, 2.4 GHz
Water Resistance: 5 ATM water-resistant (up to 50 meters)
Battery Life: Up to 10 days (standard usage), up to 7 days (heavy usage), up to 4 days (AOD enabled)
Charging: Magnetic charging pin, 5V/1A charger
Operating System: Compatible with Android 8.0 or later, iOS 13.0 or later
Dimensions: 43.2 × 36.3 × 9.9 mm (thickness measured at thinnest location)
Weight: Approximately 26 grams (without strap)
Colors: Grey (NFC), Black, Green, White, Pink
Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) specs:
Display: 1.78-inch Retina LTPO OLED display @ 448×368 pixels, 326 ppi
Brightness: Up to 1000 nits
Sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate monitor, barometer, always-on altimeter, compass, SpO2, VO2 Max
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS
Water Resistance: 50 meters
Battery Life: Up to 18 hours
Operating System: watchOS 9 (upradable to 10.4)
Dimensions: 40mm: 40 x 34 x 10.7mm, 36.7 grams | 44mm: 44 x 38 x 10.7mm, 39.8 grams
Colors: Midnight, Starlight, Silver
Have u tested the NFC in the huawei? Access card capability? Does it work?” Thank you