Are Honor smartwatches good?
Honor smartwatches have an average overall score of 7.7, ranking #11 among all smartwatch brands, and a user rating of 8.4, placing them at #15 based on user reviews.
Yes, Honor smartwatches are good for users who want useful core features at competitive prices.
Honor strengths are battery endurance, practical fitness tracking, and easy day-to-day usability with notifications and health metrics. The lineup covers both entry and mid-tier needs well.
Trade-offs include a more limited app ecosystem than top smartwatch platforms, fewer premium-material options in lower tiers, and reduced smart-feature depth compared with flagship rivals.
(Note: A total of 40 brands were evaluated in the comparison in the first paragraph. Only those with at least 5 smartwatches in our database were included.)
The best Honor smartwatch models are as follows:
- Honor Watch Gs 3 Overall score: 7.75
- Honor Watch 5 Overall score: 7.65
- Honor Watch 4 Overall score: 7.4
The chart below ranks smartwatch brands by average overall score.
[horizontal-chart-03302773280258034273180208919870815536630019360859]What are the main advantages of Honor smartwatches?
The main advantages of Honor smartwatches are as follows:
- Long battery life: Most Honor smartwatches last 10 to 14 days on a single charge with normal use, and even with GPS tracking they run 20 to 30 hours. This puts them above many competitors that average 2 to 5 days.
- Accurate health tracking: Honor integrates TruSeen and TruSleep sensors that measure heart rate 24/7, SpO₂, stress, and sleep stages with precision close to medical-grade devices. For example, SpO₂ sensors measure oxygen saturation with ±2% accuracy.
- Lightweight design: Models like the Honor Watch ES weigh only 21 g without the strap, which makes them comfortable for long wear during sports or sleep. Even premium models stay under 50 g, lighter than many Apple and Samsung models.
- Large AMOLED display: Honor smartwatches use AMOLED panels up to 1.64 inches with resolutions around 456 × 280 pixels, which gives sharp text and vivid colors. Always-on display modes improve readability outdoors.
- Advanced sports modes: The watches support 85+ custom workout modes and 10+ professional ones, including running, cycling, swimming (5 ATM water resistance), and rowing. Real-time metrics track pace, VO₂ max, and recovery time.
- Affordable pricing: Honor smartwatches usually cost between £70 and £130, so they undercut premium competitors with similar functions, such as Huawei, Apple, or Samsung, which start at £220 to £340.
What are the main disadvantages of Honor smartwatches?
Honor smartwatches have the following main disadvantages:
- Limited app ecosystem: Unlike Apple or Samsung, Honor smartwatches do not support third-party app installations, so users rely only on preinstalled features.
- No NFC payments in most models: Except for some China-only versions, global variants do not support contactless payments. This reduces convenience for daily use.
- Average smartwatch features: Notifications, calls, and music control work, but features like LTE, advanced voice assistants, or app stores are missing compared to higher-end brands.
- Limited iOS compatibility: While Honor watches sync with iPhones, some advanced features such as detailed sleep data and stress monitoring are locked to Android.
- Few premium materials: Most models use plastic cases with silicone straps. Only top-end versions integrate stainless steel or leather, so they look less luxurious than premium competitors.
