Huawei has launched its newest headline wearables. The Watch GT 7 and GT 7 Pro made their first official appearance at an event in China and subsequently online, and they’re about what you’d expect from the brand’s wrist tech. The Pro is the obvious contender for folks with money or a decent line of credit, but the Watch GT 7 probably won’t disappoint either.
Last year’s Watch GT 6 launched here and proved especially capable at helping cyclists to move their legs vigorously. So we know they’ll turn up in South Africa. Huawei said as much at its launch for the Pura 90s last night, although timing for the local launch isn’t known, it probably won’t be long before it lands at SA retail.
Watch GT 7 Pro happen
Starting with the Watch GT 7 Pro, the standout feature here is the titanium and ceramic casing. Otherwise? You might want to give this one a skip if you purchased the Watch GT 6 Pro. The now-R5,000 smartwatch hasn’t changed much over the generations. There’s a 1.47in 466 x 466 AMOLED display (3,000-nit peak brightness), 21-day battery life (Huawei’s standard, these days), and the company’s usual run of sensors. Plus NFC for payments.
Huawei is adding a new dedicated Pro Ski mode for users who like the slopes too much. It may be enough to get you to take up skiing, too. The mode measures g-forces from turns, as well as maps out ski routes. Handy information to give your insurance company after you’ve broken your legs on the black diamond run. The watch’s cycling, golf, and running modes have also been tweaked. We’re keen to see whether those are better than last year’s.
Overseas pricing has the GT 7 Pro pegged at around R6,500. We’d be surprised to see it launch at a higher price in SA.
Go for GT 7
Internally, and just like last year, the Watch GT 7 is almost identical to the Pro. The casings are different (again, like last year), with stainless steel and plastic making up the build for the more affordable pieces. It also drops the GT 7 Pro’s ECG features. Otherwise? There are two screen sizes — 1.32in or 1.47in, with resolutions of 466 x 466 and peak brightness of 3,000 nits. The larger display seems to be a direct match for the Pro, as well.
The GT 7 gets dual design options, one more lightweight than the sportier version, in case fashion is a consideration as well as software. Speaking of which, the software enhancements (and the Pro Ski mode) are identical across the less expensive wearables.
Chinese pricing starts at around R3,850 for the 41mm version of the watch. The larger 46mm will run buyers around R4,100. That pricing may not carry over to South Africa quite so well. We’ll confirm once Huawei South Africa makes something official on this side of the planet.
