The wearable market has been rapidly growing and Huawei has remained competitive by releasing a large suite of devices. However, it can be argued that the Chinese company hasn’t made its mark just yet in the smart band market.

Enter the Huawei Band 6, the company’s latest attempt at disrupting the game. With a display that’s eye-catching and a price that can only be described as tempting, can the Band 6 finally be Huawei’s big splash in the smart band segment? Can this hybrid serve as the casual athlete’s GadgetMatch?

Sized like a watch, feels like a band

On my first impressions of the Band 6, I immediately mentioned its screen as one of its highlights. Amazing software can be derailed by hardware that’s weak and Huawei didn’t fail on this end. Its bigger screen is capable of making a big difference.

The thing with most smart bands is they’re valuable not as a one-stop hub for information, but as a tracker. More often than not, you go to your phone to check your progress on certain exercises or sleep patterns.

That’s not the case with Huawei’s newest wearable. Viewing time and other important information is a delight, even when faced directly under sunlight. Screen size is incredibly important in bridging that gap between smart band and smart watch. The Band 6 does that extremely well.

Even better is how despite its size, it doesn’t feel heavy when worn. It’s named Huawei Band 6 after all, not Huawei Watch. It’s light, but sturdy. Wearing it while sleeping was far from a burden.

It’s versatile and stylish. Very few products can offer that from this price point and from the smart band segment.

Battery life is respectable

While the Band 6 didn’t live up to the two-week battery life Huawei boasted, it’s no slouch. The battery went from 100 to 10 percent in a matter of a week, which isn’t bad considering it’s housing a large screen, automatic tracking was turned on for heart rate and stress, and workout modes were used five times a week. Using the Band’s full suite of features requires power, and all things considered, its battery holds up well.

Charging was also a breeze thanks to its straightforward setup. It only took the band one hour and 30 minutes to top up to 100 percent, which was quite respectable.

Big screen, big-time features for a band

The problem with most smart bands is how it skimps on features so it’s able to maintain a cheaper price point. Improving hardware can be expensive and it wouldn’t have been surprising if Huawei cut down certain features to keep the Band 6 affordable.

In that case, it depends on which wearable segment you’re comparing. Versus other smartwatches, it cuts down on features. You can’t play music straight from the watch and you can’t reply to texts despite its larger screen size.

But smartwatches are expensive for that exact reason. The Band 6 is best compared to smart bands and against its competition; it shines. It has all the features you’d expect out of a modern smart band.

Casual athletes will be glad to find that the Band 6 houses 96 workout modes such as Strength, HIIT, Jump Rope, and Indoor Run. Having a suite of workouts that wide is extremely helpful if tracking your exercises is important to you.

Assistance over accuracy

SPO2 monitoring is also an awesome feature to have especially given the current pandemic. However, accuracy isn’t this Band’s strongest suit, and it shows with the numbers that come up during workouts and with your oxygen levels. In fact, there was one instance during a HIIT session that the heart rate the Band was showing was lower than what I was experiencing. That’s something to consider when using the device as a measuring tool.

With that being said, it’s important to note that the Huawei Band 6 is best used for guidance and assistance rather than accuracy. Nothing beats medical-grade tools such as a pulse oximeter or coaching from a trainer. However, its wide suite of features is a great jumping point for someone who wants to live a healthier and active lifestyle. Considering that’s the value Huawei wants to promote with this new device, that’s a big win for them.

Huawei Health App provides the basics and some insight

The same statement above applies to the Huawei Health App as well. The app is best used for guidance and not accuracy.

The Health App is straightforward but filled with the right amount of information. Insight regarding weight tracking, exercises, and stress is limited, but useful, nonetheless.

There is one thing the Huawei Health App is very good at: sleep tracking. While insight from its tracking can feel repetitive at times, there’s a lot of substance to the data you’ll get. Aside from the basic Deep sleep-light sleep-REM sleep, the Health App also tracks Deep sleep continuity, breathing quality, and how many times you wake up during your cycle.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Pricing it at PhP 2,599 may be considered as a risk given the cheaper price points of other smart bands. But the price increase is warranted. The Huawei Band 6 is undoubtedly an upgrade from cheaper smart bands, and it makes the right compromises, so the price doesn’t increase dramatically.

The Band 6 can serve as the bridge between the smart band and smartwatch segments. It’s sized and featured like a smartwatch, while being priced like a smart band. That’s a big win for Huawei and for the consumer.

Buy now: Lazada | Shopee

Fitbit has launched its thinnest and undoubtedly most fashionable fitness tracker to date called the Luxe. It can be camouflaged to look like jewelry with a wide range of band options.

It has a stainless steel case made using a design process called metal injection moulding to give it a feel of handcrafted jewellery. Fitbit partnered with Laguna Beach-based jewellery brand gorjana to design the Luxe.

Fitbit Luxe has a similar form factor to the Inspire 2, which was launched year. Unlike the Inspire 2, the case of the Luxe is made from smart stainless steel rather than polymer, giving it a more premium look.

On the fitness front, the Luxe offers heart rate tracking, 20 exercise modes like golf, pilates, spinning, tennis, hiking, and biking, and there’s also a stress calculator. However, it skips GPS connectivity so your phone will always have to be around for full functionality.

The tracker is water resistant up to 5ATM, making it ideal to track your swims. The Luxe introduces deeper insights into this with seven-day trends that were previously reserved for Fitbit Premium members, and subscribers will still get longer 30-day trend reports.

These members also have access to over 200 mindfulness sessions from popular brands like Aaptiv, Aura, Breethe, and Deepak Chopra’s Mindful Method. Lastly, also offers sleep score that helps you better understand your sleep quality, and bedtime reminders can help you establish a more consistent sleep routine.

Price and availability

The new Fitbit Luxe is priced at US$ 149. It will come in varied silicone band colour options and even a woven style that wraps around your hand twice. Fitbit will bundle six-months of Fitbit Premium for free for new buyers. The gorjana-designed Special Edition costs US$ 200. It’s available for purchase via Fitbit’s website in most markets.

In the Philippines, the Fitbit Luxe will retail for PhP 8,490 while the gorjana-designed Special Edition will cost PhP 12,990. Both variants will be available from June onwards.

Huawei has been expanding its family of wearables and they aren’t stopping any time soon. Now, they’re giving users an intriguing option that doesn’t break the bank — the Huawei Band 6.

Today, we’ll be going through our first impressions of Huawei’s new budget smart band.

Bigger screen, new smart band

Even before opening the box, you can already tell there’s something different about this Smart Band. You might even doubt yourself while reading the copy right in front of you.

“Huawei… Band 6. Did I read that right?“

We already have an image of how most smart bands are supposed to look like. What immediately comes to mind is a small screen. The good is that they’re light. The bad is how they have limited real estate for information to be presented right in front of you.

Yet here we were, the Huawei Band 6, with a screen that looks more watch than band.

There’s nothing special with the unboxing experience. Aside from the device, you’ll be getting manuals and a magnetic charging cable. Straight to the point. No fluff.

Bigger doesn’t always mean heavier

The star of the show is the Huawei Band 6 itself and even at a first glance, it does not disappoint. The screen is big but it isn’t overwhelming.

The band has a minimalist look to it, with only a single button found on its right side.

From a try-on, the Huawei Band 6 doesn’t feel heavy, which is a pleasant surprise considering its screen size. It doesn’t feel cheap either even though its body is made out of plastic. This is a quality device that screams value.

Go bigger for better

A quick run through the device and you already see the benefits of having a screen this big. Aside from having immediate access to more information such as the number of calories burned, steps counted, and heart rate, a couple of swipes brings you to a page that tracks your stress levels throughout the day. Definitely important to have that given the current pandemic.

It looks really stylish as well on your wrist. The Huawei Band 6 immediately strikes you as a device that is both useful and versatile, both for fashion and for practical use.

That’s all we have for now. Have any questions about its features? Make sure to send them over through our Facebook Page or Twitter account and we’ll take note of those as we go through the review process.

Pricing and availability

The Huawei Band 6 will retail for PhP 2,599 and each purchase is bundled with a Free Bluetooth Speaker worth PhP 1,499.