The smartwatch market has become rather stale over the past few years, with most companies releasing iterative updates and minor spec bumps. HUAWEI decided to shake things up and and took a note from James Bond with the WATCH Buds, a smartwatch that doubles as a pair of true wireless Earbuds. It’s an innovative concept that combines two useful products into one, though it does come with some compromises.
The WATCH Buds looks like a standard smartwatch at first glance with its 1.43-inch AMOLED display and stainless steel casing. However, press the button at the six o’clock position, and the top of the watch pops open to reveal a hidden compartment housing a pair of Wireless Earbuds. The buds attach magnetically to charging contacts within the watch, though they can be removed and used separately. It is a sight to behold when you first unbox the watch, and let me tell you, it does not get old to fiddle with, especially on a long flight.
The watch itself has a premium feel, thanks to the stainless steel construction, though its 15mm thickness and 77g weight make it rather bulky. The leather strap looks sleek but isn’t ideal for exercise. An extra sports band in the box would have been welcome, given the watch’s focus on fitness tracking. But the overall package feels fantastically built, something I would expect from HUAWEI.
The earbuds are very small at just 21mm long and 10mm wide, though their bullet-shaped design can make them uncomfortable to wear for long periods. They lack any sort of stem or wing to help keep them securely in your ears. On the plus side, the buds are fully water resistant with an IPX4 rating, and the watch maintains IPX7 water resistance when closed.
Much like all smartwatches from the brand, the WATCH Buds runs HUAWEI’s HarmonyOS 3.0 software, which provides a simple yet colourful UI. However, the operating system feels limited compared to watchOS or Wear OS. You’re stuck with HUAWEI’s built-in apps, and there’s no third-party app store. Notification support is basic, offering only canned quick reply messages for a limited number of apps. If you’re an Android user, you’ll have to sideload the required HUAWEI apps and grant extensive permissions for the watch to function properly.
Fitness and health tracking includes 24/7 heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, SpO2 readings, and support for over 80 workout modes. The onboard GPS provides accurate location tracking for walks and runs. All the data syncs to HUAWEI’s Health app, which provides easy-to-read reports and trends over time, though I did experience some issues tracking over my two weeks with the smartwatch. The metrics appeared fairly accurate in my testing based on the results from other smart devices I used in tandem with the WATCH Buds.
The earbuds connect instantly when removed from the watch and deliver a surprisingly full sound for their size with support for AAC, SBC and L2HD audio codecs. However, battery life is limited to around 3 hours per charge, far less than typical wireless earbuds. They offer basic touch controls for playback and call management, as well as adaptive noise cancellation to block out ambient sound.
The earbuds can only connect to your paired smartphone, though, not other devices like laptops, tablets or gaming consoles, which is a major limitation for a reviewer constantly switching between tech. At this price, most wireless earbuds offer longer endurance per charge and the ability to connect with multiple devices.
Combined, the watch and earbuds provide a solid set of features, though each component feels compromised in some way. The watch lacks advanced smarts and app support found in competitors from Apple and Samsung. At the same time, the earbuds have poor battery life and connectivity options, and for a device this cool, the fact it feels so limited just takes away much of the magic.
Battery life for the overall watch is solid at five to seven days per charge when using the watch and earbuds moderately. Frequent earbud use can cut that down to just two days, though, likely due to the watch powering both components. Recharging the 410mAh battery fully takes around an hour and a half.
HUAWEI’s WATCH Buds are an innovative concept that combines a smartwatch and true wireless earbuds into one device. However, compromises in software, connectivity and battery life prevent it from reaching its full potential. Each component feels lacking in some way, unable to match the functionality or capabilities of dedicated products.
Still, if you want an all-in-one wearable solution and can live with the limitations, the WATCH Buds provides a slick design, accurate fitness tracking and great audio for casual listening at a premium price. For most, though, buying a quality smartwatch and wireless earbuds separately will offer a far better overall experience for the money.
The WATCH Buds are a bold first step, but HUAWEI still has work left to do to compete with the top players in both the smartwatch and wireless earbud markets, especially for power users and tech enthusiasts. While I love its futuristic premise, the WATCH Buds feels like a test product and need refinements to its software, connectivity and battery life before it can match dedicated wearables in functionality or value. But for those seeking an eye-catching conversation starter on their wrist, the WATCH Buds makes for an innovative choice.
