Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best (2024)

TechRadar Verdict

The Huawei Watch D2 excels in blood pressure monitoring, providing a credible option for people wanting to track this health metric both on a daily basis, and over a period of time. The inclusion of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a world's first, something that Huawei should be congratulated for. The watch looks and functions great, although it is rather bulky and lacking advanced smartwatch features.

Pros

  • +

    Blood pressure monitoring

  • +

    Sleek design

  • +

    Clever strap

Cons

  • -

    Thick watch body

  • -

    Lacking advanced smart features

  • -

    Expensive

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Jump to:

  • One-minute review
  • Specs
  • Price and availability
  • Design
  • Features
  • Performance
  • Should you buy it?
  • Also consider
  • How we tested

Huawei Watch D2 review: One-minute review

If we had a 'best for blood pressure' category in our best smartwatches buying guide then the Watch D2 would be instantly catapulted into this position. It supersedes the Watch D that was released in 2022, and is looking set to reignite a watch series that was otherwise going to be consigned into the depths of smartwatch history.

Blood pressure monitoring in a smartwatch is an incredible achievement, a reality made possible through an airbag strip located behind the main watch strap. At first, I thought the strip would get in the way and be too uncomfortable to wear on a daily basis, but I was wrong. It sits neatly as part of the strip and (if anything) provides an extra layer of comfort.

Blood pressure readings appeared reliable and accurate, although the watch did struggle relatively regularly to get a reading at all. It required a certain level of accurate positioning on the wrist. I appreciate it's a medical piece of equipment, but I'd like to see increased predictability in the Watch D3.

As good as the Watch D2 is for blood pressure monitoring, it is equally let down by its lack of advanced smartwatch features. At a cost of £350 (around $400 / AU$700), I'm disappointed not to see the ability to make contactless payments, listen to music through Spotify or Amazon Music, or even listen to audio messages on WhatsApp.

I know a lot of the cost can be attributed to the advanced blood pressure capabilities, but I think that has limited this watch to a rather niche group of people and their needs. Wide market appeal might therefore be lacking.

The watch is certified by both the EU's Medical Device Regulation body and China's National Medical Products Administration. This opens up an almost global market, but the distinct lack of release in the US might further hamper appeal.

Having worn this watch for a number of weeks, I'm left with an overall positive feeling. It looks great, performs well, and provides an adequate extension to my smartphone. There's still room for improvement, which I'm sure will come in future releases but for now the D2 represents an important step in smartwatch development.

Huawei Watch D2 review: Specifications

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Price£349.99
Dimensions48 × 38 × 13.3 mm
Weight40g without strap
Caze/bezelAluminium alloy
Display1.82 inch AMOLED (480 × 408 pixels, PPI 347)
GPSYes
Battery life6 days typical usage
ConnectionBluetooth
Water resistanceIP68

Huawei Watch D2 review: Price and availability

Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best (1)

  • £349.99 in the UK
  • Not available in the US / AU
  • Also available in China

The Huawei Watch D2 is available in the UK at a price of £349.99. Blood pressure monitoring is certified by the EU's Medical Device Regulation body. The device is also available in China but that's as far as Huawei's market's stretch.

Huawei continues to be banned in the US, which seriously limits the company's markets. Otherwise, the watch isn't cheap and is missing a few key smartwatch features at this price point, although the revolutionary blood pressure monitor makes up for it.

  • Value score: 4/5

Huawei Watch D2 review: Design

  • Good-looking design
  • 1.82 inch AMOLED
  • Thick watch

Upon taking the Watch D2 out of the box my first impressions of the design were pretty positive. The 1.82-inch AMOLED display takes centre stage, providing a substantially sized screen for showcasing watch faces, health data, and notifications.

The colour display has a resolution of 480 × 408 pixels with a PPI of 347. Text and graphics look absolutely fantastic with a high level of clarity, definition, and vibrancy. There were no signs of pixelation or definition problems.

The display is encased by a black or gold case, which frames the watch nicely. Considering how impressive the display is, it would benefit from a much thinner bezel, especially at the top and bottom of the display. The watch itself is sized at 48 × 38 mm. The aluminium alloy case continues back to the rear of the watch where a black plastic panel takes over. The thickness is 13.3 mm, although this is at the thinnest location and excludes the sensor area.

This is one of my biggest gripes with the watch design: like its predecessor, it's just far too thick. The sooner Huawei is able to recess that sensor further into the watch the more comfortably it will sit on the wrist.

Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best (2)

To the side of the watch is a rotating crown and a function/ECG button. These perform well and enhance the overall operation of the watch. I did find myself using the touchscreen more than the buttons but they're there if you want them.

The watch is built with premium materials, giving significant strength to the quality and level of durability. I had no concerns that I was going to damage the watch or that any individual parts weren't going to stand the test of time.

There are two watch strap options, including 'Black Fluoroelastomer' and 'White Composite Leather'. I was testing the former. The material looks great and, more importantly, feels nice on the wrist. The locking mechanism provides a quick and easy way to take the watch on and off.

The blood pressure monitor airbag strip is directly connected to the watch strap itself. I couldn't initially see how this was going to be comfortable but, in reality, it provided an extra level of cushioning.

The watch ships with a wireless USB-A charger, which is better than most that I have tested. The watch magnetically connects to the charger and doesn't require the watch to be in any particular orientation.

  • Design score: 4.5/5

Huawei Watch D2 review: Features

Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best (3)

  • Blood pressure monitoring
  • Extensive tracking capabilities
  • Lacks advanced key smartwatch features

The single biggest standout feature of the Huawei Watch D2 is the Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM). ABPM is delivered through a 26.5 mm ultra-narrow mechanical airbag that is attached to the inside of the watch strap. It inflates quickly and easily, providing everything required to take this vital health metric. The idea behind the feature is to provide blood pressure monitoring at will without a large cuff. So, whether you're working, exercising, relaxing, or sleeping, it's now easier than ever to perform ABPM tests.

The Watch D2 lets users run a 24-hour auto-monitoring plan. This is helpful for noticing trends across a whole day, including when you're sleeping. Do be prepared to be woken up through the night though unless you have a special skill of sleeping through the air-bag inflation.

Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best (4)

Another relevant feature is the ECG analysis. Huawei have improved their technology from the Watch D, now providing more accurate and responsive results. If you're interested in this level of detail, then you can get the data required to help you identify the potential presence of common heart conditions.

Additionally, Huawei have included a sleep mode that includes heart rate, SpO2, respiratory rate, and abnormal breathing tracking. As you wake in the morning, you can see detailed results through the Huawei Health App. It also includes white noise, natural soundscapes, and relaxing music to help you get to sleep.

The Watch D2 also includes a range of smartwatch features, including notifications, making and receiving calls, and listening to offline music. Unfortunately there are quite significant limitations, including the inability to make contactless payments, listen to WhatsApp audio messages, or listen to music through Spotify or other music providers. It's all got to be done through your phone.

  • Features score: 4.5/5

Huawei Watch D2 review: Performance

Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best (5)

  • Accurate blood pressure monitoring
  • Good exercise tracking
  • Responsive display

ABPM is a rare commodity in a smartwatch, so I was keen to test the accuracy and reliability of the feature. Having set the watch up and got the watch and my arm in position, I proceeded to set the watch off on its monitoring. With the air-bag inflating, I was keen to see what the results would be.

I ran the same tests numerous times and gained very similar results, which showed a pleasing level of consistency. I'm aware of what my normal blood pressure levels are and the watch delivered results within that spectrum.

I did have some problems with reliability and at times, I couldn't get the watch to take the measurement at all. This will have mostly been down to my incorrect positioning of the watch but despite that, I would like to have seen more consistent monitoring capabilities.

Other health tracking metrics are measured with ease, as they don't require quite the same level of mechanics or precision on positioning. Its sleep tracking accurately detected all my wakings as well as times that I was in deep or light sleep.

I then took the watch out and about while I walked, ran, played football, and cycled. The D2 picked up GPS without any problems at all and accurately detected where I was located. All of this was displayed on maps and I experienced no problems with the watch getting this wrong. Metrics were all recorded and tracked without problem and the Huawei Health app proved a faithful companion for digging deeper into those.

Battery life is advertised as six days with normal usage. I experienced a range of different lengths with a greater range when I was only doing exercise tracking and basic smartwatch features as well as a shortened range when using it more intensely.

  • Performance score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Huawei Watch D2?

Swipe to scroll horizontally

CategoryCommentScore
ValueAn impressive price considering the ABPM feature but I would expect to see more smartwatch features.4/5
DesignA good looking and modern design although a little too thick for my liking.4/5
FeaturesABPM, ECG analysis, sleep mode, and basic smartwatch features elevate the score of the D2.4.5/5
PerformanceAll features perform extremely well. The inclusion of more advanced smartwatch features would result in a higher score.4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want regular blood pressure monitoring
Being able to perform ABPM at will is one of the best features of the Watch D2. It's fast, effective, and a big leap in smartwatch technology.

You want a top-quality display

The 1.82-inch AMOLED display looks fantastic thanks to the 480 × 408 pixels resolution with 347 PPI.

You want great battery life

The Watch D2 has an impressive battery life especially considering what monitoring and tracking it is performing. Battery life does reduce significantly if regular ABPM is performed.

Don't buy it if...

You want advanced smartwatch features

There is a distinct lack of contactless payments and the ability to listen to music on streaming services.

Huawei Watch D2 review: Also consider

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Header Cell - Column 0 Huawei Watch D2Apple Watch Series 9Suunto Race S
Price£349.99From $399 / £399 / AU$649$349 / £325 / AU$599
Caze/bezelAluminium AlloyAluminium or stainless steelFibre-reinforced polymer with metal rear cover
Display1.82 inch AMOLED 480 × 408 pixels, PPI of 347352 x 430px / 396 x 484 px always-on OLED Retina Display466 x 466 px AMOLED
GPSYesYes (unspecified)GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou
Battery life6 days standard usage18 hoursSmartwatch mode: up to 9 days; GPS mode: up to 30h
ConnectionBluetoothBluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE options availableBluetooth
Water resistanceIP68WR50 (swimproof)50m
Row 7 - Cell 0 Row 7 - Cell 1 Row 7 - Cell 2 Row 7 - Cell 3

Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch for most iPhone users. It offers a Double-Tap gesture, all-day battery life, and excellent health features. Read our full Apple Watch Series 9 review.

Suunto Race S
One of the best watches for runners or athletes in general. Fantastic tracking features and a long battery life provide users with everything required to get exercising. Read our full Suunto Race S review

Huawei Watch D2: How I tested

I've enjoyed wearing the Huawei Watch D2 for several weeks and have tested as many of its features as I possibly could. I focused on blood pressure monitoring, ECG analysis, and exercise tracking. I tracked walking, running, football, and cycling to give a good spread of activities.

I paired the watch with the Huawei Health app to get the complete health tracking experience offered by Huawei.

Paul Hatton

Freelance writer

Paul is a digital expert.In the 20 years since he graduated with a first-class honours degree in Computer Science, Paul has been actively involved in a variety of different tech and creative industries that make him the go-to guy for reviews, opinion pieces, and featured articles. With a particular love of all things visual, includingphotography, videography, and 3D visualisation Paul is never far from a camera or other piece of tech that gets his creative juices going. You'll also find his writing in other places, including Creative Bloq, Digital Camera World, and 3D World Magazine.

More about smartwatches

I review Apple Watches for a living and here are the 5 Black Friday deals that are worth buyingI'm a smartwatch expert, and these are the 13 best Black Friday smartwatch deals I've seen so far this year (arranged by price)

Latest

Supercharge your Hulu subscription with this Starz Black Friday bundle deal for only $0.99 a month
See more latest►

Most Popular
Oppo Find X8 Pro review: don't call it an iPhone
Amazon Workspaces Thin Client
Lomo’Instant Wide Glass review: is it really the sharpest instant camera ever?
IDrive Business review
HP All-in-One 27 cr-0014na PC review
Apple EarPods USB-C review: sleek, stylish, yet sonically unremarkable wired earbuds
Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI review: the smartphone stabilizer that always follows
Commvault Cloud review
Barracuda Backup 290 review
Acronis Cyber Protect 16 Advanced review
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review: a bone-chilling, realistic-feeling survival horror experience
Huawei Watch D2 review: Blood pressure monitoring at its best (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Cheryll Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 6627

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Cheryll Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1997-12-23

Address: 4653 O'Kon Hill, Lake Juanstad, AR 65469

Phone: +494124489301

Job: Marketing Representative

Hobby: Reading, Ice skating, Foraging, BASE jumping, Hiking, Skateboarding, Kayaking

Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.