Honor Watch GS Pro Review - First impression of the outdoor smartwatch

Smartwatch in rugged design

The new Honor Watch GS Pro does not want to be an ordinary smartwatch, but rather addresses users who are looking for a particularly robust smartwatch. This is particularly reflected in the design of the watch, which is characterized by a solid polycarbonate case with a stylish stainless steel bezel. The smartwatch withstands impacts, high temperatures and water (5ATM waterproof). To underpin this resilience, the GS Pro has passed 14 endurance tests according to military standards (MIL-STD810G).

The exchangeable bracelet is just as robust as the case. A nylon braid makes this particularly hard-wearing. Despite the massive appearance, the GS Pro remains lightweight. The smartwatch with wristband weighs in at 77g. Operation is via two side buttons and the 1.39 inch AMOLED touch display, which has a razor-sharp 454 x 454 pixel resolution. The numerous watch faces, which can be selected via the watch face manager of the Huawei Health app, ensure more individuality.

Before use, the smartwatch must be paired with the Huawei Health app!

Outdoor companion

Designed as an outdoor smartwatch, the GS Pro is equipped with an above-average battery and useful sensors. Especially for outdoor use, the sensor system includes a barometer, which provides information about air pressure and altitude, as well as a GPS+GLONASS module, which enables precise positioning. In order to reliably get through challenging and unknown terrain, useful outdoor information can be accessed. Weather warnings, sunrise and sunset, moon phases and even tide phases are clearly displayed. If you still get lost, there is the “Route Back” function, which will safely navigate you back to the starting point in an emergency.

 In the short test, the Honor Watch GS Pro accompanied me for a test run through the forest. The “Walking (Outdoor)” training program is ideal for a short walk. The “Hiking” training program, which also has an energy-saving mode, is suitable for longer distances. Once you have selected the training program that is right for you, the search for the GPS fix for outdoor activities begins. The GS Pro achieves this remarkably quickly and a precise position is determined after just a few seconds.

The distance covered is continuously recorded. However, the smartwatch does not provide a detailed map view. Only the route is shown in the form of a line. Only by synchronizing the training data with the Huawei Health App can the route be laid out on a map afterwards.

The user receives announcements about the activity history via the loudspeaker integrated in the smartwatch. The volume can be adjusted and announcements are clearly audible. The readability of the display outdoors is good. In direct sunlight, however, the particularly bright display of the GS Pro also reaches its limits.

A highlight is the comparatively large battery with a capacity of 790 mAh. In comparison, the one we recently tested has Amazfit t-rex, which also falls into the category of outdoor smartwatch, only has a 390 mAh battery installed! In the course of this short test phase it was of course not possible to bring the battery to its knees. Honor itself specifies the term with up to 25 days. How long the battery actually lasts depends heavily on the usage habits of the respective wearer. In the short test, the daily consumption with an hour's walk including active GPS, active always-on display, continuous heart rate measurement and the repeated receipt of notifications as well as synchronization with the health app was 10 percent. The targeted 25 days are a very plausible value if used sparingly!

Sports Companion

The more than 100 training programs that Honor provides users with are hard to beat. In addition to classic running and fitness activities, programs tailored to winter sports, martial arts and various dance styles can also be selected. Even niches are served with programs such as hunting, fishing, Frisbee, kite flying or swings. Each of the programs is individually tailored to the respective activity.

Up to 500 songs can be stored on the memory of the smartwatch so that there is no boredom when doing sports. If the music is played on the smartphone, it can be conveniently controlled using the smartwatch. Wireless headphones can also be connected directly to the smartwatch. The telephony function of the GS Pro allows incoming calls on the smartphone to be forwarded to the smartwatch and made using the smartwatch's microphone. It is also possible to receive notifications (WhatsApp, e-mail, etc.).

Health companion

The Honor Watch GS Pro is able to provide a comprehensive overview of physical fitness and health. There is an optical heart rate sensor and an SpO2 sensor on the underside of the housing of the smartwatch. A 24/7 continuous heart rate measurement is supported and can be set via the health app. Warnings for too high or too low a heart rate can also be set there in a user-friendly manner.

There are also other health functions, such as Huawei TruSleep, a sleep monitor that monitors sleep quality and breathing behavior, the automatic stress test that calculates the stress level based on heart rate fluctuations, or the activity reminder that reminds you to move again after sitting for an hour should.

Note: This is a short test that only reflects the first impressions and goes into the functions of the smartwatch. The evaluation will follow with the publication of the full test report!

Price and availability

The Honor Watch GS Pro can be opened from September 07th hihonor.de can be pre-ordered. Those who pre-order will receive the smartwatch until September 20 at the offer price of 199,90 euros. Regular sales will start on September 21 at an RRP of EUR 249,90. The smartwatch will be available in the colors Charcoal Black, Marl White, and Camo Blue.