What we liked most about the predecessor was how nice and luxurious it felt. It’s oddly enough one of the few areas where we have to mention that Watch 2 has gone in the wrong direction. It simply looks a bit sad in comparison. The competitors have gone in the other direction and made their watches more luxurious. However, there are no issues with the quality. It feels as sturdy as some of the others. It is also adequately protected against both dust and water.

Like so many other watches it’s quite large, and it has actually become a bit thicker than its predecessor. One can’t call it discreet. One reason might be that it has been equiped with a really huge battery, and the consequence is that it can last considerably longer than for example Asus ZenWatch 3. It also recharges with a magnetic cradle charger. It is not the most elegant solution, but it’s actually quite convenient.

A favourite feature is that one can actually put in a SIM card. It does not depend on your phone to be connected, for example, if one is out jogging. One doesn’t quite realize how practical it is until you’ve tried it. If you add the generous sensors, this is a truly competent training watch. One also gets some practical extra features by using the Huawei’s app, as well as the standard Ear app.

It gets bonus points for being the first out with Android Wear 2.0 on the Scandinavian market. This is despite the fact that LG is Google’s official launch partner. Suddenly, the watch is not just an additional display for messages. You can see at a glance when the next meeting is, how the weather will be, or whatever other information you need to know from your apps on the dial. Everything is quite convenient, from answering messages to installing apps.

Conclusion

Huawei takes two steps forward and one step back with their new smart watch. On the positive side, it’s bursting with the latest technology, and has more sensors than you knew you needed. On the negative side, it actually looks sadder than the classy predecessor. The disadvantage is outweighed by having a built-in SIM card, so you don’t have to take your phone along when you go for a jog. As a final point, Watch 2 has the latest software, which makes it very pleasant to use.