Huawei Watch GT 5/5 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 7: Our full comparison

The Huawei Watch GT 5 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 represent some of the best smartwatches we’ve tested in 2024. But which is the better fit for you?

That’s what we’re here to answer. Both ranges feature multiple versions, have very different strong points, and come with unique caveats. For example, the Galaxy Watch 7, thanks to Wear OS 5 underpinning the experience, will provide a comprehensive smart experience. Yet, its battery life pales compared to a device like the Huawei Watch GT 5.

If you’re looking for a rounded tracking experience – featuring insights into activity, stress, and health – you’re covered with both devices. However, we’ve experienced varying accuracy across these areas in our in-depth review testing – and we’ll summarize that in this guide.

Let’s dive in and discover which of these watch series is right for your budget and needs.

Our full, individual reviews:

Price, availability, and versions

As with previous generations, the GT 5 series is available in two case sizes and two versions – the standard and Pro versions.

The latter is naturally the more expensive – starting at £329 (~$430) and ranging to $399 (~$520) – and comes in either a feminine-focused 42mm version or a masculine 46mm model.

The regular GT 5 comes in the same two case sizes, yet the price is considerably less. It starts at £229 (~$300) and stretches up to £269 (~$350) – depending on which band you pair with it.

We’ve given approximate figures here for the US, given that Huawei’s wearables aren’t officially sold there due to the ongoing trade ban, but keep in mind they are available through third parties.

The Galaxy Watch 7 series is a little different, though it is also available in two case sizes: 40mm and 44mm. Unlike in previous generations, the ‘Pro/Classic’ model wasn’t released this time – and has effectively been replaced by the Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Unlike Huawei’s devices, the latest Galaxy Watch line is readily available in more regions, and different editions are also available for 4G/LTE support.

The range starts at $300/£289 for the Bluetooth-only 40mm edition and goes up to $380/£369 for the 44mm cellular-ready model.

Design and display

Though there are two case sizes of each watch model here – GT 5, GT 5 Pro, and Galaxy Watch 7 – there’s quite a different make-up to them. Huawei’s smartwatches are much more gendered, with the smaller models comprising jewelry-like women’s designs and the larger watches retaining the octagonal, masculine feel introduced through the previous generation.

Samsung, meanwhile, keeps the same design through its two sizes. The upside here is that it’s much more unisex than Huawei’s watches, but the downside is the lack of personality. For some, the nondescript style will suit, but they’re not exactly statement smartwatches.

It’s not just about case size, though – the materials are also quite different here. The GT 5 Pro is titanium – more hard-wearing and lighter than the stainless steel used on the GT 5 – while the Galaxy Watch 7’s case is made from aluminum.

What you prefer will likely depend on what you plan on doing with your watch. Titanium is a great all-rounder for workouts and daily wear (but is more expensive), aluminum provides lightness (as a result, these Samsung watches are much lighter than Huawei’s), and we prefer stainless steel only for occasional exercise and mostly general use.

The build quality is impressive on each, and that performance extends to the displays. The Galaxy Watch 7 and GT 5 Pro are our preferred picks, since they feature the more scratch-resistant sapphire glass covering, though the punchiness of the AMOLED (Super AMOLED for Samsung) panels is comparable across the board here.

We don’t think you can lose with the comfort or displays here, but the styles are unique to different users and budgets. The Galaxy Watch 7 ticks more boxes due to its uniformity, but Huawei pushes personality and materials further.

Winner: Draw

Activity tracking

These watches provide more than the activity tracking basics – steps and calorie burn – but the make-up of those unique features here will likely sway your decision.

The GT 5 Pro is the most advanced, separated from its standard sibling by offering importable maps for its exclusive trail running mode, 3D golf course maps with green contours, and freediving profiles (backed up by its dive-certified design).

It’s the model that feels most capable of replacing a dedicated sports watch, and the solid HR – underpinned by the Huawei TruSense platform that debuted in this watch generation – and consistent dual-frequency GNSS only bolsters that view.

It’s slightly different for the GT 5, for which those software exclusives have been omitted. Still, we recommend it to anybody mostly planning to perform traditional exercises (like indoor and outdoor running or cycling), as you still get all the same advanced metrics in these areas.

The Galaxy Watch 7 is a similar proposition. It also features dual-frequency GPS and a redesigned BioActive sensor that provides good (even if not class-leading) accuracy in most workout types, but there’s a lack of top-end insights. You’ll need the brand’s Ultra watch (or a Garmin) for that.

As a side note, we found these watches to slightly overreport distances compared to the gold standard (Garmin’s Multi-Band GNSS mode), but all are still within an acceptable range for most use cases. That’s also true of HR accuracy – though we should note that you can’t link up an external HRM to Samsung’s watches like you can with Huawei’s.

Winner: Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro

Health, sleep, and stress tracking

Both brands have a very complete-looking set of health features to offer, yet we’re not wholly convinced either can compete with the industry’s top options when it comes to actionable feedback or accuracy.

For Huawei, the list of health insights includes arterial stiffness detection and on-the-spot ECG readings, though we did find achieving these pretty difficult under pre-release software.

We also didn’t find feedback from metrics like blood oxygen data or stress tracking to cut through, while sleep tracking (while accurate enough) isn’t anything that can help enforce behavioral change as we see from the top sleep trackers.

The Huawei Health app is mostly full of historical graphs and cards, rather than being a hub of dynamic figures and insights that help you make sense of all the data.

Samsung does a much better job presenting data in its own Health app, with the Galaxy Watch 7 capable of delivering things like the Energy Score and some mild-but-handy AI feedback. Sleep tracking is not only accurate at registering time in bed but also incredibly detailed, with coaching available alongside sleep apnea detection (in certain regions).

However, while we think Samsung has nailed much of the sleep-tracking experience, the health insights and stress tracking are more mixed in effectiveness.

The AGEs Index that debuts on this generation is pretty bizarre (check out our full AGEs Index explainer for more on this), and older metrics like body composition analysis and blood oxygen figures still have some accuracy holes compared to rivals. Plus, advanced features like ECG and blood pressure pairing are only available to Samsung phone owners.

Women’s health features are fairly comparable across this range of watches. Each features skin temperature sensors to add more weight to cycle tracking, though no advanced women’s health features like Oura’s Pregnancy Insights are here.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Smart features

While Huawei more than holds its own in tracking features and performance, it’s an absolute blowout in the integrations and smart experience.

The brand has tried to muster some smarts in lieu of proper integration with an ecosystem like Google’s Wear OS, but – no matter which Huawei smartwatch you pick – this is far from being a true smartwatch.

This means there are no functions like cellular connectivity or contactless payments on offer, and you can forget about any store brimming with third-party apps.

The Galaxy Watch 7 experience is quite the opposite. Not only do you get access to a range of top Wear OS apps, the option of LTE, and wide-ranging Google Wallet support, but it also offers especially tight-knit support for Samsung’s other wares, like the Galaxy Ring.

This preference for its own gear is partly its downfall – Android users still miss out on two major health features as discussed above, and Galaxy AI feedback in the Samsung Health app (this is still pretty limited).

Huawei can’t compete in this area unless you only require the basics, like notification mirroring. But it does have one ace up its sleeve: better phone support. While Samsung’s watches can only be paired with Android phones, Huawei’s watches can also work with iOS.

We should also note that neither of these brands delivers safety features akin to Apple or Google. So, if that’s something on your radar, we advise exploring those smartwatches.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Battery life

Where Samsung’s smart features giveth, they also take away when it comes to battery life. Plenty of power is required to enable features like cellular support and in-depth third-party apps, resulting in around 40 hours (1.6 days) when the screen isn’t set to always on and 30 hours (1.25 days) when you keep the screen on at all times. 

Samsung’s estimation proved roughly true during our testing – though we suspect this figure would drop dramatically if you chose the 40mm version over the 44mm edition. Essentially, the equation here is charging almost every day – and that’s pretty different with Huawei’s smartwatches.

For the 46mm GT 5 Pro and GT 5, the brand suggests you can receive up to 14 days. However, once you turn on all of the 24/7 tracking features – for blood oxygen, breathing, stress, skin temperature, and sleep breathing awareness – and the always-on display, this ends up being around 6-7 days of use.

This is still a far better performance than Samsung can manage, and you can also stretch it to a couple of weeks if you cut your usage down to the bare minimum, but it’s still worth knowing. Again, like with Samsung, it’s also naturally much less on the smaller versions.

Winner: Huawei Watch GT 5 series

Verdict: Which is best?

Their distinct strengths and weaknesses make our recommendations easier for the Huawei Watch GT 5 series and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.

We think the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro is the top activity tracker among this bunch, with its more premium design backed up by more advanced insights for a bigger range of sports. This also doesn’t affect the price too much, meaning you can get plenty of high-end features here for a mid-range tag.

That’s also true of the cheapest option of this trio, the Huawei Watch GT 5. However, with it an inferior fitness tracker to its Pro sibling and offering no proper smart features, it has a more limited appeal.

Still, it’s recommended if you require a long-lasting, relatively affordable tracker in a stylish watch body.

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 excels past Huawei’s watches in sleep tracking and smart features – while holding its own in design, sports tracking, and health monitoring – but the battery life and more limited phone support will be key sticking points.

If you can see past those issues or crave its strong points, it’s certainly a top smartwatch to consider – particularly the bigger version due to its better battery life.