Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 Smartwatch Review

[Reviews]

Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 Smartwatch Review

I have been testing the new HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 and the first sensation is one of incredible lightness, as you barely even notice it on your wrist. It is a beautiful watch with a very sporty aesthetic that stands out above all for how comfortable it is for running. Although it must be kept in mind that it doesn't feature the Google ecosystem since it's a Huawei product, the reality is that the system moves wonderfully and you don't miss much on a device of this type. With a GPS that seems very precise and smooth operation, you can tell from the first moment that it is a tool heavily oriented towards exercise.

Let's dive into the review because it is a truly interesting watch—I loved it.



Here is the box for the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2, which presents a very clean and professional image of the device. It’s clear that Huawei wants to highlight that sporty focus from the first contact, and the mention of Huawei Trusense on the front already gives us clues about the importance they have given to the precision of the health sensors. The presentation is sober and compact, very much in line with what we usually see in the brand's premium wearables.



Upon opening the box, we find a fairly complete pack where it stands out that Huawei includes two different straps for this WATCH GT Runner 2. One is made of blue nylon with a fastening system that I really like, and the other is a more traditional perforated black silicone, which is a great touch for switching them out depending on your workout. Of course, the white magnetic charger and the usual documentation are included.



The quick start guide and warranty.



Here you can see a closer look at the perforated silicone strap, which is ideal for when we go out for a run because it greatly facilitates breathability and prevents sweat from being a nuisance. I really like the fastening system as it is very simple to use and allows you to swap straps in a moment without complications.



It is a material that feels resistant and helps the whole package remain extremely light when we wear it.



This is the proprietary magnetic charger that comes in the box, using the classic white circular base with a USB-A connection. Although it is an accessory that fulfills its function perfectly, the best part is that with a battery that lasts 10 days or even more depending on usage, you will hardly remember that you have it stored in the drawer.



It is compact and attaches strongly to the watch, but with such beastly autonomy, the reality is that you will need it very little.





Moving on to the watch itself. In hand, the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 looks really good, with a very sporty and polished look that does not disappoint at all. It is striking how extremely light it is; you almost don't feel it when you hold it thanks to its titanium alloy body. The finish is very clean, and the combination with this blue strap gives it a modern touch that fits perfectly with its focus on exercise without being too bulky.



Looking at the side details, we see a rotating crown that has a very premium feel and greatly facilitates navigation through the menus without always having to touch the screen. You can tell the buttons are well-built and have firm travel, which adds to the sensation of a high-quality product that the watch transmits at all times.



At the bottom, we find a dedicated button that gives us direct access to workout profiles so we don't have to waste time navigating through menus. It is a very practical solution for when you are about to start running and want to activate tracking quickly. The button has good relief and is easily located by touch, which reinforces that design focused on comfort and efficiency during exercise.



Those small notches seen on the edge of the bezel might look like simple aesthetic details, but they actually have an important technical function within the Sunflower 2.0 system. They are part of the floating antenna design that Huawei has implemented to improve satellite signal reception without compromising the watch's style.



It is an interesting detail that shows how they have thought through every element so that the GPS is extremely precise in any environment.



The nylon strap that comes mounted as standard uses a very practical velcro closure system. I found it to be a comfortable and fast system to adjust it perfectly to the wrist before starting to run without having to look for the exact hole in a traditional buckle. The quality of the fabric is good and it feels very light, which fits perfectly with the watch's philosophy of barely noticing you are wearing it while training.



As you can see, every detail has been taken care of.



On the back, we find the technological heart of this WATCH GT Runner 2, which is the new HUAWEI TruSense sensor system. This set not only measures continuous heart rate but is also responsible for monitoring blood oxygen, stress, and sleep quality with high precision. A very important point is that it includes an ECG (electrocardiogram) function and pulse wave arrhythmia analysis, giving us incredible cardiovascular health control for such a light watch. It also features skin temperature sensors and a depth sensor in case you decide to hit the water, as it supports diving up to 40 meters. All this combines to offer advanced metrics like lactate threshold and recovery times, making it a complete training companion that watches over your body 24 hours a day.



With the nylon strap on, the total weight remains at a ridiculous 43 grams, confirming that it is a watch you barely notice in daily life and even less so while training.



Regarding thickness, the caliper marks 12.8 mm taking into account the protrusion of the rear sensors. It is a very compact and truly stylized device for a high-performance sports watch, which helps it not get caught on clothing and always feel in place.



Once on the wrist, the WATCH GT Runner 2 confirms all the good initial sensations as it looks beautiful and very sporty without being exaggerated. As I was saying, you barely notice you are wearing it due to its lightness, and the nylon strap is really comfortable, plus it dries very quickly if you get wet or sweat. It's true that with a 1.32-inch screen it might seem a bit small for some users, but in my opinion, it is very well-balanced and doesn't bulge at all, which makes it perfect for running without distractions.





But before we continue, let's look at its appearance in video.

Let's turn it on; we'll talk about the app later. The screen looks amazing with very vivid colors and spectacular contrast. It is an AMOLED panel that offers brutal sharpness and, thanks to its 3,000 nits of brightness, is perfectly readable in any situation, even in direct sunlight.



Although as mentioned before the dial size is somewhat compact, the reality is that the quality is so good that all the information is seen very clearly, which is a pleasure for checking data at a quick glance while running.



Let's look at some of the included watch faces, all of them striking and, in general, very oriented towards the sports field.











The sharpness is excellent and the AMOLED panel ensures perfect contrast even if the light is hitting hard.





Navigation through the menus is very intuitive and works essentially like any other smartwatch on the market, so you get used to it in a couple of minutes. Pressing the top right button takes us directly to the list of applications and options, while the bottom button takes us straight to sports mode to start training without detours. If we swipe down from the main screen we access quick settings, and if we swipe up we have all notifications at hand. Finally, moving side to side allows us to cycle through different widgets like weather or the daily exercise summary, which makes the whole system feel very agile and easy to control.

Let's look at all the available menu options.

Quite complete. In addition to the whole set of health apps, we have things like atmospheric pressure...



...of course the weather forecast.



Or music playback.



A curious detail is that this model includes a sort of voice assistant which, although presented as AI, is heavily focused on executing direct commands from the watch itself. It is quite useful for situations where you don't want to or can't touch the screen, like when you want to activate the flashlight quickly or tell it to start a running workout. Don't expect an AI for general queries (it won't understand you), but for managing basic system functions via voice, it's an interesting addition that provides extra convenience.

What is the capital of Spain?...



Let's see in video what it actually works for.

As you've already seen in the photo of the back, the health section is one of the greatest strengths of this HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2, and it's clear the brand has gone all out with its new HUAWEI TruSense system. What stands out most is the ECG (Electrocardiogram) function, which allows us to perform a super-precise measurement simply by placing a finger on the electrode of the side button for 30 seconds to get a detailed report that can detect risks of atrial fibrillation. This is perfectly complemented by the pulse wave arrhythmia analysis that uses the PPG sensor to constantly monitor our heart and warn us if it detects any irregular heartbeat while we are resting or even sleeping.



Another new feature that I found great is arterial stiffness detection, a metric we don't usually see in many watches and that gives us a very clear idea of our long-term cardiovascular health by analyzing the elasticity of blood vessels. Of course, classics like SpO2 monitoring and 24-hour heart rate are not missing, but now with improved precision that has barely any margin of error compared to chest straps. For those who worry about rest, the sleep tracking system is among the best I've tried as it not only analyzes phases but includes a breathing awareness function to detect possible anomalies like sleep apnea. Furthermore, the watch crosses all this data to give us HRV (heart rate variability) metrics and stress levels, which together with skin temperature measurement offers us a complete radiography of our physical state every morning. Surely this is the most complete watch I have tested in this sense. And by far.



Regarding sports modes, the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 is an absolute beast as it includes over 100 training modes covering practically any activity you can think of, from cycling and swimming to jump rope or more niche sports. But where it really shines and shows it's a specialist is in everything related to running, starting with its Intelligent Marathon Mode that acts as a race assistant, giving you the pace per kilometer and calculating how much you deviate from your goal in real-time. It's very interesting that it includes professional metrics like the Running Ability Index (RAI), which crosses your heart rate with pace to tell you how you are actually progressing, in addition to measuring lactate threshold and running power without the need for external sensors. For those who take preparation seriously, the watch offers AI-personalized training plans that adapt to your calendar and your actual performance, adjusting sessions if it sees you are too tired or if you have plenty of energy. It also includes advanced options for other sports like cycling with virtual power or a golf mode with over 17,000 maps of courses worldwide and even support for diving up to 40 meters complying with the EN13319 standard. Best of all, if you are very demanding, it allows connecting via Bluetooth external sensors like chest straps or pedometers to have even more professional precision in each session.

Again, it is clear that the leitmotiv of this watch is health and exercise.

Before moving on, let's talk about the hard specs according to the official sheet. We find hardware that lives up to expectations in a high-end device of this type. The body is made of aerospace-grade titanium alloy, which explains why it is so light at 34.5 grams of weight without counting the strap. The screen is a 1.32-inch AMOLED that stands out for those brutal 3,000 nits of maximum brightness so we don't have vision problems outdoors even on the sunniest days. Regarding connectivity, it comes with the Sunflower 2.0 system, which uses a 3D floating antenna and dual-band GPS compatible with the five main satellite systems to ensure maximum precision on every route. The battery is another of its strengths as it officially gives us up to 14 days of light use or about 7 days with typical use, and lasts between 32 and 40 hours with GPS continuously activated. Finally, we must mention its resistance since it has IP69 certification and is submersible up to 5 ATM, even allowing diving sessions up to 40 meters deep. All this moves with total fluidity thanks to its operating system which is fully compatible with both Android and iOS by installing the Huawei Health app.

App turn. The initial configuration of the WATCH GT Runner 2 is a truly simple process thanks to the Huawei Health app, which is the command center for the entire device. As you can see in the screenshots, pairing is almost instantaneous as the app detects the watch as soon as you turn it on and you only have to press connect for synchronization to take place in a few seconds. The application interface shows exactly what any user expects to find in a tool of this type as it is very visual and direct. Everything is organized by clear blocks where battery status and connection at the top stand out. Right below we have the management of watch faces with access to a huge store to customize the device's appearance to our liking. Shortcuts also appear to configure notifications or enter the AppGallery to look for compatible applications. Below, all the health widgets and other quick accesses.



In this screenshot, you can see how the exercise log looks after an outdoor walking session. The interface is the one we already know from other Huawei watches, being very clean and offering a lot of information at a glance. What stands out most is that the GPS seems very precise as the track on the map is impeccable and follows the route without strange errors. In addition to the route, we have all the key details like pace, calories burned, cadence, and total ascent in a very clear and professional way.



The amount of information the application records for each session is simply spectacular and leaves no loose ends for those of us who like to analyze every detail. We have everything from the breakdown of pace per kilometer to see where we slackened to detailed heart rate graphs divided by training zones to know how much time we were actually burning fat or doing aerobic work.



It is amazing to see how it also records altitude and elevation gain alongside much more technical metrics like average cadence or average stride, which are vital data points if you want to improve your running technique over the long term. At the very end, the summary even offers an assessment of aerobic exercise stress so you know if the workout has been enough to maintain your physical condition or if you fell short, which turns this tool into something truly professional for any runner who wants to seriously track their evolution.



A very complete app to which you have to dedicate a good amount of time to get the most out of it. But it's worth it.

If we compare the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 with an OnePlus Watch 3 that I have here, you notice immediately that they play in different leagues. The Huawei is notably more compact and light, which reinforces the idea of being a watch designed specifically for sports performance, while the OnePlus has a more robust presence and a slightly larger screen. Despite that size difference, the reality is that the Huawei's panel is not behind in quality as the colors look tremendously vivid and the contrast is excellent.



You can tell the Runner 2 seeks to prioritize absolute comfort so it doesn't bother you when swinging your arms while running, compared to the more solid and traditional smartwatch aesthetic transmitted by the OnePlus model.



To wrap up this analysis of the WATCH GT Runner 2, let's look at the best and the not-so-good. Among the best we have, without a doubt, its extreme lightness and that 3,000 nit AMOLED screen that looks stunning under any lighting condition. Additionally, it is a real joy to have such a precise GPS thanks to the Sunflower 2.0 system and to have advanced health metrics like ECG or arterial stiffness at hand, all crowned with an autonomy that allows us to forget the charger for up to 14 days. On the less good side, perhaps those 1.32 inches of screen will feel small to those who prefer "chunkier" watches. The voice assistant is still somewhat basic for very specific commands and the third-party app ecosystem still has room for improvement compared to the competition.



This watch is clearly aimed at the runner seeking performance and real technical data like lactate threshold or RAI without wearing a heavy lump on the wrist, but also at any user who is seriously concerned about their cardiovascular health and values not having to charge the device every night. The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 establishes itself as a professional precision tool tucked into a super stylized titanium body. If you are looking for a companion to help you lower your personal bests and watch over your heart 24 hours a day without you barely noticing you are wearing it, it is a more than recommended purchase.

I'll leave you the official sheet with much more info

https://consumer.huawei.com/es/wearables/watch-gt-runner-2

Puedes leer la review en español aquí