Luxuriously designed Huawei Watch Buds 2 hide earbuds inside. But they can also impress with other aspects of their features.

In autumn 2022, Huawei embarked on an idea that seemed half genius and half crazy: combining a smartwatch with wireless earbuds into a single device. The original Huawei Watch Buds then evoked mixed reactions – they certainly captivated with their concept, but also touched upon more than one compromise. After more than three years, the brand has now decided to dust off its unusual hybrid again. The new Huawei Watch Buds 2 officially debuted on the Chinese market today, and from a specifications perspective, it’s a noticeably more compelling package.

Titanium Body and Noticeable Diet

In terms of design, the Watch Buds 2 didn’t bring a revolution, but rather a careful evolution. Huawei used an aerospace-grade titanium case complemented by a fiber-reinforced composite back, which, according to the manufacturer, should improve scratch resistance by up to 200% compared to the first generation. The watch will be offered in three versions – Amber Brown, Obsidian Black, and Titanium Silver – with the most expensive silver version coming directly with a titanium strap.

More important than the changes on the surface are the changes beneath it. The new model weighs 54.5 grams without the strap, which is 12 grams less than its predecessor, and the thickness has decreased to 14.69 mm. The original Watch Buds were among the thickest watches on the market, so any slimming down counts. The case measures 47 × 47 mm and fits wrists with a circumference of 140 to 210 mm, meaning it should also be suitable for thinner wrists.

The Display is One of its Biggest Weapons

On the front sits a 1.5″ flexible LTPO AMOLED panel with a resolution of 466 × 466 pixels (310 PPI) and an alleged peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits. This is a value you would search for in vain on many competing watches – even the premium Galaxy Watch Ultra stopped at the same threshold. Furthermore, Huawei has reduced the black bezels by 36% in the new generation, increasing the screen-to-body ratio by approximately 11.6%. At first glance, the watch should thus appear noticeably more modern.

The only wrinkle is the classic crown on the right side, which does not rotate – it serves purely as a button. Next to it, you’ll find another flap to open the top lid, under which the aforementioned earbuds are hidden.

Earbuds in the Watch: Small, Light, and Smart

At the heart of the entire concept, of course, remain the full-fledged TWS earbuds hidden inside the case. Each weighs around 4 grams, and the package includes three sizes of ear tips (S, M, L). A pleasant new feature is adaptive left and right ear recognition – the user doesn’t have to worry about which earbud goes where. They can be used individually or as a pair.

Acoustically, Huawei has implemented a full-range planar driver, active noise cancellation (ANC), ambient sound pass-through mode, and a so-called bone vibration sensor for clearer sound during calls. Moreover, control is not only on the earbud but also on a wider area including the tragus and the face around the ear. Double-tapping answers a call or starts music, while triple-tapping switches noise cancellation modes.

But beware – the watch itself does not have a speaker or a microphone. If you want to make calls or hear navigation, you need to have the earbuds in your ears. It’s a logical compromise, but certainly not insignificant.

Health, 90+ Sports Modes, and a Couple of Missing Sensors

In the area of health monitoring, Huawei offers the usual palette – measuring heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, sleep, stress, and respiratory rate. New features include all-day HRV (heart rate variability) tracking and the Emotional Wellbeing 2.0 function, which can distinguish up to 12 emotional states and even display them on a selected watch face.

The watch also alerts to potential atrial fibrillation, features sleep apnea detection, and in China, can participate in a study assessing the risk of high blood sugar levels. There are over 90 sports modes, complemented by the AI Sports Interpretation function, which derives training recommendations from data. Also noteworthy are the four-system navigation (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) and NFC for payments.

What Huawei does not provide is ECG measurement or a skin temperature sensor. Compared to its own Watch GT 6 Pro model or competing flagships, this is a clear step back in terms of trimmed features.

Battery Life, Charging, and (Lack of) Durability

Huawei states the watch’s battery life in a typical scenario as approximately 3 days, while the earbuds, according to the manufacturer, play 3 hours of music with ANC on and 4 hours without it on a single charge. These are not record-breaking numbers – dedicated TWS earbuds often offer double today – but the earbuds automatically recharge inside the watch, so in practice, you’ll reach for them more sporadically. A full charge of the entire set takes about 100 minutes, and the watch is charged wirelessly via the included station.

A fundamental compromise of the entire concept is durability only rated at IP54. Furthermore, the certification applies only to the earbuds – the openable slot for them means that the watch is not suitable for swimming, showering, or water activities. If you’re looking for a smartwatch you’d want to swim with, this simply isn’t it.

Software, Compatibility, and Smart Features

The watch comes with HarmonyOS 6 and, according to Huawei, works with both Android (13.0 and newer) and iOS (9.0 and above) – naturally, it works best with Chinese phones from the manufacturer itself, where connection via Huawei Health is smoothest. On board is support for a digital car key, but only for Chinese brands like BYD, Aito, or Avatr. Similarly, Alipay “tap to pay” payments or accompanying ticketing applications will not arrive on the Czech market.

Price and Availability

The Huawei Watch Buds 2 are currently open for pre-orders in China, with official sales starting on April 25th. The Amber Brown and Obsidian Black color variants will cost 3,488 yuan (approximately 10,300 CZK converted), while the Titanium Silver with a titanium strap will come in at 3,988 yuan (about 11,800 CZK). After accounting for Chinese state subsidies, prices drop below 3,000 and 3,500 yuan respectively, but European customers will not benefit from this advantage.

Huawei has not yet commented on a potential global, or specifically European, market launch. However, given that the first generation of Watch Buds was brought to Europe in 2023, a similar scenario can be expected in the coming months.

What do you think of the returned Huawei Watch Buds concept?

Sources: Huawei, Huawei Central, Notebookcheck