Read our full review of the HUAWEI Band 7 to find out why we think this device is the best affordable fitness tracker you can buy.
Because of its small size, lightweight, amazing battery life, gazillions of workout features, bright AMOLED display, and low price, Pocketnow recommends the HUAWEI Band 7 if you’re looking for an affordable fitness tracker.
Although the smartwatch market is filled with plenty of options, such as the Google Pixel Watch, Apple Watch Series 8, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, these smartwatches are quite expensive, and not everyone can afford them. HUAWEI proves to be a savior for such buyers as it offers a smartwatch/fitness band at every price point.
The company offers the Watch GT3 Pro (don't forget to check out our review) for those looking for a premium experience, while the Watch Fit 2 offers a combination of style and fitness tracking. For those who are just getting started with fitness tracking and are not looking to spend more than a hundred dollars, the company offers the HUAWEI Band 7.
I have been using the HUAWEI Band 7 for the past few weeks, and I believe it offers excellent value for €60. Find out why we’re so impressed with the company's entry-level fitness tracker in our full HUAWEI Band 7 review down below!
Note: If you don't have enough time to read the full review (who has nowadays, right?), then do check out the TL;DR at the end of every section. You'll gain an understanding of the device in a nutshell.
Specs
HUAWEI Band 7
Dimensions
44.35 x 26 x 9.99 mm
Display
1.47-inch AMOLED, 194 x 368 pixels
Weight (without strap)
16 grams
Water resistance
5 ATM water-resistant
Battery
180mAh
Charging
Magnetic charging Type-A USB cable
OS
HarmonyOS
Device support
Android 6.0 or later, iOS 9.0 or later
Colors
Wilderness Green, Flame Red, Graphite Black, Nebula Pink
Starting Price
£49.99 / $59.99
Taking it out of the box, you'll notice that the HUAWEI Band 7 looks similar to any other fitness tracker on the market. It features a rectangular display (more on this later), which is complemented by almost unnoticeable bezels surrounding it. HUAWEI has done a good job of hiding the bezels, thanks to a combination of software optimizations (which uses a black theme) and the reduction of the size of the bezels themselves.
Holding the display in place is the Band's polymer fiber shell, which has been given a metal texture-like finish. Even though the frame itself is made of plastic, it has a high-quality look and feel. On the right hand-hand side, you'll find the Band's only button while the sensors are located beneath the display. The Band is quite thin at only 9.99 mm thickness and offers ATM 5 water rating as well.
The color variant of the review unit I received is called Nebula Pink. It is a very light pale-looking pink, and although I'm not a huge fan of this color, the Band 7 is also available in three other colors, namely Wilderness Green, Flame Red, and Graphite Black, with the last one being my favorite of all the four colors offered.
One of the things that I absolutely adore about this device is how unbelievably light it is. Sometimes I didn't even realize it was even on my wrist until a notification vibration buzzed my hand. There is no weight-bearing sensation, and this is one of the few smartwatches that I was comfortable wearing while sleeping. And talking about how easy it is to wear, the silicon wristband feels quite pleasant with soft-touch materials and comes with enough adjustment holes to fit every wrist size.
Coming to the display, the HUAWEI Band 7 features a 1.47-inch AMOLED display with 282 PPI pixel density and 194 x 368 pixels resolution. The display is quite bright, going up to 450 nits and offers excellent outdoor visibility — even in direct sunlight. The glass slightly curves over the edges, making for a comfortable, edge-free, and premium experience.
Despite the display's small size, texts and notifications are quite easy to read. Of course, you'll have to scroll a little bit when reading long messages, but the display itself is quite crisp and clear. Thankfully, the Band 7 comes with a feature that automatically dims the display at night. This is a great feature if you intend to wear it to bed to track your sleep. There is, however, no automatic setting for maximum brightness.
Like other smart bands, you can download and use the watch face of your liking. There's also an Always-on display mode that minimizes the backlight and lets the user check the time when the Band isn't being actively used. It also features tap-to-wake functionality, though HUAWEI claims it drains more battery.
What I liked
What I didn't like
HUAWEI Band 7 runs on the company's own real-time custom OS called HarmonyOS. And, just like the HUAWEI Watch Fit 2, the initial setup was a little disappointing as the smart band had to be updated two/three times before it could be used, and each software update took a long time to install. But once you pass the slow update installation hurdle, you are greeted with an OS that is very user-friendly. It offers simple touch controls and a single button to return to the home screen from applications.
Like the other HUAWEI smartwatches, the Band 7 also features 'Card View,' which lets the user access essential information, such as your current blood oxygen level, heart rate, stress level, or even the weather, just with a swipe. Of course, you can customize which cards are enabled and their order inside the HUAWEI Health app.
Other features available include music control, notifications, breathing exercise, stopwatch, timer, alarm, and flashlight. There's also a Find my phone feature that plays a sound saying 'I'm heeeere' on your smartphone so you can locate it easily in case you lose it.
I found the software to be a little buggy, and it required several taps sometimes to get something done. But, on the whole, it doesn't matter if you are completely new to fitness trackers or have a lot of experience with them; you will find the HUAWEI Band 7 easy to use.
What I liked
What I didn't like
And finally, coming to the smart band's fitness tracking features, the HUAWEI Band 7 comes with 96 training modes, including Outdoor run, Indoor run, Outdoor cycle, Indoor cycle, Pool swim, Open water swim, and Jump rope. In addition to tracking these workout modes, the band can also measure your heart rate and SpO2 levels continuously.
During workouts and sports activities, the watch keeps track of all vital metrics, from blood oxygen levels to heart rate zone targets. While HUAWEI claims that the smart band also features automatic workout detection, I couldn't get it working on my Band 7 unit, and I had to manually select a workout mode to get it working. The good thing is that fitness tracking is on point.
Detailed metrics about your workout are available on the HUAWEI Health app, which you can install through the HUAWEI AppGallery on Android and Apple App Store on iOS. You can set up goals for yourself (for example, weight loss) in the app and get personalized recommendations on what you need to do to achieve that goal.
One thing I didn't like about the HUAWEI Band 7 is that it lacks built-in GPS. The smart band relies on your smartphone's GPS to track outdoor runs and walks. While no one runs without their phone anymore, it's a feature that is available on other similarly priced smart bands such as the Mi Band 7 Pro.
Lastly, I did not like the fact that you cannot manage the app or workout modes through the HUAWEI Health app. The smart band comes with 96 different workout modes, but on a small 1.47-inch screen, it's hard to scroll and select what you want to do. Except for these two shortcomings, the HUAWEI Band 7 is a perfect device for health tracking and can easily become your workout buddy.
What I liked
What I didn't like
HUAWEI wearables are known for their long battery life, and the Band 7 is no exception. The company claims that the Band 7's 180 mAh battery can power the device for up to two weeks on typical use. Even though it didn't last me two weeks, it easily made it through ten days.
It's worth noting that all the essential health-tracking features, such as continuous heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen tracking, stress monitoring, and sleep tracking, were enabled during my testing. With Always-on display enabled, you can kill the battery in four to five days. Thankfully, the fast charging makes up for it.
A quick five-minute top-up is more than enough to get you through a full day of use, while a full charge takes about an hour. The only downside about battery and charging is that the magnetic connection of the charging cable is quite weak and can be disengaged quite easily. I also dislike the fact that the cable ships with a USB Type-A connector on the other end — why no USB-C HUAWEI?
If you can look past these two minor flaws, overall battery performance is excellent, especially when compared to other expensive alternatives.
What I liked
What I didn't like
What's not to love about the HUAWEI Band 7? Yes, it's not the latest fitness tracker out there, but it still is a perfect entry-level fitness tracker that does exactly what it sets out to do. It's one of those fitness bands you wear and forget about. It's quite lightweight, and you will forget it's even there until it nudges you when a notification comes.
Workout and sleep tracking are excellent as ever, and the OS is feature-rich. The software can be a tad bit more stable than it currently is, but it doesn't stop you from using all the features of the smart band. Over the previous generation, it offers a better screen, a thinner body, and an Always-on mode display — something that I consider essential for any fitness band or smartwatch.
HUAWEI has put together a really attractive overall package, and it absolutely justifies the price tag of £49.99 only.
To summarize, let's take a look at the Pros and Cons of the HUAWEI Band 7.
HUAWEI Band 7 features a 1.47-inch AMOLED display, weighs only 16 grams, and features up to two weeks of battery life, making it one of the best fitness trackers out there. Check out all the deals on the device using the links given below.
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