Review: HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE - the entry level GPS watch with flagship health-focused features!

HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE (SE for Special Edition) is positioned as a feature-filled wristwear, bringing vast improvements across features in terms of sports, health monitoring, user interface, battery and smart flagship experience that we love.

Being a sport-centric watch, the HUAWEI WATCH GT boasts more than 100 types of workout mode including running, indoor and outdoor. It records and monitors a wealth of fitness data and gives you the information you need to improve your performance via the HUAWEI TruSport.

What’s in the box? Watch the unboxing HERE.

1. Watch with strap x 1
2. Charging cradle and cable x 1
3. User Guide & Safety Information x 1
4. Warranty Card x 1

The casing is ultralight and made of durable polymer fibre. I love the colourful  high-definition colour display, which has a larger display area and a more vivid visual experience, providing the information that you need at a glance.. It is easy to read even under direct sunlight thanks to the AMOLED colour screen. The touch screen is very responsive and makes navigation a breeze by swiping and tapping.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE weighs at 52g, which is quite similar to the  HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner we reviewed HERE.

The strap is made of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) which appears rubber-like, which means it is very elastic, flexible, and smooth to the touch, but at the same time, it is extremely durable and strong.

The watch is about 11mm thick. Unlike many GPS sport/ running watches out there, the  HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE a speaker on the right side, below the POWER button.

This speaker is loud enough to give audible instruction/ feedback on the road. While using the running work out mode, it will read out the distance, pace and heart rate at each 1km. So, you don't have to keep looking at the watch and  concentrate on the running!

And yes, you can answer call too using the watch without having to take out your phone from your pocket or running pouch. This feature is very handy during your run.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE supports wireless charging, it lasts an incredible 14 days on a full charge. Now, you would not have to worry about charging your watch after every use. To charge the watch, just place it on the magnetic charging cradle and connect it to a USB charging port.

One of the essential features for HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE is the optical heart rate sensor. It tracks heart rate with meticulous accuracy, thanks to the new and improved HUAWEI TruSeen™ 5.0+ and anti-interference capabilities.

The accurate heart rate monitoring enables you to use heart rate-based training such as MAF to improve your run performance. 

Apart from Heart Rate, this watch also tracks Oxygen Saturation Level in your blood, SpO2 which I find useful. I no longer have to keep a separate Fingertip Pulse Oximeter Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor. 

Some other nifty functions are "find my phone" and torch (this lit up the screen with a bright white light). 

For those who enjoy music during the run can load up some songs into the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE via the Huawei Health mobile app and enjoyed via the speakers or paired with Bluetooth earphones. 

When connected via Bluetooth, you can control the smartphone to start, pause, play previous song, play next song, or adjust volume through the smartwatch’s music control interface. You can also control music playback during workout.

More than 100 workout modes such as outdoor running, indoor running, outdoor walking, swimming, skiing, triathlon, hiking are available on your wrist.

For running specific workouts, TruSportTM can provide professional training advice based on comprehensive and professional running data, such as pace, heart rate, distance, Running Ability Index (RAI), training pressure, training load, recovery time, VO2Max measurements and more, allowing you to adjust training intensity and time, and improve the quality of training, ultimately becoming a regular runner in no time.

HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE is also compatible with over 60+ workout apps around the world, including the mainstream overseas apps such as Strava.

Preset Running Courses

This feature is great especially for new runners. It is almost like having a coach running beside you. You can choose from the following depending on your training goals.

1. Run/ Walk - Basic (22 min)
2. Run/ Walk - Advanced (25 min)
3. Easy Run (28 min)
4. Fat Burning Run - Basic (36min)
5. Fat Burning Run - Advanced (46min)
6. Fat Burning Run - MIIT (26 min)
7. MAF180 - Basic (30 min)
8. MAF180 - Advanced (46 min)
9. Aerobic Endurance Run (36 min)
10. Long Slow Distance (66 min)
11. Cruise Intervals (29 min)
12. Tempo Run(26 min)
13. HIIT Run (23 min)

I find the real time voice guidance really useful. I can concentrate on the running without having to look at my watch/ smart phone all the time.

It locks into the satellite signal almost instantaneously for outdoor run while other watches may struggle for a bit.

In case your forget to start your watch for your run, The HUAWEI WATCH GT3 SE is smart enough to detect the changes in the activity intensity to remind you to track your run. It also applies to walking, cross-training and rowing machine.

There is a slew of data available post run like the basic info - Distance, Duration and Calories.

And pace and speed.

More data - step count, average cadence and average stride.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE  is also equipped with a barometer sensor to provide info on the change of altitude. 

The map of the run is recorded and can be viewed on the phone via Huawei Health app.

Dynamic Heart Rate Tracking during the run.

Heart Rate Zones achieved during the run.

The accelerometer sensor tracks speed/ pace data throughout the run.

The pace can be further broken down to HIIT Run, Anaerobic, Threshold, Marathon and Jog. 

Cadence - it measures the number of steps a runner takes per minute (SPM)

Equipped with the Running Ability Index (RAI), the HUAWEI WATCH GT3 SE is able to measure the performance of the user based on the heart rate, pace, distance and other factors to accurately measure the performance and progress in real time. 

Altitude data - useful to see the elevation of the running course. 

Suggested recovery time.

Training stress.

CONCLUSION: HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 SE is a fantastic GPS for beginners. It has all the essential features a runner would need – the accurate gps function, heart rate tracking, pre-set guided running courses, long battery life and other flagship smart functions at an affordable below RM900 price tag. With HUAWEI's propriety technologies like TruSeen, TruSleep and TruRelax, it provides an all-rounded health monitoring and track changes in heart rate, sleep, SpO2, stress and more.

Recommended retail price: RM899. Get your HUAWEI WATCH GT3 SE NOW at the HUAWEI Experience Store, or across HUAWEI official platforms such as HUAWEI Store Online, HUAWEI Official Store on Shopee, and HUAWEI Flagship Store on Lazada.