- VERDICT
The Huawei Watch D is an impressive smartwatch that now offers more health features than ever before including a relatively accurate blood pressure measurement. The Huawei Watch D is the smartwatch that can cover all your health, wellness and fitness needs.
We’ve seen lots of smartwatches which all claimed to have cutting edge health and wellness features but they new Huawei Watch D offers something the others don’t – it can measure your blood pressure.
Other smartwatches have been able to monitor your blood pressure once you’ve had a traditional cuff reading but the Huawei Watch D can take a measurement right there on your wrist.
The Watch D has a rectangular 1.64-inch display with 456 x 280 resolution and 326ppi (pixels per inch).
The case is made from graphite aluminium and the strap is a rubber-like fluoro elastomer.
This band is also adjustable to create a snug fit.
It’s important to have the right fit and to position it on your wrist to not only be comfortable but to also ensure more accurate measurements.
The Huawei Watch D is slightly thicker than a regular watch but it’s size is still impressive considering what it can do and what’s included under the hood to enable an accurate blood pressure reading.
Normally having your blood pressure taken involves going to the doctor or using blood pressure measuring device which includes an inflatable cuff that’s worn on your upper arm.
This works by inflating and cutting off your circulation momentarily before release and measuring the pressure in your arteries as it pumps blood during each beat – this is the systolic blood pressure and measuring the pressure as the heart prepares for the next beat – this is called the diastolic blood pressure.
Both are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
And that is also why there are two readings when your blood pressure is taken for example, 120/80.
The larger number is the systolic blood pressure and the smaller number is the diastolic blood pressure.
So how does the Huawei Watch D measure your blood pressure?
It actually uses the same method but in a shrunken down and more convenient way.
The Watch D has a mini pump and small inflatable dual layer air bag on the inside of the watch band.
The sensor on the bottom of the watch also comes in to play to measure your pulse as the pressure from the airbag is being released.
This is like a doctor holding as stethoscope to the inside of your elbow as the pressure of the cuff is released.
To initiate a test, simply press the blood pressure icon on the smartwatch screen and rest your arm wearing the watch at heart height in a relaxed seated position.
When we did the tests we could feel the airbag inflating inside the band and tightening around our wrist which offered a similar sensation to the pressure felt with a traditional inflatable cuff reading.
In less than 30 seconds we heard a beep that indicated the test had been completed.
One thing you can’t do is look at the screen while your pressure is being measured because that simple movement could affect the outcome.
So how accurate is it?
We took many measurements and saw so some pretty wild variations from as low as 112/89 all the way up to 153/96 with the Watch D.
But to be fair we also took our blood pressure with a larger dedicated Omron device which included the large upper arm inflatable cuff and saw the same wide variations.
The upside of that is that the measurement taken with the Huawei Watch D and the one taken with the Omron we’re in pretty much the same ballpark.
The latest reading we took as we we’re writing this review with Watch D was 131/ 87 and the Omron measurement was 135/86. Pretty close.
Naturally, one of the best features of the Watch D is the convenience of being able to take your blood pressure anywhere at any time with zero setup required.
You just press a button on the home screen.
The importance of knowing your blood pressure is obvious so you can keep on top of your health and other conditions.
Knowing, for example, if you have a high blood pressure, you can take steps to reduce it either from increasing your exercise or changing your eating habits, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol intake.
But it is having this readily available information which allows you to not only see where you’re at today with your health but also to track it into the future to allow you to reach your goals.
The Huawei Watch D also offers other health features including ECG analysis, blood oxygen level, stress levels, skin temperature and 24/7 heart rate monitoring.
On the exercise side the watch also delivers plenty of options with more than 70 workout modes to choose from including running, walking, rowing, jumping rope, cycling, swimming and yoga.
And everything is monitored through the companion Huawei health app which can be installed on an iPhone or Android smartphone.
Another cool feature we found with the Watch D was the running guide which map your route as you’re running it and provide key information to keep you on track including pace per kilometre, distance travelled, time elapsed and your current heart rate.
Another killer feature is the incredible battery life which runs for up to an amazing seven days.
The Huawei Watch D is priced at $799 and is available now.
VERDICT
The Huawei Watch D is an impressive smartwatch that now offers more health features than ever before including a relatively accurate blood pressure measurement. The Huawei Watch D is the smartwatch that can cover all your health, wellness and fitness needs.
