Huawei WatchFit Review: Price fits the bill but app options will limit buyers

Huawei's WatchFit holds its own against top-of-the-line smartwatch features, but refuses to play with popular third-party apps like Strava.

At $249 in Australia, Huawei is gunning for Fitbit territory with a 10-day battery and a thin, light-weight design.

Tipping the scales at just 34 grams, it's easy to forget the WatchFit is sitting on your wrist despite its stiffer than expected silicone strap, which isn't as comfortable as I'd have hoped.

WatchFit's tall 1.64-inch AMOLED screen is at the centre of Huawei's pitch.

The screen is narrower but taller than that on Apple's new Watch 6. It's bright enough to easily see in sunlight and big enough to read notifications or follow exercise routines without feeling like you need to squint.

There are 12 new animated fitness courses baked into the WatchFit, ranging from the three-minute 're-energise' routine to a more intense 18-minute leg workout.

The animations are easy to follow and do a better job explaining the physical exercise on the watch itself than many of its competitors which often require an accompanying phone app.

WatchFit offers detailed tracking for another 11 "professional" work out modes including running and swimming, but things get whacky when looking at its full list of 96 exercises.

I'm not sure any smartwatch could provide any valuable feedback on belly dancing, darts or hula hooping but the option is there. 

Frustratingly, these aren't listed in alphabetical order so finding a particular exercise can be a little tricky.

All of your stats are funneled back through on the Huawei Health app, which is where you can also download new watch faces (110 free available at launch) and change your notification settings. 

I've had no issues connecting the WatchFit to either Apple or Android devices but unfortunately, this is where Huawei's WatchFit begins to fall short. 

There's no option to buy or download any extra third party apps so you're stuck with what Huawei gives you.

There's also no option to sync your health data to any other app you may use like Strava or Apple's suite.

What you do get is limited as a result, but impressive in scope.

Blood-oxygen monitoring, which is a big focus on Apple's Watch 6, is available, but questions linger over its accuracy.

The WatchFit features one sensor compared to Apple's four and takes about twice as long. Results were often similar but could vary wildly between the two based on their position on my wrist.

Neither of these watches have medical certification, the Withing's ScanWatch is the only one that does in Australia, and Huawei insists these readings are only a guide.

Like many other smartwatches, the WatchFit can track your heart rate 24/7 and can offer more than 200 sleep insights if you keep it on at night.

WatchFit's 10-day battery makes tracking your sleep a viable option compared to higher-end watches that would struggle to last two full days.

Turning on the WatchFit's "always-on" display will impact battery life, as will activating the in-watch GPS which shrinks that 10-day estimate to just 12 hours. 

Thankfully, a five-minute charge gives the WatchFit enough juice for a full, normal day's use.

At $249, Huawei's WatchFit is an enticing buy but hard to recommend. 

Being locked out of popular apps will be a dealbreaker for many, unless you're happy to focus solely on Huawei's fitness suite.

Huawei provided a WatchFit to 9News for the purposes of this review.