Huawei Watch 2: The giant-slaying smartwatch

Chinese tech giant Huawei has been busy disrupting the smart gadget market in recent years. The company is known for producing smartphones, tablets and watches with enough power to rival the likes of Samsung and Apple - but at a fraction of the price.

Its most recent addition to its giant-busting product line-up is the Watch 2, an Android Wear-powered smartwatch aimed at rivalling the Apple Watch Series 1 and Samsung Gear S3.

The model we’re using for our review is the Watch 2 Sport, which comes in dark grey with a matching silicone sports band and polished bezel.

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On the right-hand side of the smartwatch’s 1.2ins (30mm) AMOLED display are two buttons, with the top one opening the device’s main menu and the bottom one launching the health app.

The menu itself is standard Android Wear and can be found on most smartwatches aside from Apple’s own, but this particular health app is exclusive to Huawei devices.

It allows you to easily track your fitness regime, as the watch shows your hearth rate, how far you have walked, cycled or run, and how many calories you’ve burned. This information can be shared with the My Fitness Pal app, making it simple to track your progression.

You can also set yourself targets - and the watch will give you handy reminders if you aren’t working out at your scheduled times.

Like any Huawei product, it’s packed with all of the technology you could want from a smartwatch, including GPS tracking, a heart rate monitor and a battery that can easily last a full day.

That’s impressive considering that the £1,250 TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 we tested recently didn't have a heart rate monitor, plus its battery rarely made it to the end of the day.

The Watch 2's design isn't what you'd call class-leading: the Sport model’s dark matte grey face and strap are relatively dull to look at compared to the aluminium finish on Apple's Series 1 Watch. However, it doesn’t look ugly and feels sturdy enough to wear on a daily basis.

Those wanting a more traditional-looking smartwatch can opt for the Classic Watch 2 with leather strap, although expect to pay an extra £80 for this.

Thankfully, Huawei has bundled in 23 different watch faces to choose from, many of which can be customised with different colours and widgets to show features such as your calendar or alternative time zones.

Overall, the Watch 2 is a surprisingly charming smartwatch that punches well above its weight. And while it’s styling won't win any beauty contests, it comes with all the tech you could want from an entry-level smartwatch.

Although Tech Radar says pricing for the Watch 2 Sport starts at £329, Amazon is currently offering the device at a discounted £259. You’ll need to pay an additional £80 to get the more traditional Classic version with leather strap.