Huawei's new GT Runner 2 is called 'the pinnacle of professional running watches', so I went hands-on and compared its stats to a Garmin watch | Tech Radar

Overview

Huawei's new GT Runner 2 is called 'the pinnacle of professional running watches', so I went hands-on and compared its stats to a Garmin watch

The Huawei GT Runner 2 is the latest in running watch hotness

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Huawei just dropped what it firmly believes is its best running watch yet, the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2, and it certainly sounds like it's going to give the likes of Apple and Garmin a run for their money.

It's got a whole bunch of features, including Huawei's very accurate Tru Sense heart rate sensor and algorithm, an intelligent Marathon Mode for responsive training advice, route design similar to Garmin and Coros, and a redesigned 3D antenna array for better GPS accuracy.

This last factor is key. The antenna is a ring sitting near the top of the bezel, said to ensure 'precise tracking and positioning even in challenging environments like tunnels or shaded areas'. It's said to be more accurate than the best Garmin watches, although considering the tests I've seen on this come from Huawei itself, I'm taking it with a pinch of salt.

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However, there's no getting around the fact that it looks and feels great. The watch sports a redesigned digital crown in a position similar to the Coros Pace 4, another physical button on the same side, and your choice of straps (I love the fabric, which you can see in the picture above). It comes in Midnight Black, Dusk Blue, and Dawn Orange.

Despite not being able to sell its devices in the US, Huawei is taking its running watch credentials seriously. It's even roped in marathon record-smashing runner Eliud Kipchoge as a brand ambassador, with a Huawei representative telling me that Kipchoge's team tests the brand's wearables and offers frequent insights. It's also finally gotten around the lack of a wallet, with the addition of Curve Pay for all your digital payment banking needs.

While obviously not available in the US, the watch costs £349.99 in the UK (around

With the GT Runner 2's claims of being more accurate than a Garmin, I tested it against my personal Garmin Epix Pro in a quick 5.4km out-and-back. For my full review, I'll be testing it against the Apple Watch Ultra 3, alongside a Polar H10 heart rate monitor. While the Garmin Epix Pro is older than the Garmin Fenix 8, it still has the up-to-date Elevate V5 heart rate sensor and registers as accurate in GPS when tested against the Apple Watch.

In this initial test run, the Huawei was light, bright (even under the glare of the winter sun, its AMOLED screen was very easy to glance at mid-run), and compared favorably with the Garmin.

With just 30 meters' variation of distance and 8bpm difference in average heart rate (I'd class a difference of 10bpm and under as not particularly statistically significant), it's certainly close enough to the benchmark for the average runner. You can see the stats of both watches below. Real sticklers for accuracy and professional athletes will have to wait for my full review for more extensive testing.

Garmin Connect: route and average heart rate(Image credit: Future)

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Matt is Tech Radar's expert on all things fitness, wellness and wearable tech.

A former staffer at Men's Health, he holds a Master's Degree in journalism from Cardiff and has written for brands like Runner's World, Women's Health, Men's Fitness, Live Science and Fit&Well on everything fitness tech, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.

Matt's a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them.

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Key Takeaways

• Huawei's new GT Runner 2 is called 'the pinnacle of professional running watches', so I went hands-on and compared its stats to a Garmin watch

• The Huawei GT Runner 2 is the latest in running watch hotness

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• Huawei just dropped what it firmly believes is its best running watch yet, the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2, and it certainly sounds like it's going to give the likes of Apple and Garmin a run for their money

• It's got a whole bunch of features, including Huawei's very accurate Tru Sense heart rate sensor and algorithm, an intelligent Marathon Mode for responsive training advice, route design similar to Garmin and Coros, and a redesigned 3D antenna array for better GPS accuracy