Online Desk: With the Honor Watch 4, its company entered the realm of budget-friendly square smartwatches. Departing from the fitness-centric design of its predecessor, the Honor Watch 4 embraces a more sophisticated aesthetic look, drawing inspiration from reputed smartwatches such as Apple Watch, Fitbit Versa, etc. This device aims to combine affordability with an array of features typically found in higher-priced smartwatches. Let’s take a look into what the Honor Watch 4 offers.

Key features and specs of Honor Watch 4

Design

The Honor Watch 4, boasts a redesigned and modern appearance with a rectangular aluminum dial featuring rounded and polished edges. The 1.75-inch screen is responsive to touch, and a single button on the side facilitates easy operation.

Weighing only 32g and measuring 11.2mm in thickness, the watch is very light, making it comfortable for continuous wear, even during sleep. Activating the display is a simple light press, and navigating through apps and functions is intuitive using the touchscreen.

The watch gets charged with a magnetic base featuring two contacts. The standard 20mm silicone straps are soft and secure, fastening with a buckle for added safety. The watch offers water resistance up to a depth of 50 meters with an IP68 and 5 ATM rating. It is also dustproof.

Dial replacement is straightforward, and compatibility with other models ensures customization options for users.

The Honor Watch 4 is available in two dial finishes: gold with a beige wristband or traditional black with a black strap.

Display

The Honor Watch 4 is equipped with an impressive AMOLED panel that delivers a visually appealing display. The screen, with a resolution of 390 by 450 pixels and a pixel density of 340 PPI, offers over 300 different watch faces accessible through a simple press on the screen.

While the display performs well with satisfactory brightness levels, visibility may be compromised in direct sunlight. The screen has a 60Hz refresh rate, and its brightness adjusts automatically based on the ambient lighting conditions.

Despite Honor’s claim of having an always-on display function, the reviewer encountered difficulty activating it. However, the wrist-turn gesture can be used to activate the display quickly, and the screen timeout can be extended to 5 minutes.

The speaker on the Honor Watch 4 is notably powerful, supporting Bluetooth calling with a built-in microphone. While not ideal for prolonged conversations, it effectively allows users to answer calls promptly. The watch provides notifications through sound and vibration, but it cannot interact by responding to pre-created messages.

Performance

The Honor Watch 4 incorporates a micro-optical lens array of sensors to monitor key health metrics, including stress, blood oxygen level, heart rate, respiration, and sleep quality. While some measurements are taken over time for health tracking, on-demand functions are not always available, such as the inability to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) when desired.

The watch features an intuitive interface for quick access to settings and notifications through simple scrolling gestures. The ring management system serves as a daily motivator, encouraging physical activity with step and exercise goals.

Navigating through additional functions requires pressing the watch button to access a menu resembling Apple’s watchOS. The watch operates on Magic OS 7.2, providing a responsive and stable performance.

The Honor Health app, available on iOS and Android, has room for improvement, with some interface elements displaying Chinese acronyms, potentially confusing. Customization options for the main screen cards are available, but the presentation of outdoor activity graphs is considered basic.

Despite offering useful features like phone location tracking and the absence of system failures, the Watch 4 lacks NFC support, preventing mobile payments. Additionally, there is no compatibility with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, and the watch’s ecosystem limits the ability to download apps from external sources.

Battery and Charging

The Honor Watch 4 is equipped with a 451mAh battery that can last up to 14 days, according to the manufacturer’s claim. However, in practical use with features like GPS and occasional runs, the battery can last a maximum of 6 days, falling short of the advertised duration.

Despite not meeting the ambitious 14-day claim, the Watch 4’s battery performance is reasonable for its features and screen type. With automatic brightness, occasional Bluetooth calls, and other features enabled, the user had to charge the watch three times in 15 days.

On the positive side, the watch’s fast-charging capability allows the 451mAh battery to reach 100% capacity in just one hour when connected to the charging dock. This quick charging feature adds convenience despite the battery life not meeting the initially stated expectations.

Pros and Cons of Honor Watch 4

Pros

-Sleek and comfortable lightweight design

-Responsive and swift touchscreen experience

-High-quality AMOLED display

-Affordable pricing.

Cons

– Limited functionality and user experience with the Honor Health mobile app

– Absence of an always-on display option

– Inability to install third-party apps

– Lack of support for mobile payments.

Price of Honor Watch 4 in Bangladesh

Currently unavailable in Bangladesh, the Honor Watch 4 is priced at £129.99 which is equivalent to BDT 18,184 (GBP 1 = BDT 139.89).

Verdict

The Honor Watch 4 offers a familiar fitness-focused smartwatch experience with added features like call functionality through a Bluetooth-connected phone. The standout features include a sharp screen, responsive software, and enhanced fitness capabilities.

The design upgrade with aluminum alloy materials justifies its price. However, Honor Watch 4 faces tough competition from other brands offering more features at a similar or slightly higher price.

While the design is a significant improvement, the absence of certain advanced features, such as mobile payments and ECG recording, may impact its appeal in a competitive market. Honor needs to consider adding these features in future generations to stay competitive and enhance the overall user experience.