TechRadar review finds Huawei Watch D3 sharpens blood pressure tracking but keeps comfort and price complaints
TechRadar's review of the Huawei Watch D3 says the smartwatch improves on the D2 with a thinner body and brighter display while keeping blood pressure monitoring, but bulky strap, protruding sensor and lack of GPS remain drawbacks.
The reviewer, who awarded the D2 4.5 stars, described the D3 as a medical-first device rather than a fitness tracker, pointing to the CE-MDR certification displayed on the product page. To provide ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the watch carries a mechanical airbag and pressure sensor attached to the inside of the strap. Huawei narrowed the airbag compared with the D2, but the reviewer said it still lacks the comfort of smartwatches without that hardware, and listed the bulky strap and the protruding rear sensor plate among the drawbacks.
A measurement takes less than a minute and requires the wearer to hold the watch at heart height and remain still. The reviewer did not compare the D3 against a dedicated blood pressure cuff, but checked that readings fell within the expected range. Because single readings cannot establish a trend, the reviewer used the auto-reminder to capture regular measurements over several days, which showed how blood pressure changed through the day and what the average was. A report can be generated in the Huawei Health app to share with a doctor.
Beyond blood pressure, the D3 offers pulse wave arrhythmia analysis, beat-by-beat ECG and arterial stiffness detection. The reviewer reported repeated poor-signal problems with ECG measurements, while arrhythmia analysis worked without issue. In a simultaneous comparison with a dedicated heart rate monitor, both devices reported identical rates, although the D3 was slightly slower to adjust to changes. The rotating crown button makes each health metric easy to find, and the interface guides users through the steps required for each one.
Huawei cut 2mm from the watch thickness, bringing it to 11.3mm, a measurement the reviewer noted excludes the sensor that protrudes from the bottom. The 1.92-inch AMOLED display offers 3000 nits of peak brightness and stays legible indoors and outdoors, but a black strip between the screen and the surrounding case leaves considerable dead space, and the reviewer said an edge-to-edge panel would look far better.
The watch also carries more than 100 workout modes and smart features including notifications, Bluetooth calling, NFC payments and voice note recording, which the review said make it a useful everyday companion. It has no GPS, listed among the cons alongside the strap, the sensor plate and the display.
The reviewer concluded that the D3 is not yet one of the best smartwatches available, but that as a medical-first device it approaches and blends lifestyle and medical functions well. On cost, the review said the D2's price had already drawn criticism and that Huawei has done nothing to make the D3 more affordable.