I bought a HUAWEI WATCH FIT 5

Are you interested in smartwatches?

I became interested in smartwatches after hearing from an acquaintance who uses an Apple Watch that they primarily use it for health management.

Since I've turned 64, I figured it was about time to start thinking about such things. So, I did some research online.

My goal was clear. I only wanted to manage my sleep, as well as my daily step count and exercise. I thought those two things were enough.

Therefore, I didn't place much importance on detailed integration with my smartphone. If I prioritized integration, since I use an iPhone, the Apple Watch would be the only choice, but I hadn't considered that, and I had heard that the Apple Watch battery doesn't last very long, which I didn't like. So, I started looking for something else.

There are several well-regarded options for health management, and since I didn't intend to spend that much money, I set my sights on models in the high 20,000 yen range.

But you can't really know what these things are like without touching them. So, I went to Yodobashi Camera.

A staff member happened to ask, 'Are you looking for something?', so I told them about my various requirements. My first choice was Garmin, so I was trying out various models from that brand.

At that time, I also mentioned that I suspected I might have sleep apnea and asked, 'Does it have that feature?' They told me that this type of Garmin didn't have it. They suggested, 'If you're looking in a similar price range, Huawei is a good choice,' and took me to the Huawei section.

I knew Huawei made smartwatches, but honestly, it was unexpected.

However, regarding my image of Huawei, I think they are a company with very solid technology. I even suspect that the reason the U.S. tried to shut Huawei out was because they were worried about what would happen if products with that level of performance entered the U.S. market.

So, I thought Huawei wouldn't be a bad choice. When I looked at the models, it had the feature relevant to sleep apnea (sleep breathing disturbance detection), and it was also a newer release than the corresponding Garmin model. Thinking this would be quite convenient, I bought it on the spot and brought it home. That was the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 5. I bought it on July 17th.

The setup was a bit of a hassle, but I decided to give it a try for the time being.

Some time has passed since then, so I'd like to share my impressions.

First, sleep management. This is actually quite impressive. As shown in the photo, it analyzes things in great detail, even measuring how many times I woke up during the night. Thanks to this, I've started thinking about my sleep on a daily basis.

I started collecting data from the Friday night I bought it, and the first two nights were in the 80% range, which wasn't a bad number. However, since I wasn't getting enough REM sleep, I tried sleeping for over 8 hours last night, and my REM sleep reached the specified range. I plan to continue experimenting and watching these values.

Next is exercise management. I thought I was walking about 10,000 steps a day, and it turns out I actually am. It sets goals automatically and praises me when I walk during the day.

Also, I didn't expect much from its function as a watch, but this was an unexpected bonus.

Until now, I would take out my smartphone every time I wanted to check the time, and I didn't even feel it was inconvenient. But being able to see the time right on my wrist is nice. Well, obviously!! (laughs)

What I thought was even better is the alarm function.

Of course, my smartphone has an alarm, and I sometimes use it when I'm on the train. But if I put it in my bag, it doesn't always work well, so I had to keep it in my hand.

In that regard, the smartwatch reliably notifies me with a vibration at the set time. I find this to be very convenient.

As for battery life, it's said to last about 10 days, and that seems to be the case. I think you can use it without worrying about the battery at all. I tried charging it over the weekend because I was curious, and it went from 40% to 100% in no time. I heard Garmin is about the same.

Also, since it looks like an Apple Watch, people will think I bought an Apple Watch unless I explain it (laughs).

For now, these are my impressions so far.
I'm glad I bought it.