Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro

Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro: read our head-to-head verdict

December 28, 2023 Marko Maslakovic Device matchup, Smartwatch 11 min read

When Huawei introduced the Watch Ultimate in March 2023 and the Watch 4 Pro in May 2023, it set the stage for a compelling comparison between two of its most sophisticated smartwatches. Each of these high-specs models brings certain advantages to the table. But what are they?

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

This side-by-side comparison aims to dissect the nuances of these two devices, offering insights into their functionalities, design, and overall value proposition. Let’s begin.

Key takeaways

The Huawei Watch Ultimate and Huawei Watch 4 Pro cater to different segments of the smartwatch market. The Ultimate focuses on outdoor durability and specialized features, and the 4 Pro on everyday fitness and health tracking, plus it has the addition of eSIM. So it all really depends on whether you need a timepiece rugged outdoor use and underwater activities, or daily health monitoring. Price plays a significant role in this decision. The Ultimate positioned as a premium offering and the 4 Pro as a more accessible yet feature-rich alternative.

View on Huawei; View on Amazon (Watch Ultimate).

Jump to

Hardware
Technical specs
Features
Bottom line

Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro: Hardware

Design & display

Both of these watches embrace a circular design, a nod to the classic watch aesthetic. The Huawei Watch Ultimate, however, takes a step further in luxury with its sapphire crystal front, ceramic bezel, and zirconium front case, complemented by a ceramic back. This combination not only exudes a premium feel but also ensures durability and resistance to wear and tear.

In contrast, the Huawei Watch 4 Pro opts for a spherical sapphire screen and an aerospace-grade titanium alloy front case. This is paired with a ceramic back. This choice of materials speaks to a blend of high-tech resilience and sophisticated style.

The Watch Ultimate features three buttons. This includes an assist button, a rotating crown, and a function button, offering tactile feedback and ease of navigation. The Watch 4 Pro, on the other hand, simplifies this. It comes with just a Home Button (Rotating Crown) and a Side Button, focusing on streamlined functionality.

Huawei Watch 4 Pro — Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro

Display, colour options, water-resistance

Both models boast a 1.5-inch the exact same LTPO AMOLED display. So no difference there. The screen delivers vivid colors and sharp resolution (466 x 466 pixels). This choice ensures that both watches offer a bright, clear viewing experience, adaptable to various lighting conditions.

The Watch Ultimate can be picked up in Expedition Black and Voyage Blue, offering choices that range from classic to more adventurous. Watch 4 Pro, meanwhile, provides a broader palette with Blue Earth, Mars Titanium, and Jupiter Brown options.

The Watch Ultimate stands out with its 10 ATM water resistance. This makes it suitable for more intense water activities, including diving up to 110 meters. This feature is complemented by its dive-ready capabilities, such as depth and decompression data. The Watch 4 Pro offers a respectable 5 ATM water resistance. Is is also suitable for swimming and shallow water activities, but not designed for deeper diving.

Sensor technology

Diving into the relm of sensor technology, both the Huawei Watch Ultimate and the Huawei Watch 4 Pro are equipped with a comprehensive suite of sensors. The Huawei Watch Ultimate packs advanced health tracking capabilities, offering ECG and arterial stiffness readings, which are crucial for users interested in detailed cardiovascular monitoring. Additionally, it features an accelerometer, gyro, heart rate sensor, barometer, compass, SpO2, thermometer, and more. This makes it a versatile tool for tracking your activity and sleep.

The Watch 4 Pro, is equipped with pretty much the same range of sensors. But it offers a slightly different focus, with an emphasis on fitness and workout modes.

In terms of GPS connectivity, any of these devices should suffice. The tech that is on-board ensures precise location tracking, which is essential for outdoor activities like hiking and trekking.

Both watches support NFC, enabling contactless payments and easy pairing with other devices, enhancing the user experience in terms of convenience and functionality. Music storage is another feature common to both.

Battery life

The Huawei Watch Ultimate is equipped with a robust 530mAh battery, offering up to 14 days of typical usage and around 7 days under heavy use. This endurance is particularly impressive, considering the array of features the watch packs. No doubt, this is partly a result of the watch’s lightweight operating system.

On the other hand, the Huawei Watch 4 Pro, while also impressive in its right, offers a slightly different battery performance. In its full power mode, it can last up to 4.5 days on regular use, extending to 12 days in its long battery life mode, and reaching a maximum of 21 days under certain conditions.

Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro: Technical specs

Here’s a detailed tech specs comparison table for the Huawei Watch Ultimate and Huawei Watch 4 Pro. We’ve also included the regular variant of Watch 4 so that you can see how it compares.

Specification	Huawei Watch Ultimate	Huawei Watch 4	Huawei Watch 4 Pro
Release Date	Mar-23	May-23	May-23
Case Material	Sapphire crystal front, ceramic bezel, zirconium front case, ceramic back	3D glass screen, stainless steel front case, composite fiber back case	Spherical sapphire screen, aerospace-grade titanium alloy front case, ceramic back case
Physical Buttons	Three buttons: assist button, rotating crown, function button	Home Button (Rotating Crown) and Side Button	Home Button (Rotating Crown) and Side Button
Shape	Round	Circular	Circular
Size	48.5 x 48.5 x 13mm	46.2 × 46.2 × 10.9 mm	48.8 mm × 47.6 mm × 12.9 mm
Display Type	LTPO AMOLED	LTPO AMOLED	LTPO AMOLED
Resolution	466 x 466 pixels	466 x 466 pixels	466 x 466 pixels
Screen Size	1.5 inches	1.5 inches	1.5 inches
Weight (without strap)	76 grams	48 grams	65 grams
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, heart rate, barometer, compass, SpO2, thermometer, ECG, Arterial stiffness	Accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, optical heart rate sensor, ambient light sensor, barometer, temperature sensor, ECG sensor, depth sensor	Accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, optical heart rate sensor, ambient light sensor, barometer, temperature sensor, ECG sensor, depth sensor
Water-Resistance	10 ATM (Swimproof/diving)	5 ATM, Dive (up to 30 meters)	5 ATM, Dive (up to 30 meters)
Positioning	DUAL Band Five-system GNSS	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
Built-in Speaker	Yes	Yes	Yes
Microphone	Yes	Yes	Yes
NFC	Yes (market/region dependent)	Yes	Yes
Music Storage	Yes	Yes	Yes
Connection	Bluetooth 5.2	2.4 GHz, supports BT5.2 and BR + BLE	2.4 GHz, supports BT5.2 and BR + BLE
Cellular Connectivity	No	Yes	Yes
Battery Type	530 mAh Li-po	Li-po	Li-po
Battery Life	14 days typical use, 7 days heavy use	Full power mode: Regular use 3 days, Long battery life mode: Regular use 8 days, Maximum use 14 days	Full power mode: Regular use 4.5 days, Long battery life mode: Regular use 12 days, Maximum use 21 days
Operating System	HarmonyOS 3	HarmonyOS 4	HarmonyOS 4
Colors	Expedition Black, Voyage Blue	Venus White: white leather strap, Saturn Brown: brown leather strap, Phantom Black: black fluororubber strap	Blue Earth: blue composite strap, Mars Titanium: titanium metal strap, Jupiter Brown: dark brown leather strap
Typical RRP	$800	$450	$550

Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro: Features

The Huawei Watch Ultimate and Huawei Watch 4 Pro are both designed to cater to a tech-savvy audience, yet they target slightly different user segments with their distinct functionalities.

The Huawei Watch Ultimate is positioned as a more rugged and outdoor-oriented device. It’s particularly suited for those who require a robust watch capable of withstanding extreme conditions. Its enhanced water resistance and dive-ready features make it ideal for divers and underwater explorers. The Watch 4 Pro, while also robust, leans more towards a general fitness and health-focused audience. It’s a versatile choice for those who seek a balance between everyday wearability and advanced health tracking.

Both watches offer a range of fitness and health tracking features, but with some key differences. The Watch Ultimate’s standout features include ECG and arterial stiffness readings, offering in-depth cardiovascular monitoring. Its advanced GPS system and over 140 sports profiles cater to a wide range of outdoor activities. The Watch 4 Pro, while also equipped with ECG and a comprehensive set of sensors, emphasizes its fitness capabilities with over 100 workout modes and features like TrueSport technology and AI running coach, making it more aligned with fitness enthusiasts.

Smartwatch features

Of these two offerings Watch 4 Pro is the only one with eSIM functionality. But both models offer features like NFC for contactless payments and music storage. You don’t get the full smartwatch experience as you would on an Apple Watch or wearOS watch but you do get the essentials.

The operating systems of the Huawei Watch Ultimate and Huawei Watch 4 Pro are different. As of now, the Huawei Watch Ultimate runs on HarmonyOS 3, a robust and intuitive platform that ensures seamless interaction and a wide range of features tailored to the watch’s advanced capabilities. However, it’s set for an upgrade to HarmonyOS 4 in early 2024. On the other hand, the Huawei Watch 4 Pro is already equipped with HarmonyOS 4, offering a more refined interface and a richer set of features from the get-go.

Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro: Price

In terms of pricing, there is a noticeable difference between the two models. At around $800, the Huawei Watch Ultimate is priced much higher, reflecting its premium materials and specialized features for outdoor and diving activities. It’s positioned as a luxury offering in Huawei’s lineup. Think of it as a competitor to the likes of the Garmin Fenix 7 or Epix 2.

The Watch 4 Pro, while also premium, is priced more affordably, making it accessible to a broader audience looking for a high-quality smartwatch with advanced health and fitness features. It retails for around $550.

Huawei Watch Ultimate vs Watch 4 Pro: Final thoughts

The Huawei Watch Ultimate emerges as the premium offering with a higher price point. This is rugged device designed for the outdoor adventurer. Its robust build, enhanced water resistance, and specialized features like ECG and arterial stiffness readings, position it as a top-tier choice for those who demand durability and advanced health tracking in extreme conditions. It’s a good choice for those who frequently engage in outdoor adventures or underwater activities.

On the other hand, the Huawei Watch 4 Pro caters to a broader audience. It strikes a balance between everyday wearability and fitness functionality, making it an ideal companion for health-conscious users. Plus it has the addition of eSIM calling. But a vast difference in fashion style as compared to Watch Ultimate.