Huawei Band 9 vs Fitbit Inspire 3: activity band showdown

When deciding on something for your wrist, fitness bands are the preferred choice for some. They may not have as many functions as smartwatches. But they do offer a more discreet form-factor. In this article we take a close look at two choices from well known brands: the Huawei Band 9 (released March 2024) and the Fitbit Inspire 3 (released August 2022). Both devices excel at daily activity monitoring and basic health tracking.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Let’s delve into the nitty-gritty details. Is one of these right for you? Let’s find out.

Key takeaways

The Huawei Band 9 and Fitbit Inspire 3 offer capable fitness tracking, but the Huawei Band 9 boasts a larger display and a much lower price, making it an excellent value option. If you prioritize a streamlined user experience and want access to Fitbit’s comprehensive software platform, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is a better choice, despite the higher cost.

View on Huawei; View on Amazon (Inspire 3).

Jump to

Hardware
Technical specs
Features
Price
Bottom line

Huawei Band 9 vs Fitbit Inspire 3: Hardware

Look & feel

Even though they are both fitness bands, the Huawei is the one which more closely resembles a smartwatch. This is due to its larger display width. The exact dimensions come in at 43.45 x 24.86 x 8.99 mm vs the 39.3 x 18.6 x 11.8 mm of the Fitbit. So if you are looking for something more discreet on the wrist, it is clear who is the winner.

The Huawei Band 9 boasts a slightly more premium build quality with its durable polymer materials and glossy gilded bezel, whereas the Fitbit Inspire 3 opts for a more basic plastic housing. There are no different size options available for either device, so the fit on your wrist will mainly depend on the included band choices.

Regarding physical buttons, the Huawei Band 9 packs a single side button, while the Fitbit Inspire 3 offers two buttons (one on each side). This makes navigation slightly more streamlined on the Huawei Band 9, but provides additional functionality on the Fitbit for accessing various features and settings.

Display, colour options, water resistance

Both devices use AMOLED displays and are rated 5 ATM for water-resistance. That’s becoming the standard these days.

However, the Huawei Band 9 boasts a larger 1.47-inch screen with a higher pixel resolution compared to the Fitbit Inspire 3’s 1.4-inch display. This means the Huawei Band 9’s visuals may appear slightly crisper and offer more space for information.

Finally, let’s talk colors. The Huawei Band 9 offers a brighter, more vibrant selection with options like Lemon Yellow, Light Pink, Electric Blue, Sand White and Stellar Black. The Fitbit Inspire 3’s color palette is more subdued, including Midnight Zen, Morning Glow, and Lilac Bliss.

Sensor technology

In terms of sensor technology, the Huawei Band 9 offers a slight advantage with its 9-axis IMU sensor, which includes an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer. This can provide more accurate data for tracking activities like steps, distance, and sleep. The Fitbit Inspire 3 relies on a simpler 3-axis accelerometer, which may be less accurate for complex movements. The duo also includes an optical heart rate sensor and SpO2 monitoring.

When it comes to GPS, both devices lack built-in GPS. This means they rely on your smartphone’s GPS for location tracking during outdoor activities like running or cycling. This can drain your phone’s battery faster and might be inconvenient if you want to exercise without your phone.

For other connectivity features, the Huawei Band 9 and Fitbit Inspire 3 use Bluetooth for connecting to your smartphone. However, neither device offers NFC support for contactless payments. Additionally, neither device offers onboard music storage.

Battery life

As far as battery life, the Huawei Band 9 offers up to 14 days on a single charge. But that’s based on a scenario where continuous heart rate monitoring is off and Always-on Display is disabled. With typical use, which includes continuous heart rate monitoring but not Always-on Display, you can expect around 9 days of battery life. If you turn on Always-on Display, battery life drops to just 3 days.

Fitbit Inspire 3, on the other hand, boasts a battery life of up to 10 days. Which is also pretty decent compared to the competition. In short, both devices offer a decent battery life, but Huawei Band 9 might last a bit longer on a single charge, depending on how you use it. Fitbit Inspire 3 offers a more consistent battery life throughout the usage period.

Huawei Band 9 vs Fitbit Inspire 3: Technical specs

Here’s a table of the tech specs for the Huawei Band 9 and Fitbit Inspire 3. We also include the Charge 6 for comparison purposes. That one is a much more fully featured Fitbit.

Huawei Band 9 vs Fitbit Inspire 3: Features

The Huawei Band 9 and Fitbit Inspire 3 place a strong emphasis on health and fitness monitoring. That’s to be expected from an activity band. They share core features like continuous heart rate tracking, sleep monitoring, and all-day activity tracking including steps and calories burned.

Both devices provide stress metrics, with the Fitbit Inspire 3 additionally offering a mindfulness focus through breathing sessions. Huawei, on the other hand, goes a bit further with its pulse wave arrhythmia analysis. This can alert to potential Afib and premature beat risks.

The fitness bands also offer a range of sports tracking modes to cater to different types of physical activities. Whether users are running, cycling, or participating in various workout routines, they can leverage these dedicated sports modes to accurately track their performance metrics such as distance covered, pace, and duration. Additionally, the devices feature connected GPS functionality, allowing users to map their outdoor workouts and access more precise location data when paired with a compatible smartphone.

The screen comes into play here. It is easier to keep tabs on mid-exercise on your stats on something with a larger display. And Huawei has the clear advantage here.

Where Fitbit pulls ahead is in its comprehensive software ecosystem. Its smartphone app is one of the best ones out there.

Smartwatch-type features

As far as smartwatch features, the devices provide call and text notifications directly to your wrist, along with customizable watch faces. They also offer basic timers, stopwatch functions, and weather updates.

However, neither the Huawei Band 9 nor the Fitbit Inspire 3 include features like third-party app support, voice assistants, or music controls – features often found on more comprehensive smartwatches. Additionally, neither device offers cellular connectivity, making them reliant on your smartphone for most functions.

Huawei Band 9 vs Fitbit Inspire 3: Price

The Huawei Band 9 sets itself apart with a noticeably more affordable price point at around $60. This makes it a very attractive option for budget-conscious individuals who still want a capable fitness tracker. The Fitbit Inspire 3 sits a tier higher at approximately $100. While it does offer some additional features compared to the Huawei Band 9, the price difference may make it a harder sell for those solely focused on basic fitness tracking and value.

Huawei Band 9 vs Fitbit Inspire 3: Final thoughts

The Huawei Band 9 and Fitbit Inspire 3 are both solid fitness trackers with a strong focus on core health and activity monitoring. The f a larger display, slightly longer potential battery life, and considerably lower price which make it an attractive value proposition. However, Inspire 3 still edges ahead in certain aspects like its more intuitive user experience and the robust Fitbit software ecosystem.

If you’re looking for a simple and affordable fitness tracker with the basics covered, the Huawei Band 9 is worth serious consideration. However, if you’re interested in Fitbit’s comprehensive tracking platform and a slightly more polished user experience, the Inspire 3 might be the better fit.

Buy If…

• Huawei Band 9: You want a budget-friendly fitness tracker with a large display, decent battery life, and reliable health tracking.
• Fitbit Inspire 3: You’re invested in the Fitbit platform and want a tracker with a proven and reliable app-based experience.

View on Huawei; View on Amazon (Inspire 3).

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Fitbit Charge 6 vs Inspire 3 vs Luxe
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Huawei Band 9 vs Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 8 Pro

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