Honor Band 5 review: Affordable wearable with vibrant display, new features

Flexibility in changing watch faces, great water resistance and accuracy make this a must-have gadget if you are just about starting a fitness programme

Growing competition in the fitness wearable segment has led companies to offer entry-level choices for fitness enthusiasts tight on budget or just starting out. Huawei's Honor Band 5 one such that improves upon its predecessor Honor Band 4's features in more ways than one.

Aesthetics 

The lightweight band has a strap that's comfortable to wear but difficult to detach. The band has a rectangular dial case with a bright and vibrant screen. In fact, the screen just might be the band's selling point. It's a 0.95-inch AMOLED multi-colour screen with a 240x120 resolution. Simply put, it offers more vibrant colours and clarity than the competition in this price range. Such high-quality colour display also allows one to read the stats even in bright daylight, a problem point for some bands.

Another unique feature of the band is the option to change watch faces on the device itself -- a feature typical to more expensive gadgets. The band is waterproof up to a depth of 50 metres, so swimming or bathing with the band strapped on shouldn't be a problem.

To turn on the display, just raise your wrist or press the HOME key on the dial case. Battery can last up to eight days on a single charge but ultimately depends on how vigorously you use it.

Features and performance 

You can use the band to track time, steps, heart rate (to be initiated manually) and sleep, and once you connect it to your smartphone, you even get phone notifications. Other usual modes like running, cycling and swim tracking are also available. 

The touch feature allows you to change basic settings on the band itself, a major plus given that many bands need an app to do the job. To track and change the rest of the features and get more analysis on sleep and workouts, you need to download Huawei Health App and Huawei Mobile Services. The readings were quite accurate even though the band doesn't have a separate GPS module, so, you need to carry your phone with you.

Verdict 

At Rs 2,599, Honor Band 5 is an affordable fitness device that offers vibrant colour display and some new features. If you already own a fitness band, you might not be particularly inclined to switch to this one, but it's more than a good choice for those starting out on their fitness tracking journey.