Quirky Honor Watch ES puts a fitness coach on your wrist

By Getst.net 2020/11/19

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Sounds great when we live in a time when gyms are closed, or you have no wish to visit one, right? Don't get carried away, Honor's Workout Course feature is really for people who've never visited a gym at all.

I've worn the quirky Honor Watch ES for a week. Here's what it's like.

Design

Before getting into the workouts, what about the look? There's no getting away from the quirky rectangular case and screen, which make it look like an elongated Apple Watch. However, when you put the Watch ES on, the shape makes much more sense. The taller-not-wider case sits further back on your wrist, so it never interferes with movement, and coupled with the very low weight and thin 10.7mm profile, the Watch ES quickly becomes unnoticeable.

There's a single button on the side that performs several functions, including activating the menu, returning to the watch face, and prompting options during workouts. The AMOLED screen itself measures 1.64-inches and has a high-enough resolution that detail and text are sharp. I found the touch responsiveness to be fast and accurate, and in some instances, the long case made interaction feel easier.

Workout plans

The Workout Courses are the Watch ES's party piece. There are 12 options ranging from ab toning and leg workouts to a full body stretch routine. What makes them special is the visual instructions presented on the screen that allow you to follow along on your wrist rather than guess or watch a YouTube video. It's certainly aimed at beginners, and I can't see experienced gym-goers or workout fiends finding anything new in the instructional courses.

It definitely gets your heart rate up, and because the exercises are basic, the little animations are sufficient to quickly understand positioning. However, there's nothing here that will be unfamiliar to anyone who has exercised in the past, and therefore I feel there's limited reason to return to the plans after trying them out once or twice. It's definitely well-produced, from the clear animations to the haptics that tell you when the exercise is ending, as you often can't see the watch face mid-movement.

I like the Watch ES's ease of use a few taps and you're tracking a workout and the data presented is plentiful on the watch's screen and in the Huawei Health apo. The Workout Courses are well-presented, but I'm not sure who will really get much use from them.

Software and battery

It's Honor and Huawei's own software on the Watch ES, and it's generally very good. Buttons are large and obvious, responsiveness is good, and you can manage music playback from your phone, see weather reports, and swipe through multiple information cards from the home screen. There are various watch faces to choose from, and a few always-on options too.

Honor says the battery will last for 10 days before it needs a recharge, assuming the always-on screen isn't active. But I find this  to be an essential feature. With the always-on screen active, a few workouts tracked, the heart rate sensor active, and stress levels being tracked automatically, the battery has lasted for about seven days. Expect this to diminish more if you use the GPS.

It currently costs 89 British pounds, or about $118 U.S.

Conclusion

I like the Honor Watch ES. I didnt think I would at first, but it has turned out to be a comfortable, mostly reliable wearable that's reasonably priced and works very well for fitness, activity, and sleep tracking. However, this description applies to many other wearables, and the Watch ES struggles with reasons to buy it outside of the quirky shape. The Workout Courses are fine for a total beginner, but probably won't hold anyone's interest for long. Find it for a low price, and you'll be happy, though.

Resource: digitaltrends.com

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