Xiaomi or Huawei: which smartwatch is better to choose – a comparison of 10 key parameters

The choice between Xiaomi and Huawei smartwatches in 2026 has become more difficult than ever: both brands offer devices with advanced health sensors, stylish design and long battery life. But which watches are really worth your money - the budget Mi Band with a minimalist screen or the premium Huawei Watch with a harmonious interface and an expanded ecosystem?

In this article, we'll not just compare specifications, but we'll look at real-world use cases, from gym training to sleep monitoring and integration with other gadgets, which models support blood pressure measurement without additional accessories (spoiler: this is not Xiaomi), which watches last longer when using GPS, and why choosing an operating system can be a decisive factor, and also an honest analysis of pitfalls that manufacturers prefer not to mention.

1. Design and Materials: Plastic vs Premium

The first thing that catches your eye when choosing a smartwatch is its appearance, where Huawei traditionally relies on premium, while Xiaomi offers more democratic solutions with a focus on functionality.

The Huawei Watch GT 4 or Huawei Watch Ultimate is made of stainless steel and sapphire glass, which gives them solidity and protection from scratches. The body is usually thinner than the competition, and the straps are made of high-quality fluoro rubber or leather. The line even has models with a rotating crown (for example, the Huawei Watch 3 Pro), which makes navigation easier. But Xiaomi uses plastic or aluminum in most cases: for example, the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro has a metal body, but the back cover remains plastic. This reduces weight (which is important for sports), but is less perceived.

• 💎 Huawei: stainless steel, sapphire glass, ceramic variants (in Watch Ultimate), rotating crown in flagships.
• 🏃 Xiaomi: lightweight plastic/aluminum, silicone straps (comfortable for running), but fewer premium finishes.
• 🎨 Color solutions: Huawei offers classic shades (black, silver, gold), and Xiaomi is experimenting with bright colors (green, orange in the Mi Band 8).

If you care about business-style compatibility, Huawei will definitely benefit. For sports and casual wear, Xiaomi’s plastic models may be more comfortable — they rub their wrists less and aren’t afraid of falling.

2.Screens: AMOLED vs. Always on display

Screen quality directly affects usability.This is where both brands offer AMOLED-Matrices, but with key differences:

Huawei pays special attention to brightness and clarity. For example, the Watch GT 4 has a screen with a resolution of 466×466 pixels and a brightness of up to 1000 nits, which makes it well readable even in direct sunlight. Many models support Always-On Display (AOD) - permanent display of time without backlighting. Xiaomi AOD is less common: for example, in the Xiaomi Watch S3 it is available, but in the budget Mi Band or Redmi Watch - not.

The key takeaway: if you want a bright screen with AOD, look at Huawei. If you want a big dial and a low price, Xiaomi will offer more options.

3. Health Functions: Who Measurs More More?

One of the main arguments in favor of smartwatches is health monitoring, where Huawei has traditionally outperformed competitors with its own algorithms and certified sensors.

For example, the Huawei Watch GT 4 and Watch Ultimate can measure blood pressure (after calibration with a blood pressure monitor) and ECG (in some regions), which are not even in Xiaomi’s flagship watch, but the latter have better sleep analytics: the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro uses the Sleep Breathing Quality Monitoring algorithm that tracks apnea. Huawei also analyzes sleep, but with less detail.

• ❤️ Heart rate: Both brands use optical sensors, but Huawei is more likely to update firmware to improve accuracy.
• 🩺 SpO₂ (oxygen saturation: both have it, but Huawei can take measurements manually and automatically, and Xiaomi sometimes requires in-app startup.
• 🏃 Stress Tracking: Huawei offers breath for relaxation right on the watch, Xiaomi has this feature only in the Mi Fitness app.

⚠️ Attention: Huawei's blood pressure measurement requires precalibration with a medical blood pressure monitor. Without it, the data will be approximate. Xiaomi doesn't have this feature at all - if it's critical, the choice is obvious.

Recovery tracking is important for athletes, with Huawei leading the way with TruSport, which assesses load and recommends rest time, and Xiaomi analyzing recovery, too, but without such detailed recommendations.

Sport and GPS: Who is better for running and cycling?

If you buy a watch primarily for exercise, pay attention to GPS accuracy and the number of sports you support. Here, both brands are strong, but with nuance.

Huawei uses five-system GPS (GPS support, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS) in flagship models, which provides fast satellite search and high track accuracy. For example, the Watch GT 4 captures distance with an error of no more than 1-2% (according to the tests of DC Rainmaker). Xiaomi in top models (for example, the Watch 2 Pro) also has a five-system GPS, but in budget models (for example, Redmi Watch 3) there can only be GPS + GLONASS, which affects accuracy in the city.

Xiaomi often outperforms in terms of sports modes: the Xiaomi Watch S3 supports 150+ sports, including niche sports (for example, climbing or rowing); the Huawei Watch GT 4 has about 100 of them, but it has unique features like running technique analysis (step length, contact time with the ground) and golf mode with field maps.

GPS + GLONASS support (minimum)

Autonomy with GPS enabled (at least 10 hours)

Presence of a regimen for your sport

Waterproof (minimum 5 ATM for swimming)

Compatibility with external sensors (e.g. chest pulsemeters)

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For triathletes or marathon runners, Huawei is better suited with more stable GPS and running analytics, and Xiaomi will suffice for fitness and crossfit, especially since they are cheaper.

5. Battery and autonomy: myths and reality

Manufacturers like to brag about the life of their watches, but the actual autonomy is often different from what they claim. Let's see how long the watch lasts in typical scenarios.

In smartwatch mode (notifications, heart monitoring, steps), most models work:

• 🔋 Xiaomi Mi Band 8: before 16 days (realistically — 10-12 days).
• 🔋 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro: before 7 days (realistically — 4-5 days with active use).
• 🔋 Huawei Band 8: before 14 days (realistically — 9-10 days).
• 🔋 Huawei Watch GT 4: before 14 days (realistically — 7-10 days).

But if you turn on GPS, autonomy drops dramatically:

• 📍 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro: Up to 20 hours of continuous tracking.
• 📍 Huawei Watch GT 4: Up to 30 hours (thanks to the optimized Kirin chip) A1).

Why the difference? Huawei uses its own processors (like the Kirin W2 in Watch Ultimate), which consume less power than Qualcomm or Dialog solutions in Xiaomi watches. Huawei also has better adaptive brightness and power saving modes.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi watches with low battery charge (10%) shuts down GPS And some sensors. GPS works to full discharge, but with a reduced frequency of track updates.

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If you want maximum autonomy, turn off Always-On Display and reduce the pulse rate (for example, to a low-speed range). 1 time-in 10 It's gonna keep the hours running by 30-50%.

Ecosystem and compatibility: Which is more important, MIUI or HarmonyOS?

Smartwatches are not just hardware, but also a software ecosystem, where Huawei has a major advantage thanks to HarmonyOS and deep integration with other devices of the brand.

If you have a Huawei smartphone (like the Mate 60 or P60), the watch will sync to it instantly: for example, you can answer calls directly from the watch (if the model supports eSIM) or use it as a remote for presentations. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, such features are only available in top models (like the Watch S3), and even then with restrictions.

Xiaomi, on the other hand, is better friends with Android smartphones from other brands. Mi Fitness app works on any phone, while Huawei Health sometimes bugs on devices without Huawei Mobile Services (for example, on Samsung or Google Pixel).

• 📱 Huawei: better integration with Huawei phones, support for eSIM in flagships, own HarmonyOS OS.
• 🌐 Xiaomi: universal software Mi Fitness, working on any Android/iOS, But less "chips" for owners of smartphones Xiaomi.
• 🔄 Updates: Huawei supports hours longer (up to) 3-4 Xiaomi often throws models through the years 1-2 year-end.

If you already have Huawei gadgets, the choice is obvious; if you use a smartphone from another brand, Xiaomi may be more convenient.

7.Price and price/quality ratio

One key factor remains budget, with Xiaomi traditionally offering more affordable devices, while Huawei is positioning itself as a premium brand.

Here are the current prices for popular models (at the beginning of 2026):

If your budget is limited to 5,000 ₽, Best pick: Xiaomi Mi Band 8 or Huawei Band 8, in the 15,000-25,000 segment ₽ Huawei Watch GT 4 offers more premium chips, but Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro is cheaper and more versatile.

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If you want a watch for sports and notifications, and you have a limited budget, you can take Xiaomi. If you're willing to pay for design, sensor accuracy, and ecosystem, Huawei will pay for the investment.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions