A relatively new smartwatch, the Honor MagicWatch 2 boasts an impressive design and vibrant display that will win your heart in the first glance.
Honor MagicWatch 2
The Good
- Excellent battery life
- Looks stylish
- Attractive display
- 15 goal-based fitness modes
- Large screen size of 46mm
The Bad
- Unimpressive watch face collection
- No support for third-party apps
It has a stark similarity with the Huawei Watch GT 2 in look and feel but also brings some notable features like 14-days battery life, ability to receive and make calls, music playback control, and much more.
The best part of it is the Honor Magic Watch 2 has the perfect combination of premium look, decent performance and an affordable price.
But is the smartwatch all about big claims or has the capability to become one of the best watches in this price bracket?
Let’s find out in this comprehensive Honor Magic Watch 2 review.
Honor MagicWatch 2 Review India
The Honor MagicWatch 2 is yet another fitness-focused smartwatch that was launched last year.
It flaunts a sporty look – much alike the Huawei Watch GT2; powered by Huawei’s latest Kirin A1 chip and runs on Huawei Lite OS.
However, the sweetener here is: the Honor MagicWatch 2 is priced reasonably.
The larger 46mm-screen model has a starting price of around Rs.13000 for the Charcoal Black finish. And if you choose its premium genuine leather strap variant – Flax Brown, it will cost you around Rs.15000.
The smaller model – 42 mm – is priced at around Rs.12000 for the Agate Black finish. The Sakura Gold finish with a metal strap has a starting price of around Rs.15K.
The smartwatch does not offer anything exceptional in terms of features or functionality. But its good looks, 14-day battery backup and competitive price tag can compensate for the niggles.
Design
On the first look, the Honor MagicWatch 2 looks very sporty and attractive. 316L stainless steel adds a refined and aesthetic appeal that will instantly win your heart.
The 46mm model comes in two variants – Charcoal Black with a rubber-like Fluoroelastomer strap, and Flax Brown finish with a premium leather strap.
If 46mm screen seems bigger on your wrist, you can pick the 42mm model that is available in two finishes – Agate Black and Sakura Gold.
There is an outer circular bezel that has time notations clearly marked on it. This adds a professional touch to the smartwatch.
The two buttons on the top and at the bottom are quite functional and robust. However, they could be little smaller because their position and size often cause accidental presses.
It has a 5ATM water-resistance rating. That means you can even track your swim.
Display of Honor MagicWatch 2
The Honor MagicWatch 2 features a 1.39-inch HD AMOLED display with 454 x 454 pixels resolution that delivers vibrant colours and crisp picture quality.
The AMOLED display on a 46mm bigger screen is the star of the show. Swiping motions are smooth and maneuvering through the touch screen is also easier.
Another nice feature (thought not new) is the display always stays lit, i.e. Always-on-Display mode. So you can instantly check the time without the screen having to light up every time.
But the disadvantage is, it can eat up most of your battery power.
The Honor MagicWatch 2 also provides good content visibility even in broad sunlight.
Honor MagicWatch 2 Software
The Honor MagicWatch2 is powered by Lite OS which is Huawei’s own-built smartwatch operating system. It is good for basic use but does not have the versatility as you get with Samsung Tizen or Wear OS.
A limitation here is that you cannot download your favorite third-party apps on the watch. Lite OS does not support any app other than what Huawei offers.
You can receive notifications and only see the message sent from third-party applications like Gmail or WhatsApp. It does not let you reply to a message via text or audio, listen to voice messages or view media files.
It does not have impressive watch faces but provides the option to personalize the look with your photos. You can store multiple photos in the watch which continue to change every time you raise the wrist.
The User Interface is also quite elaborate and provides smooth interaction. However, you can access notifications but cannot interact with them.
Performance
The Honor MagicWatch 2 runs on Huawei’s latest chipset for wearable devices – the Kirin A1. It powers all interactions on this watch and delivers a smooth experience without any stutters or lags.
It seems Honor has focused more on positioning the watch as a personal sports trainer. The tracking system for your workout, sleep or heart rate is extremely impressive.
Without going out-of-the-box, the smartwatch also provides basic functionalities like accessing your contacts and call logs, making or receiving calls, etc.
It supports wireless music playback through Honor Sport PRO earphones so that you can enjoy your favorite tunes on the go.
Thanks to its BLE 5.1 Bluetooth standard, you can also use the watch to control the tunes playing on your Smartphone from a distance of maximum 150 meters.
But that’s it.
There is very little you can do beyond these on the Honor MagicWatch 2. But what better can we expect at this price, right?
Health and Fitness Tracking
There is a plethora of health monitoring and fitness tracking features that the watch comes with. It has 15 goal-based fitness models with voiceover guidance and real-time actionable insights.
The SpO2 monitor allows measuring your oxygen saturation level during workouts or at high altitudes. It can accurately record your route and speed when walking, running, cycling, climbing or hiking.
It also comes with other health features like sleep monitoring, heart rate tracker, stress management and VO2Max.
Battery Backup
Perhaps this is the best thing about the Honor MagicWatch 2. Its 455mAH battery offers a backup of up to 14 days in a single charge.
Furthermore, the Huawei Kirin A1 chipset processes data faster and thus, consumes less power. So you can still enjoy always-on-display, track your heart rate or sleep, enjoy music and get notifications without worrying about charging the watch.
Talking about battery charging, it takes approximately 1 hour to fully charge the watch.
The Final Verdict: Should You Buy it or Not?
At a pocket-friendly price, the Honor MagicWatch 2 is a well-rounded, smart-looking watch that can be your great companion. It ensures decent performance and has some great fitness features that you will love.
However, there is still a long way to go.
But if you want an entry-level smartwatch, the Honor MagicWatch 2 has just enough features and functionality with excellent battery life, premium look and an affordable price.