Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 review: lightweight design meets revamped GPS and long battery life to challenge Garmin

As the name suggests, the Watch GT Runner 2 isn’t the first time Huawei had a crack at the concept of performance wearables. 2022’s Watch GT Runner was a good running watch that showed that the Chinese manufacturer can create more nuanced watches, but it faded to obscurity not long after its release.

Four years later, the brand is back at it again, and it seems it learned from the mistakes of the past. The Watch GT Runner 2 is a brilliant smartwatch aimed at runners, with a compact case, a bright display, a reworked GPS layout, and a raft of running-friendly features. It’s easily one of the most exciting running wearables I tried in a while.

I’ll be totally honest: I haven’t actually used the watch for running yet, due to a debilitating sciatica injury, which is why you won’t see a score at the top. I have been wearing the Watch GT Runner 2 continuously for a week, though, and tracked everything else, from walks and sleep to stress and even emotional well-being.

In this review, I’ll walk you through all the tech updates and mention when and how I tested the features. Regarding GPS accuracy, I'll rely on my tracked walks; once I log some runs, I’ll update the review accordingly. The same goes for marathon planning and other running features.

Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 review

Price and availability

The Watch GT Runner 2 is available to buy from Huawei from 26 February 2026 atthe recommended price of £349.99 (~$471 / ~€400 / AU$670). Until 19 April, the smartwatch will be available for £319.99 (~$431 / €366 / AU$613), with a £30 coupon and an additional watch strap of your choice free. The price includes various subscriptions and trials (worth £109), including Huawei Health+, Komoot, Intervals.icu, Kotcha and Race Pace.

The price positions the Watch GT Runner 2 above Coros’ wearables and even Huawei’s own Watch GT 6, but under certain Garmin watches, particularly the Forerunner 570, the closest competitor of the Watch GT Runner 2. It’s on par with the Apple Watch Series 11, which, admittedly, isn’t a dedicated running watch but was the most popular wearable on Strava in 2025.

Design and build quality

The Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 looks similar to Coros’ wearables, particularly the Pace 4 and the Pace Pro. However, the Huawei watch feels a lot more premium than the Coros models, thanks to its ‘aerospace-grade’ titanium alloy case, which helps keep the weight to a minimum (34.5g, body only).

Even with the AirDry woven strap, which is said to be 25% more breathable than the brand’s previous generation of woven watch straps, thanks to its hollow-out structure, the Watch GT Runner 2 is only 43.5g, making it one of the lightest running watches on the market. It’s only really the aforementioned Pace 4 that’s lighter with the strap attached.

While the watch’s predecessor had a comparatively large (but thin) case, the new model is a lot more compact than your average Forerunner. It measures 43.5 x 43.5 x 10.7 mm without the domed sensor module at the back, which probably adds another couple of millimetres.

The 1.32-inch touchscreen display – with a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits – is protected by Huawei’s proprietary second-gen Kunlun Glass. It was originally developed for the brand’s smartphones and is said to be thinner and lighter than sapphire glass. The company claims it’s also supremely reliable and drop-resistant.

The Watch GT Runner 2 has one push button under a rotating digital crown that also serves as a push button. Operation is straightforward; if you’ve ever used one of the company’s smartwatches or fitness trackers before, you’ll know what to expect from the new running watch.

Features

The Watch GT Runner 2 has almost all the features of the brand's latest watches, including the flagship Huawei Watch 5 and the sportier Huawei Watch GT 6. I was surprised to see everything from emotional well-being to pulse-wave arrhythmia analysis crop up on the compact running wearable, but they are indeed here.

I won’t go into much detail about general smartwatch features, such as sleep, stress and heart rate tracking, because they are considered the bare minimum these days, especially from an established wearable brand such as Huawei. You also get smart notifications, step and calorie tracking, and so on.

While the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro focused on trail running, the Watch GT Runner 2 doubles down on road-running features, especially for long-distance racing. The Intelligent Marathon Mode (IMM) is a new ‘all-in-one service’ to help you achieve a PB on your next 26.2-mile race.

The feature is based on feedback from the DSM-Firmenich Pro Running Team, led by the legendary Eliud Kipchoge. As well as feedback from the real-world running team, IMM uses machine learning to create bespoke plans based on your recent running performance and your race date. It’s not a unique feature; many modern running and multisport watches now offer something similar.

However, Huawei’s approach brings everything into a single app and leverages one of the best optical sensors on the market, making it a compelling alternative to other platforms. I haven’t tested the feature, so I can’t comment on its effectiveness. It looks comprehensive enough, though.

On top of this, the Watch GT Runner 2 is also Huawei’s first watch that measures running power. I’ve always been on the fence about wrist-based running power, mainly because brands measure it differently, and there is no way to know whether what the watch says is accurate.

Unlike cycling (where power is a direct mechanical measurement), running power is modelled rather than measured. Each company uses its own algorithm and sensor inputs, so the “watts” don’t represent the same quantity. Nevertheless, the Watch GT Runner 2 offers running power measurements if you’re in

terested.

A more exciting new feature is the real-time lactate threshold detection algorithm, developed with Beijing Sport University. The Watch GT Runner 2 is also the first Huawei wearable to offer training load zones (both aerobic and anaerobic) and dynamic recovery time guidance. A variation of these features can be found on Garmin watches.

GPS setup and accuracy

As well as the new running-specific features, the Watch GT Runner 2 is the first Huawei wearable with a fully redesigned GPS system, claimed to improve performance by 3.5 times over the previous generation, which I assume means the already pretty accurate Sunflower GPS system.

This is thanks to the brand’s ‘advanced’ 3D Floating Antenna Architecture, which leverages the frame and bezel to enhance signal reception and stabilise satellite connections. The watch has dual-band all-satellite positioning and access to GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BEIDOU, and QZSS satellites.

Huawei also claims the watch’s GPS can track you even when you’re shielded from satellite view, such as in a tunnel or under a bridge. (I vaguely remember the first Watch GT Runner claimed something similar, but that’s beside the point.)

I tested this (while walking) and would like to add that it only really works if you’re running at a steady pace, especially if you’re doing laps around a track. If you nip in and out of shops, the Watch GT Runner 2 will find it just as challenging to guess your movements as any other watch.

In terms of GPS accuracy when not in tunnels and shops, the wearable seemed to have kept up with my movements well. In the Huawei Health app, I could see when I crossed roads or walked around objects. I noticed some clipping through buildings, but I always chalk these up to shoddy map overlays rather than inaccurate tracking.

As mentioned above, I haven’t tried the GPS for road or track running, so I can’t tell how it compares to Garmins and other wearables. I asked around, and testers confirmed the Watch GT Runner 2 has a spot-on GPS tracking system, but I would like to do my own research before putting such a claim in my review.

Battery life and charging

The Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 has a 540 mAh battery, offering 14 days of power in smartwatch mode on a single charge. GPS battery life – in dual-band mode – is up to a whopping 32 hours, which is leaps and bounds better than the Forerunner 970 (even though it’s worth mentioning that battery life decreased from the Forerunner 965).

I’m yet to take it for a multi-hour GPS session, but the general smartwatch battery life is impressive. I started using the watch without charging it, and it went from around 65% to 17% in a week, with a few GPS walking sessions and all-day wear.

Huawei always sets its battery life claims cautiously, so I’m not surprised by these numbers. I find the brand’s average usage metrics rather intense, which means actual everyday usage won’t deplete the battery quite as much as Huawei says.

As for charging, the Watch GT Runner 2 can quickly replenish its battery using Huawei’s puck charger. In my test, the battery went from 17% to 30% in just 5 minutes, 38% in 10 minutes, 66% in 25 mins, and was fully charged in 45 minutes.

The company doesn’t explicitly say the Watch GT Runner 2 has a quick-charge function, but popping the watch on the puck for 10 minutes can effectively extend battery life by days, which is impressive.

Verdict

I really like the Watch GT Runner 2. It has almost everything an everyday runner would want from a wearable, plus a surprisingly deep set of smartwatch features, with NFC payments via Curve Pay set to arrive in the UK soon.

I don’t expect Garmin users to jump ship en masse, partly because Huawei’s ecosystem still feels more smartwatch-first than sport-first, and partly because the price undercuts Garmin less than Coros or Amazfit do. Still, the hardware and feature set make a strong case for the watch, and it feels like a good value overall.

The interface leans more toward lifestyle than performance, which some serious runners might find frustrating, but it’s easy to navigate and perfectly usable once you get used to it. Switching ecosystems always takes a bit of effort, yet anyone already syncing workouts to third-party platforms like Strava will have a smoother transition.

I’ll revisit GPS and heart-rate accuracy once I’m back running, but even at this stage, the Watch GT Runner 2 has made a strong impression. I don’t want to take it off, which is always a good sign. It may not replace my Garmin just yet, but it’s easily my favourite Huawei wearable so far, and if accuracy holds up, it could end up being a five-star contender.