Huawei Band B5 review: Breaking the awkward positioning, dual-purpose for both business and sports

As a member of smart wearable devices, bracelets have always been in an awkward position of being dispensable. They are not as rich in functions as smart watches, but their small size is very suitable for some special scenarios, such as sports. Therefore, bracelets have been moving towards sports-related functions such as step recording and heart rate monitoring.

However, sports is always just a niche area, and many people will not buy a bracelet just for some small functions. If you want to break through this dilemma, you need to give the bracelet more functions and scenarios.

Thus, the Huawei Band B series came into being.

Starting from B1, this bracelet has been equipped with the feature of integrated bracelet and earphone. As the latest generation of the series, Huawei Band B5 has continued the series' feature of dual-purpose and made some hardware upgrades. It has a larger screen with better color, and added functions such as heart rate monitoring, scientific sleep, bracelet wake-up voice assistant, and caller ID.

Large color dial, fashionable and business-like

In terms of design, the overall square shape of the B5 makes it more business-like. The glass dial is matched with a stainless steel frame. The plastic base below complements the arc of the dial screen, making it more comfortable to wear and more elegant from the outside. In addition, the sharp metal texture brought by the stainless steel frame makes the whole watch reveal a sense of fashion in its stability.

The B5 screen uses a 1.13-inch AMOLED with a resolution of 300 x 160. The larger size allows more parameters to be displayed on the screen. Time, date, day, steps and other content can all be seen at a glance on the main screen. The higher resolution also makes the text on the bracelet appear more delicate, and the pattern display looks better, without any graininess.

The screen operates very smoothly, and the AMOLED screen also greatly increases the viewing angle, so that the patterns and text on the screen can be clearly seen from all angles.

As for the wristband, the B5 uses a detachable design. The sports version has a fluororubber wristband, the business version has a leather wristband, and the fashion version has a metal wristband, which can be said to meet the needs of different groups of people. However, a more advanced wristband means a higher price. The sports version is only 999 yuan, while the business version and fashion version are 1199 yuan and 1499 yuan respectively.

Removable dial, it is a bracelet and also a headset

The Huawei Band B5 is 58mm long, 23mm wide, and 13mm thick without the strap. The total weight of the band is 40g. The light weight also makes the band very comfortable to wear. The curved design plays a big role here. Compared with the flat-bottomed band, the curved design can better maintain the fit during exercise and will not slide around on the arm, causing discomfort.

After pressing the button near the wristband, the watch face can be popped out and used as a Bluetooth headset. There is also a Micro USB charging port on the side of the watch face, so you also need to take off the watch face when charging.

The silicone earplugs are located on the back of the watch face, and there are two different sizes of accessories included. Although this earplug is not the most comfortable option, it is indeed very reliable after being worn. In addition, due to the special nature of the watch face as an earphone, there does not seem to be much choice in the design of the earplugs.

From the practical point of view, the pop-up design of the dial is very suitable for one-handed operation. After the dial pops up, it can be easily picked up and used without having to pull it out with force. As a Bluetooth headset, B5 can be said to meet the daily call needs. After all, as a single-ear headset, there is no need to expect to use it to play games or listen to music. A stable connection and clear conversation volume are enough.

After the bracelet and earphones are integrated, when you are away from your phone, you don't need to panic to find your phone or Bluetooth headset when a call comes in. Just pop up the dial and put it on to make a call instantly. In addition, B5 can directly view call records and make calls directly through contacts. Pressing the power button twice can also directly return the last call.

Fully functional, just turn on your wrist

As a functional bracelet plus smart earphones, Huawei Band B5 can be said to be a masterpiece that integrates all the commonly used functions. For example, caller ID, SMS reminder, heart rate sleep pressure monitoring test, etc., all the useful functions you can think of are available. When combined with the sports health APP that comes with Huawei mobile phones, you can see even more things.

Moreover, B5 also has some convenient functions. For example, the wrist-raising display function will automatically light up the screen as long as the bracelet detects the arm falling and raising, reducing the tedious operation of pressing buttons. In addition, you can also turn on the wrist-turning page-turning function in the settings, which further saves the operation of sliding the dial with your fingers. It is not only more convenient, but also eliminates the trouble of leaving fingerprints on the dial.

In other small functions, such as sleep management and exercise mode, the bracelet is also well integrated with Huawei Sports Health APP. Through some data monitored in real time by the bracelet, the APP can give various suggestions. When the mobile phone is not around, the bracelet itself has a simple timing function and preset scenarios, such as outdoor running or cycling, etc., which can also provide some assistance to friends who want to exercise.

Everything you need, dual-purpose

In general, the Huawei Band B5 performs very well in many aspects. It has all the functions of a bracelet, and its dual-purpose feature makes it a level higher than ordinary bracelets. If you are still hesitating whether you need a bracelet to manage your body, you might as well add a Bluetooth headset that you can take out at any time.

I believe that for many people who are considering buying a bracelet, the transformation into a Bluetooth headset will be the most exciting highlight. The appearance with a hint of fashionable texture in the business style makes the Huawei Band B5 a combination of functionality and beauty, making it an indispensable purchase option among smart wearable products.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.