Huawei Band 10 Review: Accurate Heart Rate Under $50?

TL;DR

The Huawei Band 10, priced under $50, tracks heart rate well enough for most users, scoring a 0.98 correlation against a Polar H10 chest strap during indoor cycling. Accuracy drops outdoors (0.84 to 0.89) due to arm tension and lost signal, placing it in the upper-middle tier of tested devices, below Apple and Pixel watches.

Transcript

I'm just guessing but I expect you would prefer to have a smartwatch it does everything you need looks good at as low a price as possible and the Huawei Ben 10 might be just that Smartwatch so I picked top two to scientifically test if that is indeed the case this standard black one and this quite goodl looking yellow one you can likely pick up a H... Read More

Key Insights

• The Huawei Band 10 costs less than 50 dollars, positioning it as a budget alternative to pricier options like the Google Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, or Apple Watch for buyers wanting solid function at a low price.
• Indoor cycling heart rate tracking is excellent, with both the black and yellow units achieving a 0.98 correlation against a Polar H10 ECG chest strap reference, meaning most measurements landed on or very close to perfect agreement.
• The device's main weakness is detecting quick changes in heart rate, missing sudden dips and peaks even during the otherwise accurate indoor cycling sessions.
• Outdoor cycling accuracy drops noticeably because of increased arm tension and bumpiness, with correlation falling to 0.84 for the black unit and 0.89 for the yellow unit.
• Flat trace lines during outdoor rides indicate the Huawei Band 10 lost signal in some moments, registering the same heart rate as before rather than a true reading.
• The black unit struggled slightly more than the yellow one during outdoor testing, though the reviewer is unsure whether this reflects wrist positioning or the individual device.
• Compared to many tested devices, the Band 10 sits in the upper-middle or second tier, below top performers like Apple Watches and Pixel Watches but close to other Huawei devices like the GT5 Pro and Watch Fit 2.
• The Huawei Band 10 performs similarly to the previous-generation Band 9, showing only a potentially tiny improvement, while more expensive Huawei models like the Watch Fit 3 track outdoor heart rate better.

Questions & Answers

Q: How much does the Huawei Band 10 cost?

According to the review, you can likely pick up a Huawei Band 10 for less than 50 bucks. This low price positions it as a budget-friendly alternative to more expensive smartwatches such as the Google Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, or Apple Watch. The reviewer suggests that for buyers who want a watch that does most of what they need, looks good, and costs as little as possible, the Band 10 might fit that goal despite some issues encountered during testing.

Q: How accurate is the Huawei Band 10 heart rate tracking for indoor cycling?

The Huawei Band 10 tracks heart rate very accurately during indoor cycling. Both the black and yellow units achieved a correlation value of 0.98 when compared against a Polar H10 ECG chest strap reference device, where 1.0 is the maximum possible. Most measurements landed on or very close to the line of perfect agreement. The reviewer noted the device sometimes missed quick changes in heart rate, including sudden dips and peaks, but overall considered it good enough for his use.

Q: Why is outdoor cycling harder for the Huawei Band 10 to track?

Outdoor cycling is harder to track because of the increased tension on the arm and the bumpiness while riding, compared to the relatively little motion of indoor cycling. This caused accuracy to drop, with the correlation falling to 0.84 for the black unit and 0.89 for the yellow unit, down from 0.98 indoors. The reviewer also observed flat trace lines, indicating the device lost signal in some moments and simply registered the previous heart rate value.

Q: What reference device was used to test the Huawei Band 10?

The reviewer used a Polar H10 ECG chest strap as the reference device throughout the testing. This chest strap can generally record heart rate very accurately, making it a reliable benchmark. In the comparison plots, the reference heart rate was placed along the horizontal axis while the Huawei Band 10 measurement was on the vertical axis. When the two agreed perfectly, points fell along a blue line, allowing the reviewer to visually and statistically assess the Band 10's accuracy through correlation values.

Q: How does the Huawei Band 10 compare to other smartwatches?

The Huawei Band 10 sits in the upper-middle class, or second tier, of the many devices the reviewer has tested. It is not among the absolute top performers, which are basically Apple Watches, Pixel Watches, and potentially some Huawei devices like the Huawei Watch Fit 2. However, it performs quite well and close to other Huawei devices such as the GT5, GT5 Pro, and GT3. For its low price, the reviewer described this as really good performance.

Q: Is there a difference between the black and yellow Huawei Band 10 units?

For indoor cycling, the black and yellow units performed almost identically, both scoring a 0.98 correlation. For outdoor cycling, the yellow unit scored slightly higher at 0.89 versus 0.84 for the black, and on several individual rides the black one struggled a little more with detecting the correct heart rate. The reviewer was unsure whether this difference was due to which wrist each was worn on or trouble positioning the black one correctly, and suggested it could be random variation.

Q: What is the main weakness of the Huawei Band 10 heart rate tracking?

The main weakness is that the Huawei Band 10 struggles to detect quick changes in heart rate, missing some sudden dips and peaks even during the accurate indoor cycling sessions. During outdoor cycling, it also experienced loss of signal, producing flat trace lines where it registered the same heart rate as before rather than an updated reading. On some outdoor rides, particularly with the black unit, it detected a too-low heart rate for much of the ride.

Q: Who reviewed the Huawei Band 10 and how was it tested?

The review was conducted by Rob, who introduces himself as a postdoctoral scientist specializing in biological data analysis. He scientifically and systematically tested the health and sports tracking capabilities of the Huawei Band 10 using two units, a black one and a yellow one. He performed two indoor cycling sessions and outdoor rides with both watches, comparing their heart rate readings against a Polar H10 ECG chest strap. He noted he could not do more exercises because of a small injury.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The reviewer, Rob, a postdoctoral scientist specializing in biological data analysis, tested two Huawei Band 10 units, a black one and a yellow one, to scientifically evaluate whether this sub-50-dollar smartwatch can replace far more expensive devices for health and sports tracking.

• For indoor cycling, an easy tracking scenario with little arm motion, both units performed excellently, matching a Polar H10 ECG chest strap with a 0.98 correlation. They mostly followed heart rate closely but missed some quick spikes and dips.

• Outdoor cycling proved harder due to arm tension and bumpiness, dropping correlation to 0.84 for black and 0.89 for yellow. Occasional lost signal caused flat traces, but the device still ranked in the upper-middle class of tested watches.