Laconic design in three colors
Honor Band 5 is sold with different straps: black, dark blue and pink. The body color remains black in any case. The straps are replaceable.
Honor Band 5 with dark blue strap
The bracelet has a relief pattern, and the gadget is secured with a classic buckle.
Owners of previous versions of Honor Band 3 and 4 are unlikely to notice the changes. It's still the same laconic design, rectangular shapes, a button under a small screen and a thin strap. The bracelet looks like a sports gadget, but it can also be worn with a shirt.
Equipment
The bracelet comes in a small cardboard box, inside of which there is the fitness bracelet itself, a charging cradle and a short microUSB cable for connecting the cradle to a power source. The charging device is exactly the same as the Honor Band 4.
Blood oxygen measurement and sleep monitoring
The main function of any fitness tracker is activity monitoring. The corresponding section of the gadget shows the steps and meters taken, the approximate number of calories burned, time in training and in motion. More detailed data is available in the application.
Honor Band 5 can measure heart rate either constantly or in smart mode, when the sensor starts working when the activity level changes. Continuous reading significantly wastes battery power - the gadget works with it for about five days.
The tracker can measure blood oxygen saturation. An unusual feature that we could do without. If you are healthy, you do not need to measure your SpO2 level in everyday life. And for people with medical conditions, it is better to use a certified pulse oximeter.
The gadget not only shows on the screen how much you slept, but also provides detailed data in the application. For example, there you can find out the sleep quality index and time in different phases.
In addition, Honor Band 5 has a smart alarm function. You set the time at which you need to wake up, and the tracker wakes you up with vibration in the REM sleep phase shortly before the selected mark. In theory, this makes it easier to get out of bed. In fact, everything is individual: while some feel the ease of awakening, others do not see the difference and get angry because of the few lost minutes of sleep.
One of the most useful features of any smart wrist device is the display of notifications. There is the required minimum here: cropped push text with strange indents and no mention of the application. It is impossible to find out in which messenger you received a message or to respond to it.
A little more opportunities open up when interacting with Android smartphones, in particular Huawei or Honor. For example, you can take photos with your phone camera using a button on the tracker or control music playback.
Verdict. The main functions of Honor Band 5 are a vibrating alarm clock, display of notifications and basic activity information. Those who follow their routine will benefit from sleep monitoring, and sports fans will benefit from a workout tracker and heart rate readings during exercise. You will have to take out your smartphone almost as often as without a tracker: the gadget can only cope with displaying truncated notifications. The function of detecting oxygen in the blood, which is rare for smart bracelets, is not needed.
Functionality
Let's start our tour of the Honor Band 5 interface with the notifications tab. It is convenient to view messages on the bracelet; they are displayed in a fairly large font, and when read, they are deleted from the bracelet’s memory, where up to 10 unread SMS messages can be stored in total. The only thing I can complain about is the lack of names and icons of the applications from which the notification comes. Icons for main programs like Google Mail, Viber or Telegram would make the list more visual; Xiaomi has implemented such a feature.
In the Huawei Health application, you can select the software with which the bracelet will work and set the “Do not disturb” mode so that the gadget does not bother you with vibration during sleep.
In addition to messages, the bracelet notifies you of missed and incoming calls, which can be reset by swiping on the screen. All notifications from your smartphone arrive reliably, the main thing is to give the Health application the necessary permissions and set up an energy saving mode on the device so that the program can work unhindered in the background.
Pedometer and calorie counter
Like all similar devices, Honor Band 5 can track activity throughout the day. It counts steps, distance traveled, calories and even time spent on physical activity and sedentary work.
Daily activity indicators can be viewed in a special tab on the bracelet or in the application, where detailed statistics for the week, month or year are presented.
During sedentary work, the gadget vibrates every hour, reminding you to do a warm-up (the frequency of notifications is not adjustable). The proprietary application allows you to set a goal for the number of steps per day, and it also has a reward system in the form of medals that are opened when you achieve various results.
In general, this is an excellent motivator to not sit in one place and devote time to physical activity, but with the use of a bracelet as an assistant for training, things are not so clear.
Sports capabilities of Honor Band 5
The bracelet provides 9 training modes, in addition to standard running and walking, there are scenarios such as swimming, cycling, elliptical and even a rowing machine. There are also some ridiculous interface glitches - for some reason the names of some modes are not displayed in Russian.
Like all similar gadgets without built-in GPS, the tracker shows accurate training results, such as distance or running pace, only when synchronized with a smartphone with the GPS module enabled.
However, the HB5 cannot use geodata independently; GPS indicators are taken into account only if the training is launched through a proprietary application. If you turn on an activity on the bracelet, it does not try to connect to the GPS module of the smartphone, which the Mi Band 4 can do. This forces you to use Huawei Health exclusively - a bummer for fans of Nike Running Club, Strava and similar programs.
Fortunately, the implementation of sports functionality in the proprietary application is very high quality. There are scenarios for various types of classes, plans for preparing for competitions and achieving individual goals (weight loss, endurance). The classes are accompanied by voice prompts from a “personal trainer,” but he speaks only in English.
If you don’t use the training modes in Huawei Health, you can’t really count on accurate determination of sports performance using the accelerometer. The distance and all related data are displayed with a serious error. Below is a comparison of real 2 kilometers according to GPS and what the HB5, disconnected from geolocation, and its main competitor counted. As you can see, both devices lie, and in different directions, despite the fact that the user’s height for each bracelet is the same.
I'm used to running with NRC, so I usually use the tracker to view my heart rate and activity duration. Information about heart rate in training mode is displayed in large letters, which can be easily read on the go. But for some reason the oxygen concentration in the blood is not displayed; it can only be viewed in a separate menu tab.
It was not possible to connect the HB5 with the MapMyFitness application, which allows you to connect fitness bracelets as an external heart rate monitor.
Heart rate monitor and oxygen sensor
Honor Band 5 copes well with the task of measuring heart rate. In a calm state, the error of the bracelet in comparison with a medical tonometer does not exceed 3-4 beats. The difference in measurements with the Xiaomi bracelet is even smaller, but in my opinion, Honor responds faster to heart rate fluctuations, while the Mi Band displays changes with a longer delay.
The device is capable of continuous heart rate monitoring, based on the results of which the application displays statistics with visual graphs, including diagrams of heart rate changes during training.
When you open the heart rate tab on the bracelet, your heart rate is displayed without delay only if real-time tracking is enabled. If continuous monitoring is turned off, you have to wait 15 seconds while the tracker takes measurements. The frequency of heart rate measurement in the background cannot be set independently; only a “smart” mode with automatic measurements is available depending on the user’s activity.
Since I have the Chinese version of Honor Band 5, the function of measuring blood oxygen concentration in the device is active. Perhaps it is important for people with certain health problems, but I did not find any benefit in it for myself.
The oxygen sensor always shows 95% or higher, even during intense cardio training. If you hold your breath for a minute and take a measurement, the oxygen concentration does not drop, which looks strange, but without contact with the wrist, the pulse oximeter does not work.
Sleep tracking and alarm
One of the main advantages of Huawei bracelets is the proprietary TruSleep sleep quality monitoring algorithm. It determines the time of falling asleep and waking up, sleep stages (rapid, light, deep), the number of awakenings, and does this with very high accuracy.
In the app you can view detailed statistics and various recommendations, following which will allow you to get better sleep. In general, it’s an interesting thing; competitors don’t have this.
There is a smart alarm clock with a customizable wake-up range of up to 30 minutes. If you set the wake time to 8 hours with a gap of 15 minutes, it will detect when you are in the light sleep phase and wake you up between 7:45 and 8:15, when waking up will be as painless as possible.
The only thing missing is the ability to turn on the alarm from the bracelet; this can only be done in the application. Well, if you sleep too deeply, it’s not a fact that the vibration will be enough to wake you up; here it’s even a little weaker than on the Mi Band 4.
Additional functions
All additional features of Honor Band 5 are located in the “More” tab; some useful things can be found in it: a timer, a stopwatch, and a phone search function.
On Huawei/Honor smartphones, you can also control the camera using the bracelet, but this option is not available when paired with third-party devices.
The stopwatch does not provide the ability to count laps, but together with the timer it can work in the background; on the same MiBand, when you exit the corresponding screens, the counters are turned off.
Honor Band 5 in training
The watch supports 10 training modes, including all the popular ones: running, swimming, cycling, as well as exercise on a treadmill or exercise bike. If you are a fan of an unusual sport, you can choose the free training mode.
The tracker can notify you about a new stage of your workout using vibration. It is capable of triggering, for example, every kilometer traveled or every 5 minutes.
Honor has upgraded the swimming mode. The tracker understands what style you are swimming in (freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke) and calculates the SWOLF index - an indicator of a swimmer's efficiency based on the number of strokes and time per lane.
Screen
The bracelet is equipped with a color AMOLED touch screen with a diagonal of 240 x 120 pixels. The pixel density is 282 PPI. The Honor Band 4 and Mi Smart Band 4 are equipped with exactly the same screen. The screen is very rich and contrasty, and the minimum brightness level will be sufficient for almost all conditions of use. There are three brightness levels in total.
The display is touch-sensitive and all functions are controlled using swipes. You can scroll through functions by swiping up or down, and select a specific function by briefly touching the screen. The touch button below the screen goes back one step and returns to the main screen.
There is still no Always On Display mode. True, it is possible to set the screen activity time for 5 minutes, but it’s not clear why.
Differences between Honor Band 5 and Mi Band 4
They have the same price and a similar set of functions, but there is still a difference.
- Design. The Mi Band 4 case capsule has a more rounded shape.
- Strap. On Mi Band 4 it is latched with a button, on Honor Band 5 it is a classic buckle. A matter of taste.
- Autonomy. The battery capacity of Honor Band 5 is 35 mAh less. This affects the operating time without an outlet. Xiaomi claims 20 days when sleep monitoring and constant heart rate measurement are turned off, while Honor's record time on a single charge is about two weeks.
- Play music. Honor Band 5 can only control the player on Android. For Mi Band 4, the smartphone platform is not important. So, for example, from a Xiaomi gadget you can switch tracks from Yandex.Music to your iPhone.
- Dials. Mi Band 4 has a lot more of them.
- Screen lock. It can be enabled on a Xiaomi gadget, but Honor Band 5 is not protected from false clicks.
- Charger. To charge Mi Band 4, you need to remove the case from the strap and place it in the charging station. You just need to attach the clip to Honor Band 5.
- Oxygen saturation sensor. Mi Band 4 doesn't have it.
Mi Band 4 is slightly better than Honor Band 5 in some details. Most of them are not critical, so you can choose whatever you want.
Design and ergonomics
Visually, Honor Band 5 has not changed at all compared to its predecessor. It looks strict and stylish and goes well with almost any clothing. The strap here is removable, if you wish, you can buy cheap accessories on Ali and change the appearance of the device at least every day (straps from HB4 are suitable for the new product).
The original strap is made of tactilely pleasant rubber and decorated with a geometric pattern on the outside. It is not easily soiled, fingerprints on the matte Mi Bend strap are much more noticeable, but sometimes dirt gets stuck between the stripes, which is easier to wipe off from a flat surface.
The strap has a wide range of adjustments, allowing it to fit any wrist size.
In everyday use, the classic format bracelet shows its best side. It is more difficult to put on, but that is where the inconvenience ends. Otherwise, there are only advantages: the trench securely fixes the tip of the strap and, most importantly, nothing digs into the skin.
In MiBend, working at the computer is less comfortable due to the protruding plastic latch, which puts pressure on the hand when it lies on the table. Immediately your wrist rests not on a plastic pin, but on soft rubber, and feels great.
The strap is removed by removing the fixing brackets; they are removed very tightly, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally detaching the bracelet.
The HB5 claims a proximity sensor, but the bracelet does not support the locking function when removed from the hand. In the settings there is only an option to turn off notifications when the device is not worn.
The sensors located on the back of the capsule practically do not protrude, which has a positive effect on the comfort of wearing the tracker.
The front of the capsule is covered with tempered glass with a good oleophobic layer. It does not have rounded edges, which makes it easy to stick a protective film on the screen. After two weeks of using the display without additional protection, no noticeable scratches appeared on it.
The Honor Band 5 case is protected from dust and moisture at a pressure of up to 5 atmospheres. The bracelet allows you to wash your hands and swim in salt or fresh water. You cannot go diving in it; it is also recommended to remove the tracker in the sauna and when taking a hot shower, although my device regularly passes the last test without any consequences.
Screen quality
Honor Band 5 has a 0.95-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 240x120 pixels and a pixel density of 282 ppi. The screen is excellent in all respects, it does not distort when viewed from an angle and has a deep black color, thanks to which the borders of the matrix in the interface and on dark dials remain indistinguishable. Pixelation can only be noticed when looking at small fonts at close range; at a normal distance the image looks clear.
The display of the gadget is very bright, even under the daytime sun it is clearly readable at brightness level 2 out of 5 available. You can adjust the brightness directly in the bracelet menu; the night mode is also activated there, in which the brightness is automatically reduced to a comfortable level in the dark.
There is no full Always on Display in Band 5, but there is a “Screen on” option, when activated, the display backlight time after waking up increases from 5 seconds to 5 minutes.
In normal mode, the screen backlight is activated when you press a touch key or when you turn your hand. The bracelet wakes up quickly, the speed of awakening is comparable to the Mi Band 4, but Honor is much more sensitive, it responds not only when lifted, but also with minimal rotation of the wrist around its axis. This makes using the gadget more convenient; for example, you can light up the screen the first time while lying in bed, whereas on the MB4 this is not so easy to do.
The schedule for turning on the screen by gesture is not configurable in any way, although the ability to turn it off during sleep would not be superfluous.
Synchronization and configuration
To connect Honor Band 5 to your phone, use the Huawei Health application (not to be confused with Huawei Wear). The process is intuitive; if you bought the Chinese version of the bracelet, you won’t have to understand the interface with hieroglyphs - everything is done through the program. On the gadget’s screen, you just need to tap the checkbox to confirm synchronization, after which the tracker will be updated and switch to Russian.
The device is equipped with a Bluetooth 4.2 interface - the version is not the latest, but I did not notice any problems with the stability of the connection behind the bracelet. The tracker can be connected to the phone exclusively through a proprietary application. It does not appear in the list of Bluetooth devices, which makes it impossible to use the SmartLock function, in which the smartphone remains unlocked if a trusted device is within range.
With the number and variety of watch faces, the Honor Band 5 is not doing well. The developers are doing something, the number of watch faces available in the application is increasing (40+ now), but most of them are extremely mediocre.
This is not about the design, but about the information content of the screensavers: the temperature is displayed on units of them, and there are no dials displaying the current heart rate on the Band 5 in principle. There is an acute shortage of truly elaborate, rather than hastily created, images. Here the Honor product is unlikely to catch up with the Mi Band 4, for which users themselves can create watch faces.
But the bracelet’s memory stores 8 screensavers at once, which can be changed without using the phone. In MB4 there are only 4.
Specifications
- Modifications: with black, dark blue and pink strap.
- Dimensions: 17.2 × 43 × 11.5 mm.
- Weight: 22.7 g.
- Display: 0.95 inches, 120 × 240 pixels, AMOLED.
- Battery: 190 mAh. Autonomy up to six days when in use, up to 14 days in standby mode.
- Built-in memory: 1 MB.
- RAM: 384 KB.
- Connection: Bluetooth 4.2.
- Sensors: accelerometer, heart rate monitor.
- Contactless payment function: no.
- Protection class: IP68. Allows diving to a depth of up to 50 m.
- Compatibility: Android 4.4 and above, iOS 9 and above.
Battery life
The bracelet is equipped with a 100 mAh battery. The battery life declared by the manufacturer is up to 14 days, but it all depends on the intensity of use. With TruSleep sleep monitoring, constant heart rate measurement and maximum brightness, one charge was enough for me for 5 days of use. Without these functions, 2 weeks is a very realistic battery life. The battery charges from 0 to 100% in about 2 hours.
Conclusion
Honor Band 5 is an entry-level bracelet. For that kind of money it’s strange to demand unique chips from him. However, the device offers some of the best features available in wearables.
This is a tracker with convenient display of notifications, an excellent vibration motor, detailed sleep analysis and remote music control.
Every time you want to criticize the Honor Band 5, its price comes to mind. They ask for 3 thousand rubles in official stores and 2.5 thousand rubles in “gray” points. The accessory pays for these prices.
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Pairing and working in conjunction with a smartphone
The bracelet pairs with a smartphone via the Huawei Health app. It displays your physical activity and tracker settings.
With Honor Band 5, you don’t have to take your smartphone out of your pocket again.
First, it shows notifications and their contents. Scroll through the message and you will see the entire text. Replying to messages with templates, like on the Galaxy Fit, is naturally not possible in an entry-level bracelet.
If the tracker is removed from your hand, notifications are blocked. No one will see the correspondence if they take your accessory.
Do not disturb mode is supported. You can select a time when notifications cannot be sent. It also syncs with your smartphone. As long as notifications are disabled on the mobile device, the tracker will not display them.
Secondly, an interesting feature has been added - switching music on the smartphone. One of the interface pages is the player. It allows you to: turn on/off a track, select next/previous, adjust the volume. A good replacement for the control panel if you don’t have one.
An important feature is searching for a bracelet and searching for a smartphone. Using the tracker, you can easily find your smartphone if you lost it at home or in another room. Tap "Find Smartphone" in Settings and your mobile device will beep. Similarly, you can find a bracelet using Huawei Health.
In general, Honor Band 5 is a decent budget remote control for a smartphone. Moreover, it becomes a habit. Having parted with it, it’s unpleasant to realize that you have to reach into your pocket to view notifications or switch music.
