Android Wear powers some of the best smartwatches available now. Google has given smartwatch manufacturers a platform that would allow them to deliver the best smart features to their users. Not only that, it is an operating system that can take advantage of a whole range of apps.
With Android Wear, you can be sure that different smartwatches using it would offer pretty much the same features and functionalities, and even use the same apps.
Two of the best smartwatches running on Android Wear right now are Motorola’s 360 and Huawei Watch. With their smarts coming from the same operating system, it is up to Huawei and Motorola to come out with better hardware to edge the competition out.
Which one should you buy?
1. Looks and design
Whether you admit it or not, smartwatches are, first and foremost, accessories, so it is important that it fits your style and you like the way it looks. Let us start with the looks and the design of the Moto 360 and the Huawei Watch.
Materials
The Moto 360 gives you a classic look. From afar, you would not know it’s a smartwatch because it looks like a traditional watch. It comes in two case sizes: 42 mm and 46 mm. The 42-mm case can be customized for men and women. The Moto 360 has a polished bezel with a very large viewing area. In fact, the watch face is mostly taken up by the display.
There are three color options for the bezel, which is made of the same stainless steel used for aircrafts: black, silver, and rose gold.
When it comes to bands, there are three band lengths available: 16 mm, 20 mm, and 22 mm. Materials available are stainless steel and leather.
You can even choose the double-wrapped leather bands for the ladies. The idea is that you could easily find the right-sized Moto 360 for your wrist, and it is easy to change the bands and bezels, allowing you to have a new look for your smartwatch as often as you want a change.
Meanwhile, the Huawei Watch also comes in two case sizes: 42 mm and 44 mm. The case thickness depends on what style you buy. It ranges from 11.3 mm to 12.9 mm. The Huawei Watch uses a standard 18-mm band. Like the Moto 360, it uses a form of aircraft-grade stainless steel – cold-pressed 316L – for the casing. You also have a choice between fine leather and stainless steel strap.
Overall, the Huawei Watch uses premium materials. For instance, if you compare the leather straps of these two smartwatches, you would find that Huawei Watch’s leather strap looks better and has a premium feel. There is not much difference in the stainless steel bands, though, so it is all just a matter of preference.
The Huawei Watch also wins when it comes to smartwatches for women. The Chinese company offers a whole different line of smartwatches for women, and these watches have a more curved design, a rose gold casing, and an option to have Swarovski zirconia on the bezel.
The Moto 360, however, allows you to pick and choose everything from the bezel, case, straps, and size. You can mix and match everything, so you have more granular control over how your Moto 360 would look like.
With the Huawei Watch, you can choose from a wide variety of styles the company has put together.
Huawei Watch
Display
Display type. The Huawei Watch uses an AMOLED display, while the Moto 360 uses an LCD display. You would not have problems looking at the AMOLED screen of the Huawei Watch, even under the most intense glare of the sun.
The Moto 360, on the other hand, compensates for having an LCD screen by using backlights. Speaking of screens, the protective glass for each smartwatch also differs. The Moto 360 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 while the Huawei Watch has a Sapphire Crystal glass, which is more resistant to scratch than the former.
Moto 360
Resolution. The Huawei Watch has a nominally better resolution, giving you 400 x 400 pixels with a pixel density of 286 pixels per inch. The 42-mm Moto 360, on the other hand, has a resolution of 360 x 325 pixels with a pixel density of 263 PPI. The bigger Moto 360 gives you 360 X 330 pixels at 233 ppi.
But while the Huawei Watch has better specs on paper, you really would not see that much difference when you look at the watches. The difference is not that significant nor is it noticeable on a small screen. Unlike smartphones, you really do not have to look that long on your smartwatch’s screen.
Overall, the Huawei Watch has a better display and a higher resolution than the Moto 360. But the Moto 360 is able to close the gap by adding a backlight to the LCD display while keeping the resolution close to that of the Huawei Watch.
What makes the Huawei Watch really win when it comes to the display is that the screen takes up most of the watch face. It does not have the “flat tire” effect that Moto 360 has, wherein the bottom of the screen look cut off.
Another thing going for the Huawei Watch is that when you put it on the always-on “ambient” mode, the screen stays very crisp and easy to see. When it is always on, the Moto 360‘s display becomes very pixilated and difficult to see.
A side-by-side comparison of the display and materials of the Moto 360 and the Huawei Watch
| Model | Moto 360 | Huawei Watch |
| With options for men and women | Yes | Yes |
| Case diameter | 42 mm /46 mm | 42 mm / 44 mm. |
| Case material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Case thickness | 11.4 mm | 11.3 mm / 12.5 mm / 12.9 mm |
| Band width | 16 mm / 20 mm / 22 mm | 18 mm |
| Leather bands | Yes | Yes |
| Stainless steel bands | Yes | Yes |
| Scratch proof glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Sapphire crystal |
| Display | Backlit LCD | AMOLED |
| Resolutions | 42 mm: 263 ppi (360×325 pixels)
46 mm: 233ppi (360X330 pixels) |
286 ppi (400×400 pixels) |
2. Performance and features
Specs-wise, the Moto 360 and the Huawei Watch have the same speedy processor, CPU, and graphics card. They both have the same amount of RAM and internal memory and are both able to connect to Android and iOS devices.
The battery for both the Moto 360 42-mm version and the Huawei Watch are both rechargeable lithium-ion 300 mAh batteries. Meanwhile, the 46-mm version of the Moto 360 has a 400 mAh battery.
As far as sensors go, both feature a heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, and vibration sensor. Both smartwatches also have onboard speakers and microphones, and both are water- and dust-resistant. However, the Moto 360 has an ambient light sensor and offers wireless charging, while the Huawei Watch has a barometer on board.
Side-by-side comparison of technical specifications for Moto 360 and Huawei Watch
| Brand | Moto 360 | Huawei Watch |
| Processors | Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400 | Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400 |
| CPU | Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 | Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 |
| Graphics card | Adreno 305 | Adreno 305 |
| Memory | 4 gigabytes internal | 4 gigabytes internal |
| RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Works with Android | Yes | Yes |
| Works with iPhone | Yes | Yes |
| Lithium-ion battery | 42 mm: 300 mAh
46 mm: 400 mAh |
300 mAh battery |
| Maximum battery time | 42 mm: 1.5 days
46 mm: 2 days |
2 days |
| Wireless charging | Yes | No |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | No |
| Heart rate sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Vibration/Haptics sensors | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | No | Yes |
| Water resistance | IP67 | IP68 |
| Connects via Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Connects via Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
It should be noted that the Huawei Watch delivers a smoother experience than the Moto 360. For instance, if you are scrolling through an email, the Moto 360 will probably give you a clunky experience with momentary stops, while the Huawei Watch can scroll down smoothly. However, the Moto 360 is every bit as responsive and fast as the Huawei Watch.
When it comes to charging, the Moto 360 wins. The Huawei Watch can take some work to charge. It comes with a charger that you attach to your smartwatch with pins.
To make sure that the watch is charging, you need to align the pins first before inserting them. The Moto 360, on the other hand, relies on wireless charging. You just put it in the cradle and it will charge by itself.
3. Pricing
Pricing for the Moto 360 and the Huawei Watch depends on the type of band you want, the size of the casing, and other factors. Generally, the price range for the Moto 360 is from $300 to $450, while the Huawei Watch is priced anywhere between $350 and $800.
This means that the Moto 360 is generally more affordable than the Huawei Watch. In fact, based on the official suggested prices, you can own a Moto 360 for $50 less than a Huawei Watch.
Even if you compare the same materials, the Moto 360 still comes out cheaper. For instance, on Amazon, the suggested retail price for a silver stainless steel banded Moto 360 is $320
Final say about Huawei Watch and Moto 360
The Moto 360 certainly has its appeal with its ambient light sensor, the flexibility it gives in designing your perfect smartwatch, its better charging setup, and its generally more affordable price tag.
However, all of these do not really make up for its lackluster performance as a smartwatch when it is compared with the Huawei Watch.
Huawei delivers a much better smartwatch experience with the Huawei Watch. They also pulled out all stops when it comes to the materials they used for the device. Not only does it offer a smoother experience, it also has a much more premium feel and look than the Moto 360.