Honor Watch 5 Ultra has the best battery life of any smartwatch I used

I used the Apple Watch Series 10 for most of the last six months, switching over to Withings' excellent ScanWatch Nova in the last month or so. I've always enjoyed using the Apple Watch for the consistency, but the ScanWatch Nova has a much better design, and I like the hybrid nature; it isn't a full-fledged smartwatch, so it lasts well over two weeks on average.

Honor's latest wearable — the Watch 5 Ultra — aims to strike a good balance in this regard. It is a smartwatch similar to the Galaxy Watch 7 and other options in this category, but it misses out on Wear OS 5; Honor is instead using a lightweight variant of its Magic OS skin. While this means you don't get the ability to install any apps outside of those bundled with the watch, the upside is battery life — the Watch 5 Ultra easily lasts up to two weeks between charges.

The Ultra moniker is misleading here, as the Watch 5 Ultra doesn't quite have the same level of software polish or allure as the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2. That said, it is much more affordable, coming in at €279 ($306) once it goes on sale in the coming weeks. The biggest downside to the watch is the lack of Wear OS, but Honor did a decent enough job with the bundled utilities, and it gets a lot right.

What I like the most about the smartwatch is the design; Honor really outdid itself in this area, and the Watch 5 Ultra clearly looks the part of a high-end smartwatch. The case itself is made out of a titanium alloy, and the octagonal design gives it an added flair — it stands out quite a bit from the usual sea of Android smartwatches. The use of a titanium alloy means it isn't quite as heavy while still offering excellent durability, and I have zero issues on the design side of things.

Honor sells the smartwatch with a fluoroelastomer band as standard, and it has a good range of adjustability. The band is comfortable to wear, and doesn't add too much weight overall, and if you need to, you can easily switch it out — the smartwatch uses standard 22mm lugs.

The angular design of the Watch 5 Ultra contrasts well with the button on the right that doubles as the rotating crown, and the red accent distinguishes the otherwise understated design a little. The crown makes it easy to interact with the interface, and there's a second button on the right that is configurable; it launches workouts by default.

The defining characteristic of the smartwatch is the massive 46mm size; it adds to its presence in a considerable way, and makes it look considerably bigger than its rivals. That said, the upside is that you have a sizeable 1.5-inch AMOLED panel that goes up to 60Hz, and it gets bright in outdoor use. What's notable is the use of LTPO tech to deliver better battery life, and this definitely makes a difference.

I had no issues whatsoever while using the watch outdoors, and while the customizability isn't quite as extensive as what you get with Wear OS — you can't install custom faces — the selection included out of the box is exhaustive, so I didn't feel like I was missing out in this area. The bezels are relatively thin as well, and this also goes a long way in creating that upmarket look.

Although the watch is huge, it isn't particularly heavy at 51g — the ScanWatch Nova is heavier — but you still get a good heft. There's just a single sizing option, and you miss out on cellular connectivity as well. That said, if you want a bigger smartwatch with a differentiated design, the Watch 5 Ultra ticks all the right boxes.

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But it's the software where the Watch 5 Ultra runs into severe limitations. Honor did a good job with the lightweight interface, and it has good fluidity, but it is pretty basic, and you can't get the likes of Spotify or Uber on the smartwatch. That said, there are no issues with the basics; the Watch 5 Ultra did a great job mirroring notifications to my wrist, and the built-in speaker is quite good — you can make calls and even listen to music locally. Honor Health has a decent interface too, and it's easy to tweak settings via your phone.

The watch does a good job with activity monitoring as well; it has over 100 exercises, and delivers useful insights like VO2Max while running. In a similar vein, it tracks heart rate, blood oxygen and stress levels, and the data is pretty consistent. I didn't really see any issues with the accuracy of the activity or health monitoring, and while I didn't use the feature, the smartwatch can be used when diving up to 40m.

Although the software is pretty basic, the battery life is anything but — the Watch 5 Ultra easily managed to last over two weeks without any issues. With the always-on mode enabled alongside continuous heart rate monitoring, I got a week's worth of use, which is a terrific showing. The best part is that you can use any Qi charging mat to charge the smartwatch; Honor bundles a custom charger, but it has standard Qi as well, and this makes it highly convenient on the go.

Overall, the Watch 5 Ultra definitely has a lot going for it. The styling combined with the titanium-backed chassis allows it to stand out, and the 1.5-inch AMOLED panel is one of the best you'll see in this category. It does a great job with activity and health monitoring, and while you don't get all the software extras, the battery life is a major bonus over other Android smartwatches. It is on the costlier side when you consider the feature-set, but if you want a bigger smartwatch that excels at the basics, the Watch 5 Ultra has you covered.