The Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro features an upgraded GPS system called the "Sunflower Positioning System," which Huawei claims improves route accuracy by 40%, distance accuracy by 30%, and pace accuracy by 20%. It utilizes dual-frequency GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), enhancing its GPS performance especially for outdoor activities like cycling and running. In practical tests, the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro's dual-frequency GNSS has shown to perform comparably to high-end sports watches like the Garmin Fenix 8, usually staying within 50-100 meters of the reference device over long distances like 30-mile rides. This system allows quick GPS signal acquisition and maintains consistent location accuracy throughout various routes. The GT 5 Pro also supports new features such as displaying live cycling data on your phone and offline color maps for workouts, making it a versatile device for outdoor navigation and fitness tracking.
However, some users have reported inconsistent GPS accuracy issues with the GT 5 Pro, finding its tracking precision disappointing compared to other smartwatches like the Amazfit GTR 4. Despite these anecdotal reports, most scientific and systematic reviews tend to praise the watch's GPS capabilities as very good, usually consistent and reliable for everyday outdoor use.
In comparison, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is widely regarded for its precise and robust GPS and health tracking features. The Ultra 2 supports multi-band GNSS, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and BeiDou, providing extremely accurate positioning data. It is designed with outdoor adventure and sports in mind, ensuring strong GPS performance even in challenging environments, such as underwater or remote areas. The Ultra 2 has received praise for its seamless integration of GPS data with health and fitness metrics, delivering advanced running form analysis, golf tracking, diving GPS profiles, and more. Its chipset and software optimizations give it a reputation for high GPS accuracy and responsiveness.
Both watches utilize advanced GNSS systems, but Huawei's GT 5 Pro focuses on improving GPS accuracy with its new Sunflower Positioning System and dual-frequency signals, while Apple's Ultra 2 capitalizes on broader GNSS compatibility combined with highly refined software and sensor integrations.
The Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro offers longer battery life, lasting up to 14 days under moderate use and 3 to 4 days during heavy GPS workouts, whereas the Apple Watch Ultra 2 typically lasts around 2 to 3 days, favoring feature-rich usage over long battery endurance.
In summary, both watches have excellent GPS capabilities but cater to slightly different priorities:
- Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro emphasizes extended battery life, competitive GPS route and distance accuracy (claimed improvements of up to 40%), and dual-frequency GNSS technology. It offers comparable GPS tracking performance to some top fitness watches and introduces practical outdoor navigation features.
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 is engineered for highly accurate, multi-band GNSS positioning integrated with advanced health monitoring and outdoor sports features. Its GPS accuracy is considered top-tier in the smartwatch market, with robust performance even in extreme conditions.
The Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro's GPS accuracy can be considered very good and improved over previous generations but may not consistently surpass the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which benefits from Apple's extensive ecosystem, sensor fusion, and software algorithms that optimize GPS precision and health data tracking in varied environments.
Overall, if pure GPS accuracy and advanced multi-sport tracking features in extreme conditions are the highest priority, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is generally regarded as superior. However, if battery life, cost efficiency, and solid GPS performance within typical outdoor fitness use cases are important, the Huawei Watch GT 5 Pro remains a strong competitor with recently enhanced GPS technology.
This assessment is based on manufacturer claims, expert reviews including comparative analysis against other high-end smartwatches, user experience reports, and technical specifications of the GNSS systems used by both devices.