Huawei Watch vs. Moto 360 (2nd gen)

We just might be looking at the two best-looking smartwatches to date. Let's size up the upcoming Huawei Watch and 2nd-gen Moto 360.

Size

This year Motorola is selling the Moto 360 in two different sizes. The larger model has the same-sized face as last year's Moto 360, while the smaller one has the same diameter as the Huawei Watch.

Neither of these smartwatches are particularly thin. For a frame of reference, the new Moto 360 is just 0.1 mm thinner than last year's model, while the Huawei Watch measures only a hair thinner than that.

Build (main body)

Both watches have stainless steel casings.

Band material

Both also ship with either leather or stainless steel bands. Huawei and Motorola also each give you several different styles of steel bands to choose from.

Quick release band

All of the Android Wear watches that were available before this week required you to mess with a pin to swap bands (likely requiring tools or maybe even a trip to the jeweler). But both the Huawei Watch and Moto 360 add a little extra convenience (and perhaps a little inspiration from the Apple Watch) with quick-release bands.

Colors

You can pick from several color options for each watch. And if you order the Moto 360 from the company's Moto Maker website, you can even pick different colors for the watch's bezel and casing.

Android compatibility

Any Android phone running version 4.3 or higher should do the trick with either watch.

iPhone compatibility

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Google added iPhone support to Android Wear watches.

Display size

The 46 mm Moto 360 has the biggest screen in this bunch, with the other two coming in at (roughly) 77 or 83 percent as big, respectively.

Fully round display

Motorola still hasn't "fixed" the "flat tire" on the Moto 360's screen. Does that mean this was an intentional design choice, and not an engineering compromise, in last year's model?

Huawei joins LG in having an Android Wear watch with a fully round screen.

Display resolution

Based on pixel density, the Huawei Watch is 9 percent sharper than the smaller Moto 360 and 23 percent sharper than the larger Moto.

Always-on display

Both watches give you the option of leaving a clock face showing at all times, something the first Moto 360 didn't do.

Display type

AMOLED displays make a lot of sense on smartwatches that use always-on displays, as no pixels need to fire for the black parts of the screen (which many watch faces and wearable UIs lean heavily on) – perhaps resulting in better battery life. It's a little surprising, then, that Motorola has opted for an IPS panel for the second year in a row.

Display material

The Moto 360's Gorilla Glass 3 is nothing to sneeze at, but it won't match the world's third hardest mineral, sapphire.

Battery

Huawei is advertising a day and a half battery life for its Watch, while Motorola is estimating up to 2 days (46 mm) or up to 1.5 days (42 mm), for the two different sizes of the 360.

Motorola's estimates are with its always-on display (ambient) setting turned off. With the setting on, those estimates drop to "up to 1 day." That could be that IPS LCD rearing its head.

Huawei didn't specify whether its estimates used the always-on display setting.

Wireless charging

The Huawei Watch uses a magnetic charging cradle, while the Moto 360 has built-in wireless charging (and includes a wireless charging dock).

Processor

Both watches run the Snapdragon 400, which has been in nearly every Android Wear watch so far.

RAM

Overall performance won't likely lean one way or the other, as RAM is also even.

Storage

Every Android Wear watch to date has had 4 GB internal storage.

Water resistance

Both the Huawei Watch and 2nd-gen Moto 360 are rated IP67, meaning they can soak in 1 m (3.3 ft) of water for 30 minutes and live to tell the tale (just don't try that with a leather band).

Heart rate monitor

Either way you get a built-in heart rate sensor; that's par for the course with most flagship smartwatches.

Software

Both watches should launch with the new Android Wear 1.3 update, which adds the option of clock faces with widgets/app-shortcuts.

Release

Both smartwatches are up for pre-order now, and are scheduled to start shipping later this month.

Starting price

The 42 mm Moto 360, as long as you stick with a leather band and standard color options, will ring up for the cheapest.

The Huawei Watch starts at US$350, but depending on the band and color you choose, it can shoot up as high as $800. The larger Moto 360 maxes out (at least for the time being) at $430.

For more, you can check out full reviews of the Huawei Watch and new Moto 360.