The modular Huawei Watch GT Cyber lets you swap out the case and strap for a different look

Huawei is no stranger to weird and wonderful smartwatch designs but its latest wearable – the Huawei Watch GT Cyber – is something else. Instead of something outlandish masquerading as a proper smartwatch, it’s a normal smartwatch trying desperately look like a “real” timepiece.    

It comes in two parts: the so-called “movement” part and an outer case and strap, which are all of a piece. The idea is that you can change the watch’s look simply by popping out the “movement” and snapping it back into your strap of choice.

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Huawei includes a couple of these detachable case-and-strap combos in the box with the watch but there are four other styles available for customers to buy as optional extras. You can even remove the digital crown and replace it with one that matches the colour of your strap if you’re desperate to have everything match up.

Huawei even promises to allow users to match the colour of the watch face to the colour of what they’re wearing by taking a quick photograph. One thing you cannot do, however, is interchange the straps with third party models as you can with some other smartwatches.

I rather like the design of the GT Cyber. I had the opportunity to handle a grey resin case and a two-tone brass and black case and the angular, squared shape of it, framing the circular movement look quite striking, with nice details like the exposed machine screws a nice touch.

There are five other styles to choose from – two “elegant” styles, two “sport” ones, and a pair of “urban” styles – but I think the one I was shown is the pick of the bunch.

It’s clear to see the market Huawei is going for here. It’s targeted at outdoor enthusiasts and those who like the aesthetic of watches like Casio’s G-Shock but might want something with a little more sophistication. Ostensibly, it certainly seems tough enough and it’s waterproof to 5ATM as well. And, to my mind, there’s more than a whiff of Bell & Ross about the pictured Huawei Watch GT Cyber with its bronze accents and square case shape.

Underneath the surface, though, it’s pretty much a standard Huawei smartwatch; unfortunately the word “movement” doesn’t refer to any kind of mechanical workings as you might expect it to. Inside, the Huawei Watch GT Cyber is 100% a traditional smartwatch with a bright, sharp OLED display and all of Huawei’s usual cutting edge wearable tech. There’s the latest TruSeen 5.0+ HR heart rate sensor, with all that that entails, including all-day heart rate monitoring and SpO2 monitoring, plus all the usual workout modes and training tools.

Huawei Watch GT Cyber hands-on review: Early verdict

The final catch, unfortunately, is that Huawei isn’t currently planning on bringing the Huawei Watch GT Cyber to European markets. Don’t hold your breath but, if they do eventually relent, it will sit between the Huawei Watch GT 3 at £200, to which it is closest in terms of features, and the Watch GT 3 SE, which has an RRP of £150.

That, in my opinion, is pretty reasonable for a smartwatch that looks this nice. Keep your fingers crossed that it eventually ends up on shelves over here.