Huawei Honor Band 4 review and setup and connection instructions

Why do you need Honor Band 4, what are its functions and capabilities?

In fact, a fitness bracelet is not just a fashion accessory, but a gadget that helps make our lives a little more comfortable and simpler, no matter how loud it may sound.

So, here is a list of the main functions of the Band 4 smartwatch:

• Displays the time, date and day of the week (yes, even such a smart gadget can perform the functions of a regular watch that costs a couple of dollars).
• Automatic heart rate monitoring and real-time heart rate measurement.
• Track various sports modes including running, walking and swimming.
• Sleep tracking using TruSleep technology, identifying sleep stages and recommendations for improving it.
• Counting steps, calories and distance traveled.
• Notifications about calls, SMS and messages from social networks.
• Activity reminders.
• Alarm clock and smart alarm clock.
• Weather forecast.
• Timer.
• Stopwatch.
• Remote control of a smartphone camera.
• Phone search.
• NFC (this feature is only useful if you live in China).
• Show off in front of friends (joke).

Why such a gadget is needed, it seems, we figured it out. Let's move on to the review of the Honor Band 4 bracelet.

As usual in reviews, let's start with the unboxing. They came to us in a slightly wrinkled blue box:

1. The fitness bracelet itself;
2. Charger;
3. USB – microUSB cable (length slightly more than 10 cm);
4. Brief operating instructions in a language that is not entirely clear.

The process of unpacking, connecting and setting can be seen in the video:

Battery

The battery in the Honor Band 4 smart bracelet is standard - 100 mAh. Since the device has a color display, it discharges faster than in the same Mi Band 3. If you turn off the continuous heart rate monitoring function, the battery may last for a maximum of two weeks. If you leave it turned on, you can use the bracelet for no more than 6 days.

In all other respects, Honor Band 4 is a completely ordinary bracelet. He, like everyone else, can count calories, show the distance traveled in steps and kilometers, monitor the quality of sleep, wake up his wearer, and so on.

Features and screen

Externally, Band 4 is very similar to its predecessor. It has the same rectangular shape and a silicone strap with a classic, reliable clasp. We have a bracelet with a blue strap, but you can also order a tracker with a pink or black strap. There are already a lot of straps in other colors available on Aliexpress, so there are many options for making an almost unique device.

There are no particular complaints about the build quality. Everything is neat, civilized, nothing creaks or falls off. I'm glad that there is 2.5D glass on top of the screen, and not some strange plastic, like the Xiaomi Mi Band 3, which can even be scratched with a fingernail. Judging by the reviews on various forums, the Band 4 glass copes remarkably well with scratches and even quite strong impacts.

Another good thing is the high brightness of the screen. This is probably the brightest screen we have ever seen in a fitness bracelet. Moreover, there are three levels of brightness adjustment, and for many users even a minimum of one is enough. There is also an automatic adjustment function in the dark, which will help save battery power.

The display here uses a color AMOLED screen with a resolution of 240*120 pixels. It can hold up to 45 Chinese characters, while the same Mi Band 3 displays only 23 characters, which is almost 2 times less.

On the bottom of the tracker you can see an optical heart rate sensor and charging contacts. The battery is charged using its own charger, which is not very convenient, since you will have to carry an additional accessory with you when traveling or traveling. By the way, you won’t have to charge the battery very often. A 110 mAh battery is enough for 14 days of use in a very gentle mode, and for about 5-6 days of “full” use.

Information about the type of processor and memory may be superfluous, but if anyone is interested, the gadget uses an Applo 3 chip in combination with 384 KB of RAM and 16 MB of internal memory. A 6-axis acceleration sensor, combining a gyroscope and an accelerometer, is responsible for the accuracy of determining exercises, counting steps and other indicators. It allows you to minimize the number of false alarms, for example, when you are in transport or washing your hair.

Display Features

There are no differences between the devices in terms of screen diagonal, since they have a 0.95-inch sensor. They are also united by the ability to transmit color images with a high level of clarity and saturation. This became possible thanks to their equipment with an AMOLED matrix, which has proven itself well even when exposed to direct sunlight.

There are no differences in the resolution of the display module, which is 120x240 megapixels. To protect it, manufacturers decided to use 2.5D tempered glass. In practice, it can withstand quite serious mechanical stress without the slightest consequences for itself.

Band 4 water resistance

The fitness bracelet is waterproof up to 50 meters (5 ATM). This does not mean that you can dive with it to a depth of 50 meters, as many believe. The 5 ATM rating means that the bracelet was tested under static water pressure of 50 meters of water column, but in reality, if you get caught in a wave while swimming, the pressure can already exceed 3 ATM.

Therefore, you can swim at shallow depths, but you should not dive. Also, all manufacturers do not recommend using gadgets in hot or salty sea water. Although for many users such experiments end without consequences.

Honor Band 4 watch faces

At the time of the presentation, 4 types of digital dials and one pointer dial were shown. At the moment there are only two types of digital and 1 pointer interface. Perhaps in the future their number will increase with updates.

The default Home or Home screen displays the following information:

• Time.
• Date of.
• Day of the week.
• Number of steps.
• Weather.
• Bluetooth connection status.
• Battery status.

The second type of interface displays the time, date, day of the week, distance traveled, number of steps and calories burned. The arrow version shows the time, day of the week and date.

Fitness bracelet control

The Band 4 has a touch screen, so all controls are done using gestures. You can swipe up or down to move between functions; select a function by clicking on its icon. Pressing the touch button at the bottom of the screen activates it and also serves as a return to the main screen. Swipe right – return to the previous menu.

Let's go through the menu:

1. Messages . Messages that have not yet been read will be stored here. If the message is read on a smartphone, it will be deleted from the bracelet.
2. More . This menu section contains several settings and options:

• Dials. As already mentioned, there are only three of them so far.
• Phone search. By selecting this option, the smartphone will start beeping and will help you find it somewhere behind the sofa (if connected via Bluetooth).
• Timer.
• Stopwatch.
• Brightness. You can select one of three levels, and also activate dimming at night.
• Reset (reset the tracker to factory settings).
• Reboot.
• Shutdown.
• Regulatory acts (here you can see the model number, serial number, and a couple of obscure Chinese characters).
• Information (bracelet name, MAC address, software version).

3. AliPay . Contactless payment interface using barcode or QR code, which is supported only in China.

4. Training

The bracelet can track several sports modes:

• Running outside.
• Running on a treadmill.
• Walking outside.
• Bike.
• Exercise bike.
• Swimming in the pool. The gadget automatically recognizes swimming style, speed, number of laps and SWOLF parameter.
• Free training (automatic determination of training parameters that are not included in the standard ones).

For any type of training, you can set a goal (time or distance) and set intermediate signals. The received data is synchronized with the Huawei Health mobile application. If you wish, you can share your achievements with friends.

5. Sleep . This submenu will display sleep information using HUAWEI TruSleep technology. The technology was developed by HUAWEI specialists in collaboration with the CDB Center at Harvard Medical School. Based on the results of clinical testing, this technology was highly rated. TruSleep can automatically detect the time of falling asleep, waking up, the depth of sleep and provide recommendations for improving it.

6. Pulse . Real-time heart rate measurement.

7. Steps . This interface displays the number of steps taken and the progress of the goal. After clicking on the icon, the following data is displayed:

• Number of steps.
• Calories.
• Distance.
• Minutes of average and high load for the current day.
• Activity hours. Displayed through a fraction, for example, 10/12 means that you spent 10 hours actively, and 12 resting.

The mobile application allows you to change the order of the above menu items and delete unused ones.

Huawei Health app and connection instructions

To set up the bracelet and synchronize data with your smartphone, you will need a mobile application. The tracker only works with the Huawei Health app, which is compatible with IOS and ANDROID devices.

The application is completely free and can be downloaded from Google Play (for ANDROID) using this link, as well as from the App Store (for IOS devices) using this link. You can also download it using the code that will appear on the bracelet screen after turning it on, or simply by its name from the application stores.

Since May 2021, Huawei Health from the Play Store has stopped working normally on smartphones from a number of manufacturers. The problem is solved by installing the “Health” application from Huawei’s proprietary application store – AppGallery. To do this, you will first have to install AppGallery (from here: https://huaweimobileservices.com/appgallery/) on your smartphone, and then download Huawei Health from it.

Instructions for pairing the fitness bracelet with a smartphone

Huawei Honor Band 4 has a smart alarm function that detects sleep stages and wakes you up at the most appropriate time, so that you feel alert and full of energy. To pair with a smartphone, use the “Huawei Health” application, which can be installed on both Android and iOS. It has detailed information on your statistics, number of steps, distance traveled and much more. Bluetooth is used for connection.

To pair with a smartphone, follow the following instructions:

• Turn on Bluetooth on the phone and launch the Huawei Health application;
• In the list of available devices, find the Honor Band 4 watch and click connect;
• We connect the input on the fitness tracker.

Connecting Honor Band 4

After the application is downloaded and installed, launch it. We then follow the connection instructions:

1. Click add device (plus sign in the upper right corner of the screen).

2.Select Smart Bracelet from the list.

3.Select Honor Band 4.

4.Click “Pair”. At the next stage, we agree to synchronize via Bluetooth. Agree with the location determination (useful for weather forecasts).

5.Select a bracelet from the list.

6.Confirm pairing on the bracelet by clicking the icon that appears.

7.Click “Done”.

That's it, the connection is complete, now all that remains is to update the bracelet software and configure it. After pairing, the bracelet will pick up the phone's language and its entire interface will be translated.

By the way, the first update takes a long time, so you shouldn’t worry about it. For example, for me it took about 15 minutes to update.

The application interface is very simple and intuitive, so there should be no problems with setup.

It is divided into three tabs: “Home”, “Exercise” and “Me”.

home

The “Home” tab displays information about activity:

• For the current day.
• Recordings of classes.
• Sleep, Weight and Heart Rate tabs.
• Steps.

Clicking on one of these options opens more detailed statistics in the form of a graph with detail by day, week, month or year.

Exercise

The next section of the menu is for training. Here you can start an exercise, set plans and monitor its progress. You can also start workouts from the bracelet itself in a specific interface.

Me (settings)

This tab allows you to fully customize the following bracelet parameters:

1. Target . In this tab you can set a goal for the number of steps and weight.
2. Profile . Biometric data is set here: gender, date of birth, height and weight. This data is necessary for more accurate tracking.
3. Sending data . From this point you can link the tracker to third-party applications Google Fit or MyFitnessPal.
4. Settings . General settings, such as managing goal notifications, setting heart rate threshold, system of measures, etc.

Conclusion

A fitness bracelet is a useful device for any person who monitors their health. If you are thinking about buying one, you should definitely pay attention to the Honor Band 4. At the moment, this is objectively one of the best devices available on the market. Considering its ridiculous price, you can buy it today.

We hope that you read our review with interest and found a lot of useful information for yourself!

Setting up Honor Band 4

Huawei TruSleep . Enabling this option enables real-time monitoring of sleep and breathing quality.

Reminder . Notification to move.

Continuous heart rate monitoring . This feature allows you to automatically measure your heart rate and notify you when your heart rate limit is exceeded.

Alarm . Allows you to set up to 5 alarms.

Do not disturb . In this section, you can configure periods when the bracelet will not vibrate and notify you of calls and messages. Also at this point, you can turn on the screen by raising your wrist in do not disturb mode.

Notifications . What's good about Band 4 is the ability to set up notifications for any application installed on your smartphone.

Weather reports . Enabling this function allows you to display weather information on the main screen of the tracker. The forecast is taken from the Health application.

Bluetooth disconnect notification . When this feature is enabled and the connection is lost, the bracelet will vibrate.

Setting up functions . In this submenu you can change the order of functions on the screen or delete unused ones.

• Activate the screen by raising your wrist.
• Rotate your wrist to switch functions.
• Automatic device update via WiFi
• Software Update.
• Reset settings to factory settings.
• Disabling the bracelet.

Where to buy Honor Band 4

Of course, the cheapest place to buy a tracker is in one of the Chinese online stores. There are several disadvantages of such a purchase: a long wait for the package and possible problems with warranty service if problems arise. But the lower cost makes up for these shortcomings, since there it costs almost half the recommended price in the official Honor online store. Below we will provide links to trusted sellers from Aliexpress and to the manufacturer’s official online store. Where to buy is up to you.

Official Honor online store. Price 4490 rubles.

Hello online store. Price 1399 hryvnia.

NIYOQUE Offiacl Store. Price $26.09.

hongkong willvast Store. Price $25.25.

New Box Store. Price $23.52.

Equipment

The delivery set is spartan. Inside a small box made of loose cardboard is the bracelet itself in a plastic stand, a short user manual and a warranty card in several languages, including Russian and Ukrainian. That's it, there's nothing else in the box! No cables, no charging docks. They are simply not needed here. At one end of the case there is a USB connector that can be plugged into any power adapter or laptop connector.

Specifications

Appearance

It is difficult to highlight anything special in the design of Honor Band 4, except perhaps the button under the display. In this regard, the fourth model is an almost complete copy of Honor Band 3. The tracker is completely black, minimalistic in appearance and does not attract attention to itself. It is very simple in design, its body consists of two halves - the main part and the glass covering the display. The glass is convex and has an oleophobic coating applied to it; prints do not linger on it and are easily removed from it. The designers tried to diversify the appearance of the device at least a little, which was reflected in the decorative mesh on the strap. In black, the bracelet even looks a little boring, in my opinion. There is also a version with a dark blue strap on sale.

LineHonor Band 4 Smart watches and fitness bracelets on

Models in the line: 3

Price range: 299 − 999 UAH

The most frequently asked questions about the bracelet

How to turn it on?

The bracelet is turned on by pressing and holding the touch button at the bottom of the screen for several seconds.

How to connect Honor Band 4?

The detailed procedure for connecting the bracelet to a smartphone is described above.

How to turn it off?

To turn off or reboot the tracker, you need to go to the menu, then go to the “More” menu, then scroll down to the “Shutdown” item. There is also a “reboot” button.

How to change time and date?

The bracelet does not have a special button for changing the time and date. This data is retrieved from the smartphone automatically after pairing.

How to charge?

The battery is charged using its own charging cradle connected to the USB connector of the laptop or to any serviceable and high-quality power supply, regardless of the amperage. Charging time to 100% is approximately 1.5 – 2 hours.

What is the real autonomy of the bracelet?

When using all functions, one battery charge lasts approximately 6-7 days. With light use it can last up to 2 weeks. In standby mode, the charge lasts for about 20-25 days.

How to change language?

The bracelet arrives initially in Chinese. When paired with a smartphone, it will automatically translate into the smartphone's language. If an unsupported language is enabled on the phone, the bracelet turns on the default language (unfortunately Chinese).

How to set up notifications?

Honor Band 4 notifications are configured in the Huawei Health application. To do this, go to the application, bracelet settings, then notifications. From the list that opens, you need to select the applications from which the bracelet should receive notifications and move the sliders next to these applications to the ON position.

Weather settings Honor Band 4

The weather is updated by the Huawei Health app based on location data. To correctly display and update the forecast, the bracelet must be connected to the smartphone and the application must be excluded from battery optimization.

Does NFC work in Honor Band 4?

No, and there won't be. The NFC function is only useful for Chinese residents. Outside of it, you can pay with a bracelet only by leaving it as a deposit.

Can this fitness band measure blood pressure?

No, unfortunately, there is no function for measuring blood pressure.

Does the bracelet have GPS?

No, this tracker does not have its own GPS module, nor does it have a barometric altimeter (altimeter).

Which model should you prefer?

In terms of indicators such as the quality of the display module, compatibility with smartphones and the level of water resistance between the devices, there is complete parity. Their differences are hidden in the battery life, since the Xiaomi device is capable of operating in standby mode for almost a week longer than its rival. The newer version of Bluetooth 5.0, which has a longer range and stable connection, also speaks in its favor. The advantage of this model is its high response speed, since the Huawei device is characterized by a certain delay in displaying notifications.