HONOR Band 6

HONOR Band 6

The HONOR Band 6 is a fitness band released in November 2020 in China. The international version is expected to be released in January 2021. The line between a fitness band and smartwatch are blurring as there is significant overlap between these 2 segments.

From a specification perspective, the Band 6 hardware is similar to the Band 5 but with a different screen and overall look. The Band 5 has the traditional narrow fitness band design while the Band 6 has more of a smartwatch shape. In fact the Band 6 looks more like the HONOR Watch ES than the Band 5 as can be seen by the photos below.

Unfortunately HONOR does not disclose the chipset used for the Band 6. That being said, the watch does not lag and is very responsive.

This watch is using Lite OS, the proprietary operating system for HUAWEI and HONOR smartwatches (Note: HUAWEI sold the HONOR brand in November 2020). While there are some available apps, the number is minimal and you do not have access to a 3rd party app store such as the Google Play Store. This is a significant disadvantage and is common drawback for any smartwatch using a proprietary operating system.

Design

The HONOR Band 6 has a rectangular watch face design with a plastic case.  The watch is available in black, gray or pink. While the HONOR Band 6 is larger than most other fitness bands, the 43 x 25.4 x 11.5 mm size is smaller than most smartwatches. The watch is slim with a thickness of 11.5 mm and only weighs 18g. It is comfortable and can be worn while sleeping.

The Band 6 comes with a 20mm silicone interchangeable strap. The strap is comfortable and quality is acceptable for this low price point.

You can interact with the watch using the touchscreen and 1 physical button. The touchscreen works well with no lag. Fonts, menus and icons can easily be read and navigation is not too complex.

The Band 6 has a 5ATM water resistance rating which allows for swimming and showers. The watch also has a swimming mode that allows the screen to be locked. Salt water or chlorine could be problematic so make sure to rinse, wipe and dry the watch after swimming.

Screen

The screen of the Band 6 is one of the highlights of this smartwatch, especially when compared to other fitness bands. The 1.47″ AMOLED Touchscreen, with 194 x 368 pixels and 283 pixel density delivers a high-quality visual experience. Indoors the display is excellent and outdoors it is good as well.

HONOR does not indicate what screen protection is provided which is disappointing. That being said, this is not a rugged watch and we imagine most people looking to purchase would not be doing activities that will be damaging the watch.

Unfortunately, the watch does not have an always on screen option. The watch allows for custom watchfaces which is a nice feature.

Battery

The HONOR Band 6 comes with a 170mAh battery. HONOR claims that typical usage battery life is 14 days and watch mode battery life is 10 days. Real world battery life is approximately 10 days, while not best in class, is actually pretty good.

Connectivity Features

From a connectivity perspective, the Band 6 has limited functionality when compared to full featured smartwatches. The watch can only receive notifications and there is no ability to respond to notifications from the watch. Also notifications do not show emojis. At this price range, while not ideal, this may not be a deal breaker.

As this is a budget device, the Band 6 lacks a few other features.

  • Does not come with GPS
  • Does not have a speaker or microphone and does not have the ability to answer or place calls via Bluetooth.
  • Does not have WiFi connectivity
  • Does not have a camera
  • Does not have cellular connectivity
  • Does not have Near Field Communication (NFC) for payments

Note there is an NFC version of the Band 6 but this only works in China using Alipay.

Health and Fitness Features

The Band 6 comes with 4 sensors: Accelerometer,  Gyroscope, Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), Pulse Oximeter (SpO2). These cover numerous fitness and health areas. These sensors allow you to track the following 11 metrics: Blood Oxygen Level, Calories, Distance, Fitness Level, Heart Rate, Menstrual Cycle, Sleep, Steps, Stress, Swimming, VO2 Max.

Also included are 10 different sports modes. This covers all the key sporting activities but is less comprehensive than some other smartwatches.

HONOR Band 6 Sports

Fitness monitoring is pretty good while health monitoring is limited.

HUAWEI Health App

The HONOR Band 6 uses the HUAWEI Health app, which is very good particularly for fitness and sports tracking. The app is not cluttered, easy to navigate and works quite well. You can see how the HUAWEI Health app ranks on our Smartwatch Apps Page.

Known Issues

Connected GPS not automatically starting

While the HONOR 6 does not come with GPS, it can connect with your phone’s GPS to track a run, walk or ride. This works seamlessly when using an HONOR, Huawei or Apple phone. However for all other Andriod phones, the GPS does not start tracking automatically when you select a sport on the band. The workaround for this is to start the activity in your phone rather than on the band.

Verdict

The HONOR Band 6 is a good choice if you are looking for a fitness band with a large screen and a smartwatch style. If you prefer the traditional band style, the HONOR Band 5 is the better choice since functionality is nearly identical. Fitness and sleep tracking work well. Band is lightweight and battery life is very good. Drawbacks include no notification reply ability, no GPS, no 3rd party apps and no NFC.

Specifications

General

Read Review
Watch Type Fitness Band
Gender Unisex
Release Date November 2020
Operating System Proprietary - Lite OS
App HUAWEI Health
Supported Devices Android 5.0+, iOS 9.0+
Processor Not Disclosed

Design

Shape Rectangular
Case Size 43 x 25.4 x 11.5 mm
Case Material Plastic
Weight 18g
Strap Width 20 mm
Strap Material Silicone
Interchangeable Strap Yes
Watch Colors Black, Gray, Pink
Input Touchscreen, 1 Button
Water Resistance 5 ATM

Screen

Screen Size 1.47"
Screen Type AMOLED Touchscreen
Resolution 194 x 368
Pixels per Inch 283
Always On No
Custom Faces Yes
Screen Protection None

Battery

Typical Usage Battery Life (Days) 14
Watch Mode Battery Life (Days) 10
GPS Mode Battery Life (Days) N/A
Charging System Magnetic
Capacity 170 mAh

Features

Notifications Receive Only
Bluetooth v5.0
Bluetooth Calling No
Bluetooth Music No
Speaker No
Microphone No
Camera No
Cellular No
GPS No
Near Field Communication (NFC) No
Payments No
WiFi No
Voice Command No
Memory None
Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), Pulse Oximeter (SpO2)
Tracking Blood Oxygen Level, Calories, Distance, Fitness Level, Heart Rate, Menstrual Cycle, Sleep, Steps, Stress, Swimming, VO2 Max
Sport Modes 10
Automatic Workout Detection Yes
Warranty 12 Months

Summary

Unique Features Large screen for a fitness band
Advantages Good price for specs
14 day battery life
Good quality screen
Very good fitness and sports apps
Disadvantages Cannot respond to notifications, no emoji support
No NFC or payment capability outside of China
No Strava support
Verdict Good choice if you are looking for a fitness band with a large screen. Fitness and sleep tracking work well. Band is lightweight and battery life is very good. Drawbacks include no notification reply ability, no GPS, no 3rd party apps and no NFC.

Published: December 22, 2020

HONOR Band 6 - WatchSmarty
HONOR Band 6

The HONOR Band 6 is the one of the best choices for a lightweight fitness band with a large screen and good battery life. Fitness and sleep tracking work well.

Product SKU: HONOR Band 6

Product Brand: HONOR

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 40

Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01

Product In-Stock: SoldOut

Editor's Rating:
6.8