Huawei Band 9: Full SCIENTIFIC Review (I Was WRONG! & Right…)

Summary

In this video, the presenter revisits the Huawei Band 9 after initial skepticism, presenting a comprehensive review of its heart rate and sleep stage tracking capabilities. Utilizing extensive data, they compare the Band 9's performance to industry standards, revealing varying results when worn on different wrists. While heart rate tracking shows promise, especially on the left wrist, sleep tracking falls short. The video offers insights into smartwatch testing inconsistencies and positions the Band 9 as a budget-friendly option for heart rate monitoring, with a cautionary note on its sleep tracking reliability.

Takeaways

• 📈 The Huawei Band 9's initial testing showed less favorable results compared to the Band 8, but with more data, a different story emerged.
• 🔄 The reviewer tested the Band 9 on both wrists and found discrepancies in performance, suggesting wrist differences or production quality may affect results.
• 💓 The heart rate tracking accuracy varied between the two Bands tested, with one performing significantly better than the other.
• 🚴‍♂️ In indoor cycling tests, the Band 9 showed some deviation from the reference heart rate, but the performance was not terrible and was better when worn on the left wrist.
• 🏃‍♂️ For outdoor running, both Band 9s showed high correlation values, indicating good heart rate tracking performance.
• 🚵‍♂️ In outdoor cycling, the Band 9's performance slightly decreased compared to indoor cycling and running, but still outperformed many other smartwatches.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Weightlifting tests showed the Band 9 could track heart rate reasonably well, despite the physical challenges of the exercise.
• 💤 Sleep stage tracking with the Band 9 was not as accurate as hoped, with low agreement percentages for deep and REM sleep stages.
• 📊 The correlation values for heart rate tracking and sleep stage accuracy were used to compare the Band 9 with other devices, revealing mixed results.
• 🔮 The reviewer suggests that the Band 9's performance might be influenced by random variation, wrist differences, or production quality inconsistencies.
• 🌟 Despite some inconsistencies, the overall impression of the Band 9 is positive for heart rate tracking, but not for sleep stage tracking.

Q & A

What was the initial concern about the Huawei Band 9 presented in the first video?

The initial concern was that the Huawei Band 9 appeared to perform less well than the older Band 8, at least based on the initial data from the first video.

What has changed since the first video on the Huawei Band 9?

The presenter now has access to the full set of data, which tells a different and potentially more interesting story about the Band 9's performance.

What are the two main aspects of the Huawei Band 9 that the video focuses on?

The video focuses on the Sleep stage tracking performance and the heart rate tracking accuracy of the Huawei Band 9.

How was the heart rate tracking performance of the Huawei Band 9 tested?

The heart rate tracking performance was tested by comparing the readings from the Band 9 with those from the Polar H10 HD chest strap, which is known for recording heart rates accurately.

What was the correlation value for the heart rate tracking on the Band 9 worn on the right wrist?

The correlation value for the Band 9 worn on the right wrist was 0.81, which is considered mediocre at best.

How did the performance of the Band 9 on the left wrist compare to the one on the right wrist?

The Band 9 on the left wrist showed a much better agreement with the reference device, with a higher correlation value of 0.96, indicating a more accurate heart rate tracking.

What was the overall conclusion about the heart rate tracking performance of the Band 9 compared to other watches?

The Band 9, especially the one worn on the left wrist, performed decently, being close to the Huawei Band 8 and other Huawei devices, but not as well as some newer, high-end models like the Apple Watch.

How did the Band 9 perform in tracking sleep stages compared to the zMAX EG headband?

The Band 9 did not perform well in tracking sleep stages, with low agreement percentages for deep sleep, light sleep, and REM sleep compared to the zMAX EG headband.

What is the recommendation for using the Band 9 for sleep tracking?

The recommendation is to use the Band 9 to track total time in bed and overall sleep time, but not to rely on its sleep stage tracking due to its low accuracy.

What could be the reasons for the difference in performance between the two Band 9 devices tested?

The reasons for the difference in performance could include random variation, differences in the user's bone and blood flow on each wrist, or differences in production quality between the two devices.

What is the final rating for the heart rate tracking performance of the Band 9?

The final rating for the heart rate tracking performance of the Band 9, considering the better of the two devices tested, is around four out of five stars.

What is the final rating for the sleep stage tracking performance of the Band 9?

The final rating for the sleep stage tracking performance of the Band 9 is two out of five stars, indicating it is not very reliable for sleep stage tracking.