Recently, OnePlus seems to be trying to stretch its limbs as much as possible in an effort to match (or at least come close to) Samsung's device and software ecosystem. It's far from there, but it's an effort, and it's evident from the various new products that Chinese brands have made in India in the past and this year. We saw the launch of two brand-new products from OnePlus, the premium OnePlus Pad (with some quality materials) and its high-end Plus Open Foldable. And now, there's a revival of its once-dead smartwatch lineup with the new OnePlus Watch 2
Like the other two OnePlus devices mentioned above, OnePlus either offers more features than the competition or undercuts it with a cutthroat price while cutting some essential features. As with the OnePlus Watch 2, it seems to have some new feature add-ons compared to smartwatches in this price range and above. It's very competitively priced, and it raises two questions: Does it work well when put together? And what exactly is lacking compared to similar products from competing brands? I've been using this smartwatch for over a month now and it's easy to say that despite its flaws, the OnePlus One is a clear winner.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Price in India
OnePlus Watch 2 is priced at Rs. Rs. There is money. There are Rs. There are Rs. 24,999 which at first glance seems very competitive for a War OS powered smartwatch that is available in only one size with a 46mm case, but thankfully in two finishes – Black Steel and Radiant Steel. In the box, OnePlus provides a magnetic charging dock and a short USB-C cable for charging.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Design and Specifications
The OnePlus Watch 2's 46mm case is made of stainless-steel that looks like it's made of plastic (with embedded glass fiber). The back has all the necessary sensors but four flat metal pins for charging as the watch doesn't use wireless charging (which has its advantages in this regard). But the downside of metal pins is that people with skin allergies should avoid them as they will come in contact with your skin while wearing them. According to OnePlus, the design offers 5ATM resistance, is IP68 certified for dust and water, and is MIL-STD-810H rated, making it able to withstand cold or extremely hot weather.
The fluorocarbon pressure (provided in the package) can be tied using a stainless steel bucket. These straps are of the 22mm type and are therefore interchangeable with regular 22mm third party straps available online. OnePlus doesn't offer any official strap options other than the fluoro rubber strap.
At 80 grams (including strap), it weighs a lot more than the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and the 47mm variant of the Apple Watch Ultra 2, but doesn't feel too heavy. I can comfortably wear it to bed while sleeping, which is great for those who want to make the most of its sleep-tracking features.
The display uses a 1.43-inch display panel but is protected by a 2.5D sapphire crystal face, which does not pick up any scratches or dents despite normal use. The 2.5D curvature of the face also makes swipe gestures (which this watch relies on) comfortable and inviting.
Looks are subjective (I'm a watch fan myself), I don't find the design of the OnePlus Watch 2 attractive, but the best is practical. The two buttons connected by a bridge on the right side gives it a unique look but makes it more suitable for left handed use. I believe OnePlus went for a mix of classic and modern watch design and got lost somewhere in between. Software driven watch faces are also very boring and not very original, fun or unique in any way. Some animations are also customizable but seem very limited, plus, adding a third-party watch face would be a high power draw as it's not supported by the system's built-in or downloadable (via companion apps) AOD mods.
Choosing between two colorways certainly has its advantages, with Black Steel, which we received for review, managing to cover the thick bezel around the circular display while the Radiant Steel finish makes the bezel stand out more. Samsung's regular Galaxy Watch looks very sleek and modern with its trimmed-down bezel, which is much thinner in comparison.
There are two pushers on the right side and the top pusher (called the home button) can be rotated, it doesn't work like a digital crown (for scrolling) but is only used to bring up the app menu when pressed. This is essential because otherwise the app menu cannot be accessed via swipe gestures (the other buttons (called the multifunction button) provide quick access to the workout menu), while the bottom button is limited to two (single press, double press).
As for specifications, the OnePlus Watch 2 has a 1.43-inch circular AMOLED display with 466x466 resolution. The highlight of the watch is a dual-processor architecture, which uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 processor (to run Wear OS) and a BES2700 processor (to run RTOS). It is equipped with a bunch of sensors to enable several fitness tracking features and includes dual-frequency GPS (L1 + L5). Since it's a smartwatch (partially powered by Qualcomm silicon), it has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and is powered by a 500mAh battery.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: Display
The OnePlus Watch 2's display gets plenty of brightness outdoors (1000 nits in high brightness mode), and I had no problem using it in direct sunlight. I like the watch's always-on-display (AOD) functionality, but it's a little too dark for my liking. The face of one of them shows a white outline This is a trick to save power and extend battery life, and third-party watch faces are not supported by the system's AOD process.
The seamless switch and dual-engine architecture that OnePlus has used with this watch are meant to achieve only one thing, and that is to extend battery life. And it's brilliantly designed
Due to the dual-engine architecture, all essential smartwatch functions (sleep and heart rate tracking, fitness tracking and call receiving) can be achieved in power saver mode. Like most smartwatches, a power saver mode works like a basic mode without any apps or fitness features. In this mode, the watch only runs RTOS software on a less power-hungry processor, allowing it to last up to 12 days on a single charge. However, you won't be able to access any Wear OS watch apps while in this mode
If you need to use apps (Calendar, WhatsApp or other third-party apps), the best way to do it is to use the default Smart Mode which provides 2-4 days of usage. It does this by switching between the two operating systems and processors when needed, and it allows the watch to extend battery life. And it achieves this while providing a smooth software interface for the user
During testing, I managed to use the watch for a good 7 days at default settings (AOD, SpO2 switched off) without any practice of GPS tracking, using only the default health tracking features and the watch for notifications. AOD, SpO2 monitoring and a daily 5km GPS-connected walk (workout) killed the watch's battery in 2.5 days, 1 day 7 hours longer than the Galaxy Watch 6's battery life.
Charging is also much faster than the competition, with the OnePlus Watch 2 managing an 87 percent charge in 30 minutes and a full charge in 46 minutes. Unlike most smartwatch chargers, which are hardwired into the charging unit, you can plug in any Type-C cable adapter to charge.
OnePlus uses Oppo's OHealth companion app which is only available for Android devices and while using it with Android devices, it refused to pair with the smartwatch when installed on the Oppo Find X7 Ultra, which was a bit odd. During the review period, I used it with the OnePlus 12, Pixel 7 Pro, and now connected to an Oppo Find N3 Flip while writing this review.
The software interface is simple and intuitive, the three basic tabs below setup keep it simple and straightforward, and it won't bug you every time you start using a new feature.
For the watch interface that basically wears the OS (when you interact with it). It runs smoothly but not error free the timer app doesn't repeat despite allowing me to tap the 'repeat' button. After losing the timer setting several times, I have now learned to set a new timer each time. The pre-installed Google Pay app also doesn't work for users in India, but it's nice to see no unnecessary bloatware in the app menu, one thing that bugs me a bit is the font inconsistency, the watch uses three. Fonts If you're running Android 13-based Roboto, you'll see the main (Settings, Play Store and other third-party apps), OnePlus apps (Weather, Clock app and more) and then OnePlus' own fonts in a third. . Font Wire OS in some settings (from Pixel Watch) but it's probably on the way to running the manufacturers OS (read restrictions).
Bluetooth calling also works well, with callers able to hear my voice loud and clear when calling from the Watch 2.
As for fitness and health features, there are some missing compared to smartwatches from Samsung and Apple No ECG feature and no blood pressure monitoring Samsung's Galaxy Watch also offers a Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement, which again is not available on the OnePlus Watch 2.
However, OnePlus is very much right as the OnePlus Watch 2 can also track your sleep patterns during short naps, which both Apple and Samsung devices cannot do.
SpO2 readings were more accurate than stand-alone pulse oximeters, and the same can be said for heart rate readings. I liked that I didn't have to hold my wrist in a fixed position like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 when measuring SpO2. When I tried it, the pressure readings matched my mental state with GPS accuracy, and my daily walking and running times should be accurate as well.
OnePlus Watch 2 Review: VerdictM
For its selling price, OnePlus has managed to get the basics right, whether it's fitness tracking, Bluetooth calling or the software experience, there's nothing to complain about with the Watch 2. Average battery life and a well-designed companion app will certainly make them welcome, but it's missing a lot of health features, including a lack of cellular options compared to Samsung and Apple, but my best guess is the addition of a smart battery. The mod and its dual cellular connection engine architecture will not work well
Additionally, OnePlus isn't really undercutting the competition, but has managed to create a product that will offer features from most users' smartwatches when paired with an Android smartphone. And its price tag is worth it for the smooth Wear OS software experience and performance it offers
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