OnePlus Watch 2
The OnePlus Watch 2 aims to redeem OnePlus in the world of smartwatches — but does it succeed? Turns out, it has a lot to offer.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Zippy performance
- Excellent battery life
- Wear OS 4
Cons
- Some missing fitness-tracking features
OnePlus isn’t totally new to the smartwatch game. A few short years ago, the company launched the original OnePlus Watch, a device that received fine reviews, but failed to really make a name for itself as a top contender in the smartwatch game. Now, however, OnePlus is back with a follow-up, and this time, it has some pretty unique claims. OnePlus, for example, says that the OnePlus Watch 2 can last an impressive 100 hours on a charge.
The OnePlus Watch 2 clearly isn’t perfect — nor is it for everyone. The device only comes in one size and is missing some health-tracking features that have become commonplace. But, at least at first glance, it may well represent a much more serious smartwatch offering from OnePlus.
OnePlus Watch 2 design
The OnePlus Watch 2 offers a premium, high-end design that I found to look and feel great. Our review unit offers a Radiant Steel case, however the device is also available in a Black Steel that also looks quite good.
The shape of the watch looks great too. The device is circular, but the case has a flat edge on the right side, which helps set the device apart from some of the competition. Also on the right side can be found a crown and a button.
Confusingly, these are actually just…both buttons. The crown can physically rotate, but it doesn’t actually control anything in the software when rotated. So, the two physical controls essentially do the same thing. I’m a little confused why OnePlus didn’t either allow the crown to control software, or simply replace it with a second button. I would have preferred the former.
The OnePlus Watch 2 is relatively rugged too. The device offers the MIL-STD-810H durability rating found on some other wearable devices, which means that it can supposedly withstand extreme conditions like high heat. Additionally, the device has an IP68 rating that allows it to withstand water pressure up to 50 meters, so it’s suitable for swimming unless you plan on going scuba diving. That’s good news — in 2024, all wearable devices should be water-resistant enough to swim with.
Unfortunately, the OnePlus Watch 2 is only available in one size (46mm) — so if you have smaller wrists, you might find that it’s a little too large for your needs.
OnePlus Watch 2 display
The OnePlus Watch 2 has a 1.43-inch display with a 466 x 466 resolution. It has a maximum brightness of 600 nits.
Generally, it looks great. I found that it easily got bright enough for the vast majority of situations, including outdoor use. The display on a watch is never as important as a display on a phone, for example, but the display here still looks excellent.
OnePlus Watch 2 performance and battery
Under the hood, the OnePlus Watch 2 actually offers two processors — a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 wearable chip, coupled with a BES 2700 MCU. The end result is that the device will use the BES 2700 to process background tasks, and the Snapdragon W5 to handle more intensive foreground tasks.
This is what OnePlus says allows the device to get an impressive 100 hours of battery life.
But there are some important trade-offs to actually reaching 100 hours of battery life. Notably, the always-on display will have to be off (I kept it on), and you can only use the GPS for a certain amount of time. However, even the very fact that it’s possible to get 100 hours with a device like this is impressive.
I, of course, didn’t really approach 100 hours with the always-on display turned on. However, I did get around three days of normal use out of the device, with the display obviously turned off at night when it was in sleep mode.
The device charges quickly too, though I don’t love the charger. The watch can get a day’s worth of use in only around 10 minutes, which is very impressive. Charge for an hour, and the watch will get a full battery.
OnePlus Watch 2 features
Like most other smartwatches these days, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers a host of fitness and health-tracking features. The device can track over 100 different workout types and supports more advanced fitness-tracking metrics like VO2 max and ground contact time. Additionally, the watch has a dual-frequency GPS, which allows it to get more accurate GPS information in areas that might otherwise be more challenging.
The device has many of the sensors you would expect from a modern smartwatch, like heart rate and blood oxygen. Unfortunately, there are some features missing from the device, like an EKG sensor — which, speaking from the perspective of someone with Atrial Fibrillation, is a big miss. The device also doesn’t have any fall detection-type feature.
I did see a relatively big difference in the sleep tracked by my Apple Watch Ultra 2 compared with the OnePlus Watch 2 though. One night, while my Apple Watch Ultra 2 tracked 4 hours and 45 minutes of sleep, the OnePlus Watch 2 tracked 6 hours and 23 minutes — a difference of almost two hours. It seems like the truth is probably in between the two devices, though probably closer to the Apple Watch. I have a newborn baby, and 5 hours isn’t uncommon.
OnePlus Watch 2 software
The OnePlus Watch 2 comes with the new Wear OS 4 operating system, which means that it supports the latest and greatest Google-focused wearable features. I generally like Wear OS — it’s relatively easy to navigate, and it supports Google Assistant, helping make the device infinitely more helpful. There are other smartwatches that don’t support Google Assistant, which is a huge miss for them — but I’m glad to see it here.
Conclusions
The OnePlus Watch 2 represents a huge upgrade over the last-generation OnePlus Watch. That said, it is still missing some important features that would be expected of a smartwatch in 2024, like an EKG sensor, fall detection, and a cellular option. If these features aren’t important to you, then you’ll love what the OnePlus Watch 2 has to offer, especially in its price range.
The competition
There’s growing competition in the Android smartwatch space. Perhaps the most notable options are the Google Pixel Watch 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. The Pixel Watch 2 is an excellent device, however it doesn’t even approach the OnePlus Watch 2 in battery life, and has a much smaller build — though that may be helpful for some. The Galaxy Watch 6 is another compelling option and has a more comprehensive set of fitness-tracking features.
Should I buy the OnePlus Watch 2?
Yes. If you want an Android-based watch with excellent battery life, it’s a great option.
