OnePlus Watch review (hands-on): Unboxing and first impressions - Tom's Guide

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OnePlus Watch quick specs

Price: $159
Release date: April 14
Size: 46mm
Storage: 1GB + 4GB
GPS: Yes
Water resistance: 5 ATM
Battery life: 14 days

The $159 OnePlus Watch finally offers OnePlus customers an effortless wearable accessory for their smartphones. 

OnePlus's first smartwatch debuted last month alongside the company's latest flagship handsets, the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. The OnePlus Watch is loaded with features we've come to expect on the best smartwatches, including fitness tracking and blood oxygen monitoring, plus a week-long battery life.

It also can be used to answer phone calls. In fact, for the price, the OnePlus Watch is shaping up to be one of the best cheap smartwatches that aims to keep up with pricier alternatives like the Fitbit Sense and Samsung Galaxy Watch 3. 

Since the OnePlus Watch is only compatible with Android phones, it's not really an Apple Watch Series 6 alternative, but it's still a formidable opponent to top-shelf wearables on paper. And after unboxing OnePlus's watch, I say it makes a convincing argument in terms of feel and design. 

Here's my early OnePlus Watch review impressions, with updates on experience and performance still to come after I've spent more time with this all-new smartwatch.

OnePlus Watch price and availbility

(Image credit: Future)

The OnePlus Watch will become available to buy on April 14. It's marketed much like OnePlus’ phones, which attempt to deliver premium features for less than what comparable flagship phones cost. At just $159, the OnePlus Watch is one of the least expensive smartwatches ever released by top smartphone maker.

To put that price in context, you can usually find the Apple Watch Series 3 for $169 with the best Apple Watch deals, making it the most comparable big-name smartwatch to OnePlus's in terms of price. The Fitbit Versa Lite and a number of Amazfit's smartwatches are less popular models, but also fall in the OnePlus Watch's price tier.

OnePlus Watch design

At a glance, you might think you’re looking at the Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 when you first see the OnePlus Watch. Both share the round face and rubber strap that tucks into itself and two buttons on the right hand side. But the OnePlus Watch appears less sporty and more sophisticated than Samsung's fitness-centered smartwatch, with a bold AMOLED touchscreen and 46-millimeter stainless steel case.

(Image credit: Future)

The OnePlus Watch's large display suits the larger overall build of the smartwatch. I'd say it's best for wrists larger than mine; however, it feels lightweight and is nearly as slim as my Apple Watch against my wrist. The pair of navigational buttons on the right side of the case sit pretty flush, too.

(Image credit: Future)

OnePlus Watch users have more than 50 watch faces to choose from. The included fluoroelastomer bands, though sturdy out of the box, are also interchangeable, with support for third-party styles to customize the overall look of the watch. 

As for durability, the OnePlus Watch is rated for 5 ATM water resistance, which means it can withstand wear up to 164 feet. 

OnePlus Watch features

The OnePlus Watch supports a number of health monitoring features, including 110 workout modes and 15 professional fitness modes. It also packs a step counter, accelerometer, blood oxygen sensor and continuous heart rate monitor. It tracks your sleep, and even sends you breath and stand notifications, too.

(Image credit: OnePlus)

When you're on the go for workouts, you can bring up to 500 songs with you thanks to the watch's built-in storage. The OnePlus Watch also has on-board GPS, so it can track your location and route your run or walk path, even when you leave your phone behind.

As for smartwatch features, OnePlus's proprietary smartwatch OS allows third party app downloads via Google Play. When paired to your Android phone (Android 6.5 or newer,) the OnePlus Watch can be used to respond to text messages or answer phone calls. The OnePlus Watch isn't compatible with iPhones at this time.

I'll need to put these features to the test as I spend more time with the OnePlus Watch.

OnePlus Watch battery life

(Image credit: Future)

OnePlus estimates that its smartwatch's battery life lasts one week on a single charge. That's a longer battery life than the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch 3, which last up to 18 hours and 2 days, respectively.

When it needs to charge, the OnePlus Watch can achieve "all-day" power in just 5 minutes of charging thanks to Warp Charge, while 20 minutes of charging is all you'll require for a week’s power. As with the fitness tracking and performance features, I'll need to put these claims to the test, though. Having tested the fast-charging features of OnePlus' latest phones, we can certainly confirm that those devices live up to OnePlus' charging promises at any rate.

OnePlus Watch outlook

Entering a saturated smartwatch market, the OnePlus Watch will need to deliver on everything it promises and then some. The price is enticing, but as a smartwatch designed to complement a competitive line of smartphones, the OnePlus Watch should bring a seamless experience that doesn't make users envious of the Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Watch Active 2 or any of Fitbit smartwatches.

How well the OnePlus Watch's fitness tracking and battery life perform will have a lot to do with the company finding success with its first smartwatch. I'll be wearing it for the time being to see if it lives up to all the claims. Out of the box, the design and feel impress, but there's more to a smartwatch than good looks.

The Link Lonk


April 07, 2021 at 06:00PM
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OnePlus Watch review (hands-on): Unboxing and first impressions - Tom's Guide

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