OnePlus Watch 2 Review: AMOLED screen, powerful processor and long battery life
Today, we’ll delve into the latest offering from OnePlus in the wearable tech realm: the OnePlus Watch 2.
After a three-year hiatus since its inaugural smartwatch, OnePlus re-enters the wearables market with the OnePlus Watch 2. Following the mixed reception of its predecessor, the OnePlus Watch, the company aims to rectify past shortcomings. Key among its improvements is the adoption of the Wear OS operating system, coupled with a promise of battery life exceeding four days.
So, has OnePlus delivered on its promise? That’s precisely what we’ll uncover in this comprehensive review.
OnePlus Watch 2: Video Review
| Specs | OnePlus Watch 2 |
| Display | 1.43 inch, 466 x 466 pixels (~326 ppi density), AMOLED, 1000 nits (HBM), Always-on display |
| 2.5D Sapphire Crystal | |
| Build materials | Sapphire crystal front, stainless steel frame, plastic back |
| Dimensions | 47 x 46.6 x 12.1 mm (1.85 x 1.83 x 0.48 in) |
| Weight | 49 g (1.73 oz) |
| Battery | 500 mAh, non-removable |
| Charging | 7.5W wired |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| OS | Android Wear OS 4 |
| Storage | 32GB + 2GB |
| Connectivity | Dual-frequency (L1 + L5) GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, barometer, compass, heart rate, SpO2 |
| Protection | MIL-STD-810H, IP68, 5ATM |
| Colors | Black Steel, Radiant Steel |
OnePlus Watch 2: Design
In terms of physical dimensions, the Watch 2 smartwatch is undeniably substantial, measuring at 47.0 x 46.6 x 12.1 mm. This robust build is attributed to the use of premium materials, with a stainless steel case and sapphire glass covering the screen. While these materials ensure exceptional durability and scratch resistance, they also contribute to the watch’s weight, tipping the scales at 49 grams without the bracelet and 80 grams with the provided silicone strap. Despite its heft, the OnePlus Watch 2 maintains a sleek profile that exudes elegance.
Waterproofing is another area where OnePlus has excelled, with IP68 and 5 ATM certification ensuring protection against water damage up to shallow depths. This makes the watch suitable for not only rainy conditions but also swimming in pools.
While the stainless steel construction imparts a sense of luxury, the choice of a relatively rigid fluoroelastomer bracelet feels somewhat uninspired. Although functional and comfortable, it lacks the sophistication that a leather or metal strap would provide. Fortunately, OnePlus has incorporated a standard lug system, allowing users to easily swap out the bracelet for their preferred option.
Visually, the OnePlus Watch 2 impresses with its elegant design, featuring shiny steel and a curved glass surface. However, the presence of noticeable bezels around the screen detracts from its overall aesthetic appeal. Additionally, the placement of buttons on the case’s edge, while reminiscent of a stopwatch, feels somewhat awkward. Despite resembling a rotating crown, these buttons serve no navigational purpose within the interface.
Nevertheless, the OnePlus Watch 2 boasts a speaker and microphone, enhancing its functionality by enabling voice commands and calls directly from the wrist. This integration of communication features adds versatility to the watch’s capabilities.
Screen
The OnePlus Watch 2 comes equipped with a vibrant OLED display, measuring at a round panel of 1.43 inches in diameter with a resolution of 466 x 466 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch. This level of detail ensures a crisp and clear display, where individual pixels are indistinguishable, offering an immersive viewing experience. The utilization of OLED technology, particularly with menus predominantly set on dark backgrounds, enhances contrast and delivers vivid visuals.
Notably, the OnePlus Watch 2 boasts a brightness of up to 1000 cd/m², ensuring excellent readability even under bright sunlight conditions. During outdoor activities like running, the display remains visible without any glare or reflections from the sky. Additionally, the inclusion of a brightness sensor allows for automatic adjustment according to ambient light, further optimizing visibility in different environments.
Unlike its predecessor, the OnePlus Watch 2 features an always-on display mode, providing convenience and functionality without compromising battery life excessively. Users can also schedule specific times for the screen to activate, allowing for customization based on individual preferences.
However, one drawback lies in the disability to disable the “lift to activate” function automatically. Similar to the initial implementation on Google’s Pixel Watch, users must manually turn off this feature at night to avoid unintended activation during sleep. While the watch offers a sleep mode, it lacks the ability to schedule it at specific times, limiting its usefulness in maintaining uninterrupted rest.
In terms of customization, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers a variety of pre-installed watch faces, with additional options available for download through the OHealth application. Furthermore, users can access a wider selection from the Google Play Store, although these may not be optimized for the watch’s dual operating system structure, potentially impacting battery life.
Performance
The OnePlus Watch 2 sets a new standard in smartwatch autonomy, boasting an impressive battery life of up to four days—a feat that surpasses many of its competitors struggling to achieve even two days of use. To achieve this remarkable longevity, OnePlus has meticulously optimized both the hardware and software components of its watch.
Under the hood, the OnePlus Watch 2 is powered by a combination of cutting-edge hardware components. It features 2 GB of RAM and a generous 32 GB of storage, ensuring smooth performance and ample space for storing apps and data. However, what truly sets it apart is its innovative dual-processor system.
At its core lies the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip, renowned for its high performance and often used in premium Wear OS watches. But OnePlus doesn’t stop there—it augments this powerhouse with a secondary BES2700 processor. This secondary processor is designed to handle less demanding tasks with minimal power consumption, effectively extending the watch’s battery life.
This dual-processor setup is a common feature among Wear OS watches, typically involving a coprocessor managing background tasks. However, OnePlus takes it a step further by including not just two processors, but also two operating systems. The BES2700 chip operates the RTOS system, handling tasks that require minimal power, such as continuous heart rate monitoring and the always-on display mode. When more demanding applications are launched, the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 kicks into gear, seamlessly transitioning to Wear OS for a more robust user experience.
Despite the complexity of this dual-system architecture, the user experience remains incredibly smooth and fluid. Transitioning between operating systems and processors is seamless, ensuring a hassle-free experience for users.
Сontrols
Navigating the interface of the OnePlus Watch 2 is a breeze, thanks to its intuitive controls:
- Swipe up: Access notifications, allowing you to stay updated on incoming messages, alerts, and reminders.
- Swipe down: Access quick settings, enabling convenient control over essential functions such as brightness, connectivity, and battery settings.
- Swipe left or right: Access application cards, providing quick access to installed apps and functionalities.
In addition to these gestures, the physical buttons on the watch offer additional navigation options:
- Pressing the crown-shaped button: Opens the list of applications or returns to the home dial, providing easy access to installed apps.
- Pressing the elongated button: Opens the training application, facilitating quick access to fitness tracking features.
- Long press on the round button: Launches Google Assistant, enabling hands-free voice commands for various tasks.
- Double press on the round button: Returns to the previous application, enhancing multitasking capabilities.
- Long press on the elongated button: Opens the power off menu, allowing you to shut down or restart the watch.
- Double press on the elongated button: Accesses Google Wallet, providing convenient access to payment options.
Furthermore, users have the flexibility to customize these controls according to their preferences, assigning different functionalities to long press and double press actions through the watch settings. This customization allows for a tailored navigation experience, catering to individual preferences and usage habits.
Wear OS
As a Wear OS device, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers compatibility with a vast array of applications available for download directly from the Google Play Store. From popular services like YouTube Music, Google Maps, and Google Calendar to third-party apps such as Strava, Spotify, WhatsApp, and more, users have access to a diverse ecosystem of apps to enhance their smartwatch experience.
This robust app support is one of the standout features of Wear OS watches, offering versatility and flexibility to users. OnePlus has successfully harnessed the power of Google’s platform, addressing the shortcomings of its previous iteration and delivering a seamless and satisfying user experience with the OnePlus Watch 2.
OHealth APP
The OnePlus Watch 2 offers seamless connectivity and control through the OHealth application, formerly known as HeyTap Health. However, it’s worth noting that this application is exclusive to Android devices, meaning iPhone users won’t be able to fully utilize the OnePlus Watch 2’s features.
OnePlus has streamlined the user experience by consolidating control and data management within the OHealth app. Unlike other manufacturers like Google and Samsung, who require separate apps for watch management and health data access, OnePlus provides a unified solution. With OHealth, users can conveniently access both their fitness data and watch settings from a single interface.
The application interface is straightforward, featuring three tabs: Health, Fitness, and Device. The Device tab is particularly relevant for controlling the watch. Here, users can check the remaining battery life, customize watch faces, manage installed tiles, configure notifications, adjust health measurement settings, and control the always-on display feature.
Overall, the OHealth app strikes a balance between simplicity and comprehensiveness, catering to users who prefer a straightforward approach to managing their smartwatch settings and data.
Additionally, OnePlus offers enhanced integration for users who pair the OnePlus Watch 2 with a OnePlus smartphone. Features such as automatic synchronization of the Alarm and Weather applications provide added convenience for users of OnePlus’s ecosystem. However, even without a OnePlus smartphone, the OnePlus Watch 2 remains a fully functional and feature-rich device, catering to a wide range of users.
OnePlus Watch 2: Functions
The OnePlus Watch 2 excels as a daily companion, offering comprehensive health and fitness tracking capabilities that cater to a wide range of activities and lifestyles. From monitoring heart rate and counting steps to tracking sports training and assessing stress levels, this smartwatch is equipped with a plethora of features designed to support your wellness journey.
One of the standout features of the OnePlus Watch 2 is its extensive exercise tracking capabilities. With over 100 exercises supported, including automatic recognition for some activities, it’s a versatile companion for fitness enthusiasts. The watch is particularly adept at monitoring activities like badminton, running, skiing, and cycling, providing detailed insights into your workouts.
Through the OHealth application, users can customize the data displayed during training sessions for each activity. However, there are limitations, as only one screen with five data fields can be configured, and creating custom training sessions with different pace and heart rate objectives isn’t currently supported. Despite these limitations, the OnePlus Watch 2 still offers valuable insights into your workouts.
To capture this data accurately, the OnePlus Watch 2 is equipped with a range of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, optical heart rate monitor, optical pulse oximeter, compass, multi-GNSS chip, and barometric altimeter. Dual-frequency GNSS tracking ensures precise location tracking, while two antennas enhance signal reception for optimal route tracking during workouts.
To evaluate the accuracy of the OnePlus Watch 2’s GPS tracking, comparisons were made against a Garmin Forerunner 255, a renowned sports watch known for its precision. Overall, the OnePlus Watch 2 demonstrated close alignment with the Garmin model, with minimal discrepancies in distance measurements.
Additionally, the OnePlus Watch 2 features a heart rate monitor capable of measuring real-time heart rate and variability to estimate stress levels. In testing, the watch exhibited good reliability during endurance runs, providing consistent measurements comparable to a Garmin HRM-Pro chest strap. However, during high-intensity interval training, the watch struggled to accurately measure peaks and recovery phases, indicating room for improvement in certain scenarios.
Autonomy
The OnePlus Watch 2 boasts impressive battery life, setting a new standard among Wear OS smartwatches. Equipped with a 500 mAh battery, this powerhouse delivers exceptional performance across various usage scenarios.
In classic mode, also known as “smart mode,” the OnePlus Watch 2 can operate for up to 100 hours. This mode seamlessly switches between the RTOS and Wear OS, utilizing the most energy-efficient system for different tasks. Additionally, in “intensive” mode, the watch can last up to 48 hours, while power-saving mode extends battery life to an impressive 12 days, relying solely on RTOS functionalities.
Real-world testing further confirms the OnePlus Watch 2’s exceptional battery life. With energy-intensive settings, including continuous SpO2 measurement, stress monitoring, heart rate tracking, REM sleep monitoring, respiratory rate monitoring, and always-on display enabled, the watch lasted an impressive 62 hours. This duration included a two-hour workout with GPS tracking enabled, showcasing the watch’s endurance in demanding usage scenarios.
Charging the OnePlus Watch 2 is convenient and efficient, thanks to the included USB-A to USB-C cable and magnetic charging pad. The watch supports 7.5 W charging, allowing it to reach a full charge in just 59 minutes. Furthermore, the watch’s compatibility with standard USB-C cables adds to its versatility, enabling users to charge it using their existing smartphone cables.
Connectivity and Call
The OnePlus Watch 2 distinguishes itself from competitors like Samsung and Google by offering a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi version exclusively, without 4G connectivity. Despite this, the watch doesn’t compromise on connectivity features, delivering a robust experience for users.
One notable inclusion is the NFC chip, enabling convenient contactless payments directly from the watch. Furthermore, the OnePlus Watch 2 boasts dual-band GNSS connectivity, supporting GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou, and QZSS.
While lacking 4G connectivity, the OnePlus Watch 2 still enables users to make and receive calls directly from their wrist when connected via Bluetooth. Equipped with a speaker and microphone, the watch delivers clear audio for both voice calls and media playback.
The watch’s speaker provides a reasonable maximum volume and crisp sound quality, ensuring a pleasant experience during calls. However, users may need to adjust the volume manually, as there’s no rotatable crown for quick adjustments. On the microphone side, the watch captures voice accurately in quiet environments, with minimal compression. In noisier surroundings, noise reduction technology kicks in after a brief delay to prioritize the user’s voice, resulting in clearer communication.
OnePlus Watch 2: Conclusion
The OnePlus Watch 2 emerges not just as a contender but as a standout performer in the smartwatch arena. With its impressive blend of features and functionality, this device delivers a user experience that exceeds expectations.
One of the standout features of the OnePlus Watch 2 is its exceptional battery life, lasting well over three days on a single charge. This longevity is complemented by its sleek design, featuring a beautiful OLED screen and GPS tracking capabilities that rival dedicated sports watches.
While there are areas where OnePlus could have made improvements, such as reducing the weight and offering a 4G version for enhanced connectivity, these are minor considerations in the grand scheme of things. The watch may lack a crown or rotating bezel for simpler interaction, but its overall performance and usability more than make up for these shortcomings.
With its impressive performance and comprehensive feature set, it’s a smartwatch that we highly recommend to anyone in the market for a reliable and versatile wearable device.
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