OnePlus Watch 2 review: Durable yet hefty

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2 years ago

Categories: Cyber Security

OnePlus Watch 2 review: Durable yet hefty

At a glance

Expert’s Rating

Pros

Intuitive software
Brilliant battery life
Fast charging
Solid fitness, sleep and stress tracking

Cons

Big and heavy
No LTE version
No ECG
Crown rotation not functional

Our Verdict

The OnePlus Watch 2’s battery life eclipses that of many rivals, and the inclusion of Wear OS makes day-to-day performance simple and intuitive. However, it’s not comfortable to use for long periods if you have smaller wrists.

Best Prices Today: OnePlus Watch 2

OnePlus made a rocky debut in the smartwatch world in 2021 with its first model, which was chock-full of bugs and lacked many features that rivals boasted.

After a few years away from the scene, the ‘Never Settle’ brand is back with the follow-up model, the OnePlus Watch 2. Thankfully, there’s been a major shake-up in the software, with the latest wearable sporting the latest edition of Google’s Wear OS instead of the firm’s own effort.

Though it’s a big step forward from the OnePlus Watch, the build may not suit everyone – it certainly wasn’t for me.

Design & Build

Black and Green strap options
Cumbersome stainless steel build
5ATM water resistance

The Fluororubber strap comes in either Black Steel or Radiant Steel, which matches the colour options that the OnePlus 12 comes in, a nice touch if you’re in the OnePlus ecosystem.

The chassis is made from silver stainless steel, giving the watch a premium look and feel. However, make sure you wipe down the device now and again, as this shiny material is prone to picking up fingerprints… and that’s not the only downside to a stainless-steel build.

At 12mm thick and a weight of 49g (sans strap), this is a chunky and heavy smartwatch that looks comically large on my puny wrist. It’s not as comfortable to wear as other models, and the strap is not a great fit for me.

Either it’s too tight, causing the body to dig into my wrist bone, or it’s too loose and so the wearable slides up and down my arm.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

If you have large wrists (particularly if you’re a man) then you might not have these issues, but if you want something slim and lightweight that you’ll forget you’re wearing, this isn’t the smartwatch for you. It’s the opposite of the Google Pixel Watch 2 where many people are craving a larger size.

While the crown does rotate, it’s purely for show rather than controlling navigation. That’s a big shame, as it would prove useful when the screen is locked, such as during a swimming workout. reports that OnePlus chose a spinning crown because it’s more durable than a rigid one, hence the design choice. Still, it’s really annoying.

Clicking the crown takes you to the app drawer, and long pressing activates Google Assistant. The button underneath gives quick access to workouts, while long-pressing controls the power.

The OnePlus Watch 2 is both 5ATM (50 meters) and IP68 rated, and it’s got MIL-STD-810H standard certification, so it should be able to withstand harsh temperatures, knocks and bumps. It managed to survive a dip in the pool and a trip to my insane 40-degree hot pilates class.

…if you want something slim and lightweight that you’ll forget you’re wearing, this isn’t the smartwatch for you

Screen & Audio

1.43 AMOLED face
60Hz refresh rate
Google Assistant support

The benefit of the size of the watch is the gloriously bold 1.43-inch AMOLED face. The black bezel is on the larger side, but that doesn’t matter too much with a face this size.

With a resolution of 466 x 466 and a max brightness of 1000 nits, I had no trouble viewing the display, even under bright sunlight. Colours are sharp and vivid, and you get those inky blacks that you wouldn’t find on a non-OLED panel.

The OnePlus Watch 2 has a typical 60Hz refresh rate, meaning swipes and taps are responsive, though the screen is prone to picking up some fingerprint marks.

Taking calls on the OnePlus Watch 2 is possible if your phone is nearby, and my friends and family could hear me clearly.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Google Assistant voice recognition is solid, even with my northern twang that some tech companies seem to have an issue understanding.

The speaker itself is quite tinny, and not the most impressive or loud. I also had a few teething problems getting audio to play directly on the Watch 2’s speakers via Spotify. I solved this by connecting a pair of earbuds to the watch, playing audio, then disconnecting the earbuds and hitting play again.

Specs & Performance

Dual processors
2GB RAM
32GB storage
No LTE version

One of the unique elements of the OnePlus Watch 2 is the fact that it runs on two chips, which the company calls a ‘Dual-Engine Architecture’.

The Snapdragon W5 processor (with Wear OS 4) is for performance, whilst the BES2700 (with RTOS) allows the watch to get a long battery life. This is paired with 2GB RAM, and 32GB of storage which is more than enough for downloading songs onto the device.

Day-to-day performance is rapid and responsive. The only time the Watch 2 is slightly slow is after restarting, but that’s the case across most tech products anyway.

Although there’s Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC support for contactless payments, there’s no LTE option. Therefore, you can’t use the OnePlus Watch 2 for calls and texts as a standalone device. If having that freedom is important to you, look elsewhere.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Software & Features

Wear OS 4.0 (finally!)
Three years of software updates

The adoption of Google’s wearable operating system (the original had OnePlus Watch OS) makes navigating the OnePlus Watch 2 smooth, simple and intuitive.

As standard, the Watch comes with an Apple-style tile layout, but you can switch things up by having things in a list format (useful if you’re a numpty like me who can’t remember all the various app icons).

You’ll find all the standard Google apps here, including Maps, Calendar and Wallet, and all of them work just fine. There’s also widely used third-party app support such as Spotify and WhatsApp.

Notifications from your phone will also sync onto your wrist, and you can reply on the watch for some apps.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

At first, I had trouble connecting WhatsApp, but an update to the watch solved the issue. If you prefer fitness tracking via other apps such as Strava and Google Fit, then you can also add these to the Watch 2 via the Play Store.

Connecting the Watch 2 to my phone was one of the most seamless experiences I’ve had. All you need to do is download the OHealth app, search for the wearable and pair it. Once that’s done, just make sure you enable permissions for precise tracking, such as your location etc.

OnePlus has committed to two Wear OS updates and three years of security updates, meaning it should be supported through 2027.

Google’s wearable operating system makes navigating the OnePlus Watch 2 smooth, simple and intuitive

Fitness & Tracking

100+ workout modes
Dual-frequency GPS
No ECG

For exercise, the OnePlus Watch 2 has over 100 modes available. These include staples such as running, walking and cycling, to more niche modes such as pilates, golf even the Tango – ideal if you happen to be training for Strictly Come Dancing.

Modes that aren’t core to the Watch 2 have generic tracking, only recording the calories and heart rate. However, others include additional measurements. During a swim workout, it correctly recorded the right number of laps, and which strokes I did when I changed them up, something cheaper wearables from the likes of Amazfit sometimes get wrong.

If you’re a runner (Godspeed to you) or a keen walker, then the OnePlus Watch 2 has dedicated workout modes via the app that prompt you to keep jogging until you reach a specific goal. For example; burning 200 calories.

There’s dual-frequency GPS included on the smartwatch for improved tracking in dense areas, such as cities and forests. During a stroll around Soho, the Watch 2 was accurate in logging my path.

Auto-detect workouts are available for running, walking, rowing, elliptical, cycling and swimming, with the option for the watch to ask permission to record. I used it to track a walk automatically, and it was quite responsive.

Sleep tracking includes a lot of information

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

For health monitoring, there’s a dedicated heart rate monitor, a SpO2 monitor, and stress level tracking. All these recorded similar figures to what I got on other wearables. I did have one occasion where the Watch had trouble recording my SpO2 levels and stress, but this was immediately after updating it. A quick restart solved the issue.

Sleep tracking includes a lot of information. There are the usual zones such as REM, light sleep, deep sleep and REM. My awake time seemed in line with my experience. OnePlus also includes an ‘assess breathing problems’ feature, which logs your SpO2 levels during sleep. You can also enable mic access if you’re worried about snoring.

While the app includes a great deal of analysis and feedback on your sleep score, there aren’t any links to accredited sources as rivals such as Withings do. This would add more reliability and trust to the wearable.

Some key features are lacking from the Watch 2, the biggest of which is an ECG monitor (electrocardiogram). Cycle tracking is also not available. Whilst not all smartwatches cover these things, at this price point it’s a surprise.

Some reviewers have noted that they found exercise tracking to be inconsistent on the Watch 2, but personally, it was in line with what I recorded on the Pixel Watch, and the step counter on my phone.

The accompanying OHealth app is reasonably clean. All the basic information is there, such as the calories burnt in a workout, your average steps in a week, your sleep data and more.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

Having an entire page dedicated to the running/walking modes seems like a waste, as it takes up a lot of space, and the built-in map on the phone doesn’t seem to work properly.

OnePlus could add more pre-built workouts into this section like Fitbit or Huawei does to make it more useful.

Battery Life & Charging

100-hour battery life in standard mode
Up to 12 days in power saving mode
Fast charging support

The dual chipset on the OnePlus Watch 2 really proves its worth when it comes to battery life.

OnePlus claims that it has an impressive 100-hour battery life in Smart Mode, and after testing for a few weeks I can back up that number. If that’s still not enough, then you can switch to Power Saving Mode, which can offer up to 12 days.

Of course, you will be trading in some features here, such as GPS. You’ll only be limited to core workout modes, rather than the huge list that’s available as normal.

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

That battery life is really impressive when you consider that most smartwatches from Google, Samsung and Xiaomi can only last a couple of days max. OnePlus has proven that a dual-chipset is key to better power efficiency.

OnePlus has also kitted this smartwatch with fast-charging support. Using my 100W SuperVooc charger I had to hand, I got it from flat to 100% in less than an hour. Most smartwatches with big batteries don’t support charging this quick, so this is certainly impressive.

OnePlus has proven that a dual-chipset is key to better power efficiency

Price & Availability

The OnePlus Watch 2 costs £299/$299. It’s available to buy directly from in the UK and and in the US.

That price undercuts its biggest Wear OS rival, the Pixel Watch 2, by £50/$50. It’s only just a fraction more expensive than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Both are great alternatives if you want something slimmer, though the Watch 2 is streets ahead of both when it comes to battery life.

Alternatively, if the bigger build isn’t a concern to you but you want a standalone LTE device, then you could consider the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro.

For more options, check out our full chart of the best smartwatches.

Should you buy the OnePlus Watch 2?

There’s a lot to love about the OnePlus Watch 2. It has a durable and premium build, a killer battery life compared to other flagship wearables and most importantly, software that actually works (compared to its predecessor).

In many ways, it’s the smartwatch that OnePlus fans have been waiting for but does that make it perfect? Not exactly.

The heavy materials used mean it’s not the most comfortable, especially if you have slimmer wrists like me. If you also want an LTE version of the Watch, then that’s not possible. Some rivals also pack in more sensors and tracking options.

Nonetheless, OnePlus has proven it’s here to stay in the smartwatch space. Now, what I’d really like to see is a slimmer and lighter version. Or better yet, size options for different types of users.