OnePlus Watch 2 Review: A Perfect Balance Between Smart Features and Battery Life

The OnePlus Watch 2 is making waves as a significant upgrade in the smartwatch market. With its dual-OS system and impressive battery life, it is designed for users seeking the best of both worlds: fitness tracking and smart functionalities. Building on the success of its predecessor, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers better integration with Wear OS while maintaining a strong focus on efficiency and battery performance.

OnePlus Watch 2 Review

Design & Display

The OnePlus Watch 2 boasts a 466x466 resolution display, delivering crystal-clear visuals, even in bright sunlight. The AMOLED screen is bright and vibrant, ensuring that text and images are sharp and easy to read. While some might find the bezel a bit thick, it can easily be masked with dark-themed watch faces, which add a sleek and elegant touch to the overall aesthetic.

Moreover, the watch’s sapphire crystal screen is highly resistant to scratches, contributing to its durability. It holds a MIL-STD 810H rating, meaning it can withstand harsh conditions, making it waterproof up to 5ATM and suitable for swimming or rainy workouts.

Physically, the OnePlus Watch 2 retains a bold form factor, owing to its advanced dual-chip system. The upper button looks like a traditional watch crown, though it lacks the rotational functionality some smartwatches have, which could leave users wanting more interaction options. Still, its rugged build makes it ideal for outdoor adventurers or fitness enthusiasts, with a durable design capable of handling tough environments.

Features & Software

Running on Wear OS, the OnePlus Watch 2 integrates seamlessly with Google’s ecosystem, allowing users to enjoy apps such as Google Calendar, Fit, Maps, and Wallet. With over 100 exercise modes and 32GB of onboard storage, the watch caters to a wide variety of users, from fitness enthusiasts to those simply looking for a stylish wearable. Users can download apps directly from the Google Play Store, with options like Strava for fitness tracking and Google Home for managing smart devices at home.

One of the most impressive aspects of the OnePlus Watch 2 is its dual-chip architecture. The Snapdragon W5 chip powers the Wear OS functions, while a secondary chip handles real-time operations, including step counting, heart rate monitoring, and notifications. This innovative approach ensures that the watch balances performance and battery efficiency. The result is a smartwatch that can handle powerful tasks while maintaining long-lasting battery life.

For users who rely heavily on their smart devices, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers a smoother experience with fewer lags compared to other smartwatches. It integrates with the OnePlus ecosystem, so those already using OnePlus smartphones will find this watch to be an excellent companion. The software updates and future improvements planned by OnePlus promise further optimization and bug fixes.

Read more here

Battery Life

Battery life is one of the most talked-about features of the OnePlus Watch 2. For a smartwatch offering so many features, its battery life is impressive. In a standard scenario—GPS on, notifications active, and heart rate tracking enabled—the watch lasts up to two to three days without needing a recharge. For users who prefer minimal notifications and features like "raise-to-wake" disabled, the battery life can extend to an incredible 100 hours.

When switched to power-saving mode, where the secondary RTOS system takes over basic functionalities, the OnePlus Watch 2 can last up to 12 days. This is ideal for those who use the watch primarily for fitness tracking and don't need all the smart features active at all times.

However, one area that could impact battery life is the use of custom watch faces. Apps like Facer, which allow for extensive personalization, can drain the battery faster, reducing its longevity to a day or less, depending on the settings used. Still, the overall battery performance is impressive, especially when compared to other high-end smartwatches on the market.

Read more here

Fitness & Health Tracking

For fitness, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers a comprehensive range of tracking options. It includes dual-band GPS for accurate location tracking during outdoor activities, which makes it a great choice for runners, hikers, and cyclists. The watch is equipped with several advanced sensors, including a barometer to track elevation changes, a SpO2 sensor to monitor blood oxygen levels, and a 24/7 heart rate monitor. These features provide users with an accurate understanding of their health and fitness levels.

For those invested in their health and wellness, the OHealth app on Android devices allows users to track their metrics over time and adjust their fitness routines accordingly. Unfortunately, iOS users are left without a companion app, which could be a significant drawback for iPhone owners.

The watch also supports automatic detection for a variety of exercises, ensuring that you never miss tracking a workout. This is particularly beneficial for users who want a set-it-and-forget-it experience. The inclusion of sleep tracking, with in-depth insights into sleep stages, is another bonus for those wanting to optimize their rest for better performance during the day.

Real-World Performance

In daily use, the OnePlus Watch 2 performs well in delivering notifications, managing calls, and providing fitness-tracking insights. However, a small number of users have reported issues with notification mirroring, where notifications occasionally fail to appear on the watch despite buzzing on the phone. Though minor, these issues are something to consider, particularly if reliable notifications are a key reason for purchasing the watch.

On the positive side, for those deeply integrated into the Google ecosystem, the OnePlus Watch 2 shines. It synchronizes perfectly with services like Google Assistant and Google Fit, allowing users to manage tasks seamlessly from their wrist.

Read more here

Competitors & Alternatives

When comparing the OnePlus Watch 2 with competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and the Garmin Venu 2, it becomes evident that each watch has its strengths. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 excels with its rotating bezel and LTE option, while the Garmin Venu 2 offers more in-depth health metrics for serious athletes. However, the OnePlus Watch 2 stands out for its superior battery life and the efficient use of the dual-chip system.

One potential drawback of the OnePlus Watch 2 is the lack of an LTE version, a feature many users have come to expect in modern smartwatches. Without eSIM support, users are still tied to their phones for connectivity.

Read more here

Final Thoughts: Is it worth the hype?

Yes, the OnePlus Watch 2 is an impressive smartwatch that excels in balancing battery life, rugged design, and seamless Wear OS integration. With its dual-chip system, it offers a level of efficiency that few other smartwatches can match. While it lacks some features like LTE and iOS compatibility, it makes up for these shortcomings with its outstanding performance in fitness tracking and real-world usage.

Read more here

For those heavily invested in the Google ecosystem and looking for a long-lasting smartwatch with great fitness capabilities, the OnePlus Watch 2 is a strong contender. If you're after a smartwatch that can handle both daily tasks and outdoor adventures with ease, this might just be the perfect pick for you.