OnePlus Watch 3 Review

OnePlus is a company that hits home with most of us Android nerds at this point, carving a niche that resonates deeply with our tech-savvy hearts. The Never Settle moniker has become an ethos woven into the fabric of all its products, creating an atmosphere of relentless innovation and excellence, and always pushing the limits of what hardware and software can truly achieve. This commitment to quality and performance has turned OnePlus into a symbol of what passionate users desire in their devices.

The new OnePlus Watch 3 is another evolution of this philosophy, showcasing the brand’s determination to redefine the smartwatch experience by pushing the bar of a Wear OS smartwatch further ahead. With enhanced features, a sleek design, and intuitive functionality, the OnePlus Watch 3 not only embodies the spirit of the “Never Settle” mantra but also sets new standards in wearable technology, inviting users to explore new levels of connectivity and fitness tracking capabilities that were previously thought unattainable.

The OnePlus Watch 3 pushes Wear OS forward with a refined design, impressive battery life, and a dual-chip architecture that delivers smooth performance without compromise. With a four-day battery, sapphire crystal display, and upgraded health tracking, it stands out as a top choice for Android users seeking both style and substance in a smartwatch.

Design

At first glance, you’d probably see little difference in the OnePlus Watch 3 versus the previous Watch 2. Despite the similar silhouette, you’d be mistaken. OnePlus improved the overall design in many ways.

First, the crown on the outside bezel actually turns this year! This has been a much-sought-after feature of many Wear OS watches, and OnePlus bringing it to market is a nice touch. Spinning the dial now offers navigation up/down in the interface, while pressing it still functions as a back home and quick switch between recent apps, as in last year.

The other big improvement is in the battery tech. We’ll get into how that improved battery life later, but let’s cover the hardware for now. Not only did OnePlus increase the capacity in the Watch 3, but they also improved the materials. Now, you have a Silicon NanoStack Battery cell that offers a slimmer footprint while delivering even better energy density.

Covering the remaining spec sheet, you have a 1.5-inch LTPO screen covered in ultra-durable Sapphire Crystal. The OnePlus Watch 3 has a stainless steel case, while the bezel is made from titanium. This gives the entire build a military-class grade in durability.

Color options are just two this year. You can get the Emerald Titanium variant you see in this review or the black titanium Obsidian. Each has complementary 22mm quick-release straps and buckles to match the uniform of each namesake. I’d be lying if I said I’m not eyeing the new Midnight Ocean strap that was announced in the launch briefing to pair with the Emerald Titanium Watch 3, though.

Second-Gen Dual Architecture and Battery Life

Much like last year’s model, the OnePlus Watch 3 offers two different chipsets to run the internals. You have the BES2800 Efficiency Chipset paired with the RTOS runtime, offering low-power pings to handle background notifications, activity updates, and actually waking its big brother to run Wear OS.

That sibling chipset in the OnePlus Watch 3 is the Snapdragon W5 from Qualcomm. This full-featured SoC handles all the heavy lifting required for Wear OS. This chipset only really fires up when you are fully interacting with the Watch 3 or running true Wear apps.

These make for an incredible marriage that OnePlus has built for wearables. The user experience isn’t hampered at all and leads to some real industry-leading battery life. You can’t get the results away from the charger I’ve seen with the Watch 3 anywhere else with Wear watches or the Apple series. I’m seeing a full four days and sometimes more of general use, including daily tasks and hour-long workout sessions three to four times per week.

You would have to look at more traditional fitness options from Fitbit or Garmin to match or surpass this endurance. Battery life is a real win here for OnePlus and one of the most compelling reasons an Android faithful should have it on their shopping list.

When you do have to charge, OnePlus’ innovative modular VOOC charger is back powered by USB-C. Not only can it work with any USB-C option you have lying around, but with the correct VOOC brick from OnePlus, you can fast-charge this bad boy. In ten minutes you can recharge a full day’s worth of battery life.

Health Monitoring and Wear OS

Another leap for OnePlus has been the health monitoring. The company has expanded it’s workout options as well as general health data. There’s a new eight-channel heart rate sensor and 16-channel pulse oximeter leading the charge. Outside of the US, there’s a temperature based electrocardiogram as well, but it’s turned due to FDA legalities here in the States.

All this packages nice with things like the new 60-second Health Check-in. This new feature takes a quick synapses of all the available sensors and then parses through recent activities and sleep to offer insights. Included in the report assessments of heart health, arterial stiffness, blood oxygen levels, mental wellness and sleep quality.

The sleep tracking has been pretty solid as well. I didn’t find it quite as accurate as my Garmin, but it’s pretty damn close. It logged my hours and general rest well and used it to offer whether it was adequate enough or if I should increase my rest hours.

The same is true for workouts. I found the heart rate to be slightly more elevated on the OnePlus Watch 3 during the same periods with my Garmin Forerunner. I also saw a slight variance in calories burned, but compared to a decades-long industry leader, the Watch 3 held its own in every category.

The app has come a long way in a year too. You get a nice layout of general knowledge with the options to deep dive into most of them for further data. The app is intuitive and allows you to manage that data and the app settings with ease.

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Final Thoughts

OnePlus had one of the most compelling Android smartwatches a year ago; the OnePlus Watch 3 elevates that even further. It’s hands down the best option you can get running Wear OS, and I feel very comfortable saying that. Shoring up some of the shortcomings of its app and health monitoring catapults it directly into the lead device status for me.

We’ve broken down the pricing, variants, and available accessories below with links.

OnePlus Watch 3

Colors / Variants Obsidian Titanium (Black with Black Band)
Emerald Titanium (Silver with Green Band)
Price (USD) $329.99 USD
Price (CAD) $449.99 CAD
Open Sale Channels OnePlus.com (US): https://www.oneplus.com/buy-oneplus-watch-3
OnePlus.com (CA): https://www.oneplus.com/ca_en/buy-oneplus-watch-3

OnePlus Watch 3 Accessories