OnePlus hit us with a new and super solid variant different from any other Wear OS watch with the OnePlus Watch 2 last year. The company is back this year with a refresh of this model that shares the same dual system on a chip but brings a few compromises on cost-effective hardware components.
So, how does it match up? In short, the OnePlus Watch 2R is the Wear OS to buy for your wrist in 2024 thus far.
Design
Cosmetically, you could easily mistake the 2R for the OnePlus Watch 2 of last year. As you start to inspect, you’ll find that the stainless steel casing has been swapped for aluminum. The same is true for the sapphire glass with Gorilla Glass. However, I don’t see these as much of a negative.
Other than making the watch slightly lighter, I’d guess most consumers would be hard-pressed to notice the differences. You have the same two button system of controls to the right side of the facing. Here, matched with the touchscreen, you get the basic navigation of the Watch 2R.
Overall, OnePlus has kept similar vibes to the Watch 2. It’s a mix of modern concepts wrapped in a traditional timepiece look and feel. The balance here is thoughtful, and I’ve really enjoyed the design language of the 46mm watch.
Wear OS and dual chipset
The top button will take you home throughout the menus. If already on the home screen, pressing the same button will take you to your app grid of installed applications. The bottom button can be set for a few shortcuts, but the default is for quick access to workouts.
These buttons can also use secondary functions. Pressing the top button twice will rotate through the most recent apps you’ve opened. If you hold down the same button, it will activate your default phone assistant. The same combinations on the bottom button will launch Google Wallet and power menu.
Let’s talk about Wear OS and the way it functions on the OnePlus Watch 2R’s dual architecture hardware. Just like on the Watch 2, you have Wear OS running the underlying software and apps. The Snapdragon W5 handles all calls to the overall OS, while the power-sipping BES2700 chip handles idles pings to reduce battery usage.
All your favorite apps are here and should be available. However, just like I mentioned on the Watch 2 review, it might be jarring for previous Wear OS users that the Wear OS app on your phone doesn’t really do much. Everything from watch faces to settings is handled from the OHealth application and is required to use the watch from setup on forward.
Health tracking and workouts
As mentioned, OHealth is your all encompassing portal to the OnePlus Watch 2R on your phone. This houses your settings, customization of the watch face, and general health tracking. Here, OnePlus is heavily borrowing from the layout and menus found in the Apple Watch app, but that’s not a bad thing.
The layout is sleek and clean in the interface. The bottom has tabs for Health, Fitness, and Devices. This basically sorts to general health metrics like heart rate, stress, and sleep in the Health screen. Fitness is exactly like it sounds and specifically houses workout data. Devices are where your customization and settings live.
OnePlus does a decent job at all of this data and presentation. Especially, for what equates to just the second go using Wear OS. Heart rate and GPS is very similar to the industry standard of Garmin devices. The same is true of workout tracking and activities.
The one place that OnePlus can grow to me is what to do with this data. It’s one thing to store it for you to view, the company needs to provide some updates for Watch 2R users that showcase things like training load and effects your previous day had on your body.
Both Garmin and Samsung provide similar metrics with Body Battery and Energy Score. Taking your training load, stress levels, heart rate variability, and sleep to give you an overall “score” of how recovered you are. As a practitioner of functional fitness, and Garmin user, I’ve grown very dependent on Body Battery, and it generally reflects how I actually feel at the start of my day.
Battery life
If you value battery life and have to have a Wear OS watch, the OnePlus Watch 2R is your best option for the money. Hard stop. It’s the one. I’ve consistently gotten over three full days of usage out of each charge. Short of my Garmin and some Fitbit devices, that’s the best battery life I’ve seen in any smartwatch.
Again, the dual architecture lends to this, with only calling up the full OS when needed. It’s an engineering feat that should be credited more with the OnePlus Watch 2 iterations. Lastly, much like its predecessor, you have VOOC quick charging when you do need to power back up. This is also handled by the same modular POGO pin charging puck powered by USB-C.
The VOOC charger is capable of up to 7.5W of total output. This makes it one of the fastest charging smartwatches on the market by any brand. You can fully recharge the OnePlus Watch 2R from zero to 100 percent in about an hour. I have found that I like throwing it on the charger about every two days while getting a shower and dressed. This allows a full recharge without it every going completely dead.
Final thoughts
Pinnacle Selection represents our highest honor, one reserved for products that stand out in design, performance, and overall value.
Products earning this distinction exemplify excellence across the board, delivering an experience that truly rises above the rest.
When you see the badge, you’re looking at the best of what’s available in its category.
OnePlus has always challenged what Android devices and accessories can give consumers at a fantastic value. With the outstanding performance, large screen, Wear OS, and truly market leading battery life, the OnePlus Watch 2R is the best value for anyone looking to purchase a Wear OS watch.
The OnePlus Watch 2R is available in both the United States and Canada at the time of this publishing. Pricing starts at $230 in the US and $300 CAD. You can purchase the OnePlus Watch 2R from OnePlus directly with the link below in two colors: Forest Green and Gunmetal Gray. At this pricing, it’s a steal for those looking for a Wear OS device.
Purchase the OnePlus Watch 2R from OnePlus
