The OnePlus Watch 3 is here, and it’s more than just an incremental upgrade. We talked a lot about it, but now it’s time to tell our experience..
We could test it for weeks before the launch, and here it’s how it went.
OnePlus Watch 3: our tops&flops
The OnePlus Watch 3 is the latest high-end smartwatch from the Chinese brand, completing the brand’s product lineup refresh alongside the already excellent OnePlus 13 and Buds 3 Pro. While I still don’t consider these devices absolutely essential, I must admit that the Watch 3 has made significant progress and can now replace a smartphone in many situations. On its side, besides having a competitive price compared to many rivals, it boasts a stunning display, smooth and dynamic performance, and a sleek design that looks even better in person than in photos. The only downside? For me, it’s still the OHealth app—or rather, the fact that everything has to go through it, making it impossible to pair with an iPhone, for example.
What We Like
- Pleasant design
- Outstanding display
- Packed with features
What We Don’t Like
- The OHealth requirement makes it restrictive
- Can feel quite large and heavy
- Some features aren’t immediately intuitive
Looks better in person
Available in Obsidian Titanium black (as tested) or Emerald Titanium: green (inherited from the success of the Watch 2R), it’s undeniably more impressive in person than in photos. When you touch it, you can truly feel the build quality of this product.
Blending timeless watch craftsmanship with cutting-edge smart technology, the OnePlus Watch 3 is a seamless fusion of premium materials and durability. Featuring a polished stainless steel watch case and an all-new titanium alloy bezel with robust PVD coating, this watch radiates sophistication while ensuring long-lasting resilience. The sapphire crystal display, renowned for its superior scratch resistance, enhances durability, making it a perfect companion for everyday wear.
Adding to the design, the rotating crown has been redesigned with a tapered shape and a pyramid-textured surface, which provides effortless navigation and seamless interaction, ensuring an enhanced user experience. Durability is at the core of the OnePlus Watch 3’s design. It has passed rigorous testing, earning IP68, 5ATM, and MIL-STD-810H certifications, making it resistant to water, dust, and extreme environmental conditions. From high-altitude adventures to extreme temperature shifts, this smartwatch is built to withstand the harshest elements, ensuring reliability in any situation.
The OnePlus Watch 3 boasts a stunning 1.5-inch LTPO flexible display with an ultra-narrow bezel, providing an immersive viewing experience. Engineered with Q10 material, the display achieves flagship-level brightness of up to 2200 nits, ensuring exceptional visibility even in bright outdoor environments.
To maximize efficiency, LTPO technology dynamically adjusts the refresh rate, going as low as 1Hz when the Always-On Display mode is active. This innovative approach significantly reduces power consumption, extending battery life without compromising performance.
The OnePlus Watch 3 sports a refined and elegant design, built with aerospace-grade titanium and sapphire glass, ensuring durability while maintaining a lightweight feel on the wrist. The 1.5-inch AMOLED display boasts a 466×466 resolution, delivering vibrant colors and deep contrasts for easy readability, even under direct sunlight. The always-on display feature adds to its premium feel, allowing users to check the time and notifications at a glance without waking up the watch.
It lasts 14 days!
At the core of the OnePlus Watch 3 is an advanced Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chipset, coupled with a secondary co-processor for efficient power management. This combination ensures smooth performance while conserving battery life. The watch boasts an impressive 14-day battery life on a single charge in standard mode and can last up to 7 days with heavy usage, including GPS tracking and continuous health monitoring. With OnePlus’ signature Warp Charge technology, just a 15-minute charge provides up to a full day of use, making it ideal for people on the go.
The OnePlus Watch 3 is a powerhouse when it comes to health and fitness tracking. It includes over 110 sports modes, from running and cycling to swimming and yoga, ensuring a tailored experience for athletes and casual users alike. The dual-band GPS ensures precise tracking of outdoor activities without needing a smartphone.
For health-conscious users, the watch features advanced sensors that continuously monitor vital statistics, including:
- Heart Rate Monitoring: Real-time and 24/7 heart rate tracking.
- Blood Oxygen (SpO2) Monitoring: Continuous measurement for better health insights.
- ECG (Electrocardiogram): Tracks heart rhythm and detects irregularities.
- Sleep Tracking: Provides detailed sleep analysis, including REM and deep sleep cycles.
- Stress Management: Measures stress levels and offers breathing exercises for relaxation.
- Body Temperature Sensor: Monitors skin temperature fluctuations, an essential feature for health tracking.
The watch also includes women’s health tracking, offering menstrual cycle predictions and health insights tailored for female users.
There’s also the Health Lab, dedicated to research in sports, clinical, and sleep sciences. Since its establishment in 2021, we have filed over 100 patents, covering breakthroughs in ECG electrode materials, PPG light-blocking solutions, and real-time health data analysis. Our focus on preventive healthcare enables users to make informed lifestyle choices, ensuring a holistic approach to wellness.
Furthermore, OnePlus Watch 3 offers advanced 360-degree Mind and Body Analysis. By leveraging multi-dimensional data such as HRV, resting heart rate, and activity intensity, the watch provides insights into emotional and stress levels. The built-in stress relief solution recommends personalized breathing exercises, helping users maintain mental balance.
Furthermore, the Enhanced Sleep Monitoring system tracks sleep respiratory rate, continuous blood oxygen levels, heart rate variability, body movement, and snoring patterns. These insights help users identify potential sleep-related breathing issues and improve overall sleep quality.
A smartwatch full of smart features
The OnePlus Watch 3 is designed to integrate effortlessly into your daily routine, featuring Bluetooth Calling, AI Voice Assistant (Compatible with Google Assistant), Music Storage & Playback (up to 8GB storage), NFC Payments, Smart Notifications. Find My Phone.
My favourites are the camera remote control, that allows to capture photos from the smartphone just tapping on the wrist; and the YouTube/TikTok remote contro, that makes consuming multimedia content much more convenient.
Advanced Health Monitoring at Your Fingertips
Health and wellness remain a top priority in the OnePlus Watch 3. With a focus on proactive health management, we have integrated cutting-edge sensors and AI-driven insights, empowering users to take control of their well-being.
