This Android Wearable Lasts For Days, And Left My Samsung Galaxy Watch In The Dust

3 hours ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The OnePlus Watch 3 usually retails for $350.
Its long-lasting battery, durability, rotating integer crown, and superb creation make this a compelling smartwatch.
However, nan OHealth app needs immoderate work, workout information screens are limited, and ECG measurements are not supported.

After nan original OnePlus Watch grounded successful 2021, nan institution deed it retired of nan parkland pinch nan OnePlus Watch 2. Users, for illustration myself, person been very happy pinch nan Watch 2, but did supply feedback to OnePlus, and nan institution intelligibly listened arsenic nan newest OnePlus Watch 3 improves successful immoderate cardinal areas. There are still reasons to see different Google Wear OS watches, but artillery life shouldn't beryllium 1 of them.

Also: I urge this fund Amazfit smartwatch complete pricey models - particularly astatine 25% off

That's because OnePlus advertises up to 5 days of artillery life successful emblematic "smart" mode, and I tin corroborate that is accurate. A five-day artillery life for a smartwatch is unheard of erstwhile the Apple Watch, Google Pixel Watch, and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra are still trailing successful nan two-day range. The OnePlus Watch 3 now competes pinch GPS sports watches that person AMOLED displays, truthful if artillery life is your superior facet for a smartwatch, past you can't spell incorrect pinch a OnePlus Watch 3.

This agelong artillery life is achieved done nan OnePlus dual-engine architecture and nan incorporation of a ample 631 mAh artillery that uses nan OnePlus Silicon NanoStack Battery, akin to what is recovered successful nan artillery king OnePlus 13.

Also: You tin prevention $150 connected nan OnePlus 13 astatine Amazon correct now - but there's a catch

Previous OnePlus Watch 2 owners were disappointed successful nan integer crown fastener serving only arsenic a button, truthful OnePlus took that feedback, and now nan integer crown is larger, has immoderate texture connected it, and spins to navigate done menus. The crown besides rotates successful nan app launcher to supply a slick acquisition wherever nan watch look zooms successful and retired of nan apps to thief you publication nan app explanation aliases zoom retired to spot everything you person installed.

Another disapproval of nan Watch 2 was nan deficiency of compelling watch faces. That is nary longer nan lawsuit pinch immoderate awesome options from OnePlus, including 1 of my favorites, Metric Matrix, which provides 8 functional complications and a big of colour options. One of nan coolest options disposable connected nan Watch 3 is nan Moments successful Motion watch face, which plays a video erstwhile you pat connected it and tin moreover loop nan video, though that will importantly alteration nan artillery life.

Select a video aliases GIF, and past nan editing instrumentality successful nan OHealth app will thief you customize nan video watch face. I person 1 pinch nan Hover drone circling maine arsenic I trial an e-bike, and it is slick. People I person shown it to are very impressed pinch this watch look option, and you tin person a batch of nosy creating civilization watch faces.

The dual-frequency GNSS spot has proven to supply meticulous location search erstwhile exercising outside. While nan watch supports much than 100 sports modes, nan information screens that look successful these various sports are not customizable and are constricted to immoderate default modular metrics. After you decorativeness your workout, a immense magnitude of information is shown successful nan eHealth app, including moving dynamics, bosom rate, moving power, and overmuch more. So moreover though nan watch isn't showing you overmuch while you work, nan information is collected and tin beryllium utilized afterward.

Also: The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is $100 disconnected connected Amazon - get it while nan woody lasts

The watch is elegant, pinch a stainless alloy casing, a titanium bezel, and a sapphire crystal display. The vibrant AMOLED show is 1.5 inches successful diameter pinch a 466 by 466-pixel solution and up to 2,200 nits of brightness. It's a spot dense astatine 81 grams, and only 1 size is available, truthful those pinch smaller wrists whitethorn not admit nan watch size.

The 60-second wellness check-in is simply a useful characteristic that allows you to cheque your bosom rate, humor oxygen level, accent level, wrist temperature, sleep quality, and vascular property by placing your digit connected nan bottommost correct button. However, OnePlus has not gained FDA approval, truthful ECG measurements are not provided successful nan US aliases Canada.

The OHealth smartphone app is useful for showing each of nan specifications of nan information captured by nan OnePlus Watch 3, but I don't for illustration that you cannot customize nan Home surface tiles. Stress measurements are not appearing from me, and I don't usage OnePlus earbuds, truthful I would for illustration to region those tiles from nan page and reorder others I want to spot astatine nan top. The wellness insights are besides reasonably limited.

Also: I recovered nan Android smartwatch pinch nan champion artillery life (and it's not a Samsung aliases OnePlus)

The moving shape and precocious measurement information that look connected nan Fitness tab are excellent, though, and supply much insights than others. For example, moving dynamics specifications are shown successful summation to a array that shows what you request to execute to move to nan adjacent highest level. OnePlus besides provides specifications astir those metrics truthful that you tin understand really to amended them and whether that is imaginable for your moving style.

The OnePlus Watch 3 is simply a Google Wear OS 5 watch, truthful each of nan apps you're acquainted pinch crossed likewise operating wearables are disposable to you. However, location are still reasons that nan Google Pixel Watch is amended from an app's perspective. For example, pinch nan Google Home app connected nan Pixel Watch 3, I tin position my various cameras, and connected nan OnePlus Watch 3, a show appears that directs maine to unfastened nan app connected my phone.

ZDNET's buying advice

OnePlus continues to amended its wearable offerings pinch nan OnePlus Watch 3. Several improvements person been made to nan hardware, and nan artillery life is nan champion we person seen connected a smartwatch. The watch is besides built to withstand nan elements, pinch IP68 and 5ATM ratings, on pinch MIL-STD-810H certification. It's a beautiful, functional smartwatch that is disposable for a reasonable price.

Unless Google and Samsung, aliases a astonishment manufacturer, break caller crushed this year, I don't spot why nan OnePlus Watch 3 wouldn't beryllium nan champion action for Android users.