The Indian smartwatch market is flooded with brands with competitive features and pricing. OnePlus recently made its entry with the Watch 2R on July 16, 2024. The initial impressions of the smartwatch promised that it delivers a good blend of functionality, design, and battery life that many fans had been looking for. In this article, we will delve deep into the features, specifications, and overall performance of the OnePlus Watch 2R, finding out what sets it apart from its competitors.
OnePlus Watch 2R Long-Term Review
Upon unboxing the Watch 2R, you will find the watch itself, a charging dock with a Type-C port, a charging cable, and some basic paperwork. It’s worth noting that the charging dock is a magnetic charger equipped with Pogo pins, ensuring a secure connection. This feature is particularly beneficial for those who have experienced issues with other smartwatches becoming dislodged during charging.
The Dual OS Ecosystem of Watch 2R
OnePlus has indeed done a great job with the OS of the Watch 2R. The smartwatch is loaded with two operating systems. The first one is the RTOS (Real-time Operating System), which is often found in budget-friendly options and lasts anywhere from 7 to 14 days, and the second being Google’s Watch OS. This is usually found in higher end smartwatches with extensive features and capabilities, but have a shorter battery range of around 1 to 2 days.
The OnePlus Watch 2R has access to many Google Play Store apps and features thanks to Google’s Wear OS. The watch comes preloaded with several watch faces and allows for even more customisation options to personalise it. I personally found apps like Notes, WhatsApp, and Spotify to be a great time-saving alternative to using my phone.
After setting up the smartwatch, all notifications were easily viewed and managed. Moreover, replying using the Watch 2R’s keyboard felt rather easier than I expected, especially with the swipe typing. Making and receiving calls on the watch was also pretty smooth. However, in some calls, the voice audio levels dropped once or twice, with all full signal strength on my smartphone.
Another useful feature of the OnePlus Watch 2R was the option to sync data with fitness apps installed from the PlayStore. As a mid-level enthusiast, I found the fitness and sleep sensors accurate and precise. Oh, and I found the GPS-backed in-built Google Maps to be very handy while exploring new local restaurants on the go.
Design and Build of the OnePlus Watch 2R
The Watch 2R sports a metallic body along with metallic buttons that give it quite a premium feel. The straps are soft and adjustable and can fit various wrist sizes, although if you have thinner wrists like me, you might find it slightly uncomfortable for overnight wear.
In the build quality department, the OnePlus Watch 2R comes with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. This makes it a durable option for outdoor adventures and fitness activities. The watch’s display is another highlight, boasting a peak brightness of 1,000 nits and a high brightness mode of 600 nits, ensuring excellent visibility in diverse lighting conditions. However, some users may find the number markings on the bezel slightly distracting when viewing notifications. Despite this minor drawback, the overall build quality of the OnePlus Watch 2R is robust, offering a balance of style and durability that caters to both casual users and fitness enthusiasts. The use of an aluminium body instead of stainless steel is a compromise that helps keep the cost down while still providing a solid and reliable smartwatch experience.
OHealth and Pairing
To set up the OnePlus Watch 2R with the OHealth app, ensure that your Android smartphone is ready for pairing. Since the OnePlus Watch 2R is compatible only with Android devices, you need to download the OHealth app from the Google Play Store
After pairing, you can explore the features of the OnePlus Watch 2R through the OHealth app. The app allows you to configure various settings, such as notifications and fitness tracking options. You can also customize the watch face and adjust settings like preferred wrist orientation to ensure accurate tracking of activities.
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Tracking and Monitoring
The OnePlus Watch 2R offers comprehensive tracking and monitoring capabilities, making it a versatile choice for users interested in fitness and health metrics. The watch is equipped with a range of sensors that enable it to monitor heart rate, sleep patterns, and activity levels. This makes it an ideal companion for fitness enthusiasts who want to track their workouts and health data. The watch can effectively track various activities, including walking, running, and swimming, thanks to its robust fitness tracking features. However, some users have reported minor discrepancies in step counting, where the watch occasionally registers fewer steps than actually taken. Despite this, the OnePlus Watch 2R is considered a reliable device for tracking fitness metrics.
Battery and Hibernation Mode
The OnePlus Watch 2R is designed to address common issues with smartwatch battery life by offering an impressive battery performance. The watch is equipped with a 500 mAh battery, which is larger than many competitors in its price range. This capacity, combined with its innovative dual-chip architecture, significantly enhances battery efficiency. The Snapdragon W5 chip handles performance-intensive tasks, while the BES2700 chip manages low-power operations. This dual-chip setup allows the watch to switch seamlessly between high-performance and low-power modes, ensuring essential functions like fitness tracking and notifications remain active without excessive battery drain. Under regular usage, the watch can last up to four days, and in power-saving mode, it can extend up to twelve days. Additionally, the watch supports quick charging, reaching a full charge in about an hour, and a ten-minute charge can provide a full day’s worth of use.
The OnePlus Watch 2R also features a hibernation mode that conserves battery life while maintaining essential functionalities. This mode automatically activates at night, allowing the watch to continue tracking sleep data without requiring manual intervention from the user. The hibernation mode is particularly beneficial for users who wear their watches overnight, as it ensures that the battery is preserved while still collecting important health and fitness data. This feature, combined with the watch’s dual operating system setup—Wear OS for demanding applications and a lightweight real-time operating system (RTOS) for basic tasks—enables the OnePlus Watch 2R to offer a balanced experience of functionality and battery longevity, setting it apart from many other smartwatches that require frequent charging.
Value For Money and Alternatives
The OnePlus Watch 2R offers substantial value for money in the Indian market, priced at approximately Rs 14,000. This smartwatch stands out due to its impressive battery life, which can last up to 7 days on a single charge under regular use and up to 12 days in power-saving mode. This feature addresses a common issue with many smartwatches that require frequent charging, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, which typically needs daily charging. The OnePlus Watch 2R’s dual-chip architecture, combining the Snapdragon W5 for performance-intensive tasks and the BES2700 for low-power operations, contributes significantly to its battery efficiency. Additionally, it offers a robust set of features, including fitness tracking, sleep monitoring, notifications, and call functionalities, all while maintaining a sleek design with premium materials and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
When compared to alternatives like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 or other smartwatches in a similar price range, the OnePlus Watch 2R holds its own with a unique balance of features and longevity. The Galaxy Watch 6, for instance, offers a more extensive app ecosystem and advanced health monitoring features but at the cost of battery life, often requiring daily charging. Other alternatives in the market may provide similar functionalities but often compromise on design or battery performance. The OnePlus Watch 2R, with its dual operating system approach (Wear OS and RTOS), ensures smooth performance and efficient battery usage, making it an attractive option for users seeking a well-rounded smartwatch without the need for frequent recharging. While it may lack some advanced sensors found in more expensive models, its competitive pricing and comprehensive feature set make it a compelling choice for those looking for a reliable and stylish smartwatch.
Wrapping Up
The OnePlus Watch 2R offers a wide range of features, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a smartwatch. Its combination of functionality, style, and battery life positions it as one of the best value-for-money options available today.
While the watch does have some compromises, such as an aluminium body instead of stainless steel and the absence of certain advanced sensors, these factors may not be significant for the average user. What you get in return is a solid smartwatch that covers nearly all essential functionalities at a fraction of the cost of high-end alternatives.
In conclusion, if you’re seeking an everyday smartwatch that delivers on performance, style, and battery life, the OnePlus Watch 2R is worth considering. With its competitive pricing and impressive capabilities, it stands out as a top contender in the smartwatch market.
For those who prefer a stainless steel option, the OnePlus Watch 2 is also available, providing a similar experience with a more premium finish. Regardless of your choice, OnePlus has made a significant impact in the smartwatch space with the 2R and its siblings.
