El Oneplus watch It is the first OnePlus smartwatch and despite offering high-quality finishes, I have the feeling that they could have done much more in software. Therefore, during all these days of testing I have not been able to stop thinking about whether they have lost a great opportunity to be new benchmarks in the field of wearables.
OnePlus Watch, video analysis
A design at the level of OnePlus
Before talking about the design, I want you to know a piece of information that will mark a good part of the analysis and my general opinion of the product: the Oneplus watch only It costs 159 euros. It is undoubtedly one of its great attractions, because it is an amount that the vast majority would be willing to spend on a watch with these characteristics. Although I also admit that it is not ideal for depending on what needs you want to cover.
Aesthetically OnePlus has built a very solid, elegant product with great finishes. I cannot say anything negative in this sense because from the first minute it seems to me a product that lives up to what is expected of the manufacturer, both for aesthetics and quality of materials.
My only complaint would be the issue of dimensions. It is a large watch and for those who do not like to wear such a bulky product on their wrist, it could be a problem. And be careful, I understand that OnePlus is committed to a single size, a 46mm diameter circular case, if they are not clear about the acceptance of the product. But by not offering a smaller version, they are also limited when it comes to reaching that other number of users who want something more compact.
However, if the issue of size is something that does not matter too much to you, then I would dare to say that you will like this watch in all aspects. Because it's shaped like a classic watch, because it feels great, and because it's available in three colors. On the one hand there is the black model that we analyze and on the other in gold and silver.
Focusing a little more on the details such as the screen itself, the frames, the keypad, the arrangement of the sensors and all the other elements that affect the physical section, this is what the OnePlus Watch offers:
- The panel used by OnePlus is type OLED and has dimensions of 1,39 inches. It is true that the frame is somewhat generous, but it is not a big problem either and the most important thing is that the screen looks very good in all kinds of situations, whether indoors or outdoors. And best of all, the response to touch gestures is adequate to have a pleasant experience at all times.
- The ambient light sensor works properly and automatically adjusts the brightness to prevent you from being dazzled at night. Although you can always set the brightness level manually. As well as the screen ignition time that would reach a maximum of 8 seconds right now without interacting with it. OnePlus says it is working on an option to have Always On Display, but with the 4.0 update it didn't come. So we'll have to wait. Finally, and as a tip, at night set the sleep mode if you do not want to wake up with a flash from the screen if you move and it thinks that what you are looking for is to activate it with a twist of the wrist
- On the left side of the box is two buttons that give access to the main menu of the watch and the sports functions of which I will tell you more about later. Although that quick access button to the different workouts can be changed from the watch settings in case you want to activate the heart rate sensor, blood oxygen, etc.
- On the right hand side you will find a speaker that will not drive you crazy with its sound, but it fulfills the purpose for which it is intended (to perform hands-free functions).
- At the bottom there is a microphone that together with the speaker and Bluetooth connectivity allow the watch to be used hands-free as we said before.
- In the internal part or base of the watch are the different sensors that allow measure heart rate or blood oxygen as well as the charging pins that use a special magnetized base for the watch itself. The latter something already common in watches and bracelets of this type
- Lastly, the straps are standard. You can use any strap they sell for regular watches as long as they are the same width. A detail with which OnePlus gets rid of having to create bracelets on its part to satisfy the customization needs of many users
Done, this is all you basically have to know about the OnePlus Watch in terms of design. A product that, as you can see in the images, is very well built and does not give the impression of being fragile at all. What's more, it looks great and as a watch lover you will most likely like it for that same classic watch look.
Do you prefer it square? Well, that will be a matter of personal taste, because the experience does not suffer and that is what is truly important.
The missed opportunity in software issues
Let's talk about the software and how OnePlus has lost, from my point of view, a great opportunity to once again demonstrate with its first smartwatch why its phones have always been so well valued in this regard with Oxygen OS.
To start, the OnePlus Watch does not use WearOS Instead, it is committed to RTOS, an operating system that has advantages such as fast and agile operation since it requires fewer resources, a more adjusted energy consumption that allows it to offer a theoretical autonomy of about 10 days and some other extra, but also some disadvantages. that can take its toll on users who are looking for something more.
RTOS implies accepting a series of compromises where it is possibly the limitation of applications that weighs the most on you. because with him you will not be able to use third-party apps which on platforms like WearOS are very interesting since they allow you to access music services via streaming or interact in a much deeper way with apps that you have on your terminal and use daily.
There is also no clear benefit in managing notifications. It is true that the ideal is to only receive the ones that you really want to see, but that they send you messages via WhatsApp or Telegram and that the only responses you can give to those messages are four predefined ones is not attractive at all. Mainly because I don't think they fit you every time.
And finally there is the issue that there is no support for mobile payments. If they had added this feature, all of the above would still have made it more bearable, but not doing so is like it leaves you with the feeling that you can have many advantages in performance and autonomy, but in the end, whoever is looking for a smart watch is because they also expect something more than looking at the time and two specific notifications.
However, we are not going to be excessively critical either because the price of the product is what it is and because in the sports section it performs very well. It is true that it can never replace a truly specialized device or the opinion of an expert, but the monitoring of different sports activities, heart rate, blood oxygen or options that allow measuring the level of stress are useful during the day a day.
In this sense, plus sleep monitoring, they do make this OnePlus Watch more valuable than a quantification bracelet like the ones we all know. Because it offers you that and something else, like being able to use the watch hands-free and even as a music player. Although you will have to synchronize MP3 files with the watch from the phone and today it is not usual to have this type of file with so many streaming services. Oh, and yes you will be able to change the watch faces. By default there are few in it, but from the app you can add more.
Therefore, to avoid disappointment, it is important to know well what this watch can offer you. If you do it, you will surely find value in it and its price makes you consider it even before a simple bracelet. Especially since aesthetically it looks much better, because the quality is very high and because OnePlus has room for improvement via software updates. Without going any further, they have already promised that they will launch an option to enable the always-on mode with which the screen will always be on.
Finally, just remember that One Plus Health, the app used to manage the watch, is only available on Android devices. Nothing to use the watch with an iPhone.
Why bet on a OnePlus Watch
seen all this, Is the OnePlus Watch worth it? Well yes, as long as you are not looking for the "Android Apple Watch". In other words, the watch has clear limitations due to the operating system it uses, but what it does does quite well. In addition, the plus of autonomy is something that is always appreciated if you do not want to charge the watch every night.
And then there are aspects such as design that add a lot of value. Because aesthetically it is a product that is liked and the price makes it quite attractive and affordable for those who need something more than a quantification bracelet.
Personally, I liked it, although that does not mean that I do not feel that OnePlus has lost a great opportunity to show what they could have done at the software level if they had opted for WearOS. Perhaps a future version will give us that watch that we all want the brand to make, especially knowing what they have achieved for so many years with their Oxygen OS system on Android phones.
But stay with this idea, for 159 euros and as a first step in smart watches and wearables in general, OnePlus is going in the right direction. Let's hope that this ecosystem of products that they are beginning to create will only grow.