Tech
OnePlus Watch boasts up to 2 weeks of battery life
Starting at $159 and launching on April 14, OnePlus’ first smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch, looks like a hell of a value considering all its many Apple Watch-like features.
OnePlus’ first smartwatch, the OnePlus Watch, is finally here and it doesn’t run Google’s Wear OS. Using an OS based on RTOS (real-time operating system) means the app ecosystem might end up lacking long term, but there’s one advantage you won’t find on Wear OS smartwatches: 1 week of battery life for “most active users” and 2 weeks for “sustainable use.”
Fitbits and Pebble smartwatches (RIP) are known for their week(s)-long battery life. But smartwatches with color screens, heart rate monitors, and full-blown fitness tracking capabilities? They tend to require a charge every day or after three the most. So naturally, we’re impressed with OnePlus’ battery claim for the OnePlus Watch, but also have our eyebrows appropriately raised.
Looks like a smartwatch — There are really only two ways to design a smartwatch: make it look like an Apple Watch or every other round-shaped Android-based smartwatch. The OnePlus Watch is the latter. Its made of stainless steel with a “smooth arc on the side of the case that is hand-polished with more than 20 treatments for a refined finish” according to OnePlus.
Specs-wise, most of it already leaked last week, but we now know the AMOLED screen diameter measures 1.39 inches and has 2.5D curved glass edges. Here are the rest:
- Over 50 watch faces
- Fluoroelastomer band in Midnight Black
- 4GB of storage (2GB accessible)
- 402 mAh battery (1-week battery life)
- 5ATM and IP68 water resistance
- Tracking for 110+ workouts
- Built-in GPS
- Connects with OnePlus TV
Tracks all the things — Is there such thing as too much health tracking in a smartwatch? Not really. In addition to fitness tracking, the OnePlus Watch can monitor your blood oxygen, detect stress, remind you to breathe, and check for rapid heart rates. Basically, the OnePlus Watch has a lot of the same features as the Apple Watch. How well they work is something that will have to wait for a proper review.
Price and release date — You’re gonna like this: The OnePlus Watch comes out on April 14 for $159. That’s less than half as much as an entry-level 40mm Apple Watch Series 6. The only downside is that the smartwatch only comes in one color: Midnight Black.
There’s a limited edition Cobalt that’s more luxurious. OnePlus says this premium model is made from “cobalt alloy, a unique hypoallergenic material that is twice as hard and more corrosion-resistant than traditional stainless steel.” It also has a sapphire glass display for better scratch-resistance and increased display brightness. We don’t know pricing or launch plans for this version — expect it to cost significantly more.