At a look
Skilled’s Score
Execs
- Now has an even bigger show
- Good battery for a Put on OS smartwatch
- General slick smartwatch expertise
Cons
- ECG not obtainable in UK at launch
- Design is much like the Watch 2
- It’s dearer than the Watch 2
Our Verdict
The OnePlus Watch 3 is among the greatest Put on OS smartwatches you should buy that provides extra battery enhancements together with some new well being smarts. You’re simply going to should pay extra for it than its predecessor.
Worth When Reviewed
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Finest Pricing Right this moment
The OnePlus Watch 3 has a troublesome act to observe after the Watch 2 confirmed that OnePlus was critical about making a great Put on OS smartwatch to rival the Google Pixel Watch 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.
We obtained a smartwatch that has helped to redefine expectations of what battery life ought to and could be on a Google-based smartwatch, all whereas delivering that Put on software program in a principally pleasing trend.
For the OnePlus Watch 3, it’s about bringing the smartwatch extra in step with Apple, Samsung and Google, including critical well being monitoring options because it pushes that battery life a bit additional. That’s precisely what it’s achieved, making the most recent OnePlus Watch 3 an much more achieved smartwatch.
Design & Construct
- Silver or a black titanium bezel
- New redesigned watch crown
- Provides ECG electrodes to bodily button
The design language and strategy normally to the look of the OnePlus Watch 3 is similar to the Watch 2.
There are two appears to select from, with each the obsidian titanium and emerald titanium Watch 3 matching up chrome steel circumstances with trim titanium bezels. You’ve nonetheless obtained that flatter edge on the best facet of the case to interrupt up a full round case design, and it now hosts a rotating crown that sits extra prominently on the watch.
Mike Sawh
The case dimension is roughly the identical as its predecessor, so should you appreciated the stature of its predecessor, you’ll additionally like this. Some should still lament that there nonetheless isn’t a smaller case choice to go for, however I discovered it a great match for my skinny wrist. That case is matched up with a reasonably commonplace sporty 22mm strap that’s simple to take away and substitute, whereas further straps are priced at £34.99 (US pricing TBC).
The Watch 3 is undoubtedly properly made, nevertheless it nonetheless lacks a little bit of wow issue for me
Whereas it doesn’t scream rugged, OnePlus assures you’ll be able to go for adventures with the Watch 2. It’s been examined to army requirements for toughness, whereas the added IP68 and 5ATM (waterproof as much as 50 metres depth) scores imply you’ll be able to simply take it for a swim as properly.
Mike Sawh
On the caseback, there’s a reasonably similar-looking sensor setup that has been reworked to unlock the power to observe temperature, coronary heart fee and blood oxygen ranges. The electrodes wanted to unlock its new ECG powers are constructed into the underside bodily button.
In the event you had been hoping for one thing radically totally different from the Watch 2, that’s not the case right here. The Nordic Blue version of the OnePlus Watch 2 feels just like the route OnePlus wanted to take its subsequent watch in, however that hasn’t materialised.
The Watch 3 is undoubtedly properly made, nevertheless it nonetheless lacks a little bit of wow issue for me.
Display & Audio
- Bigger AMOLED show
- Provides Bluetooth calling
- No LTE model
OnePlus goes greater with the display on the Watch 3.
It’s transferring from a 1.43-inch show to a 1.50-inch LTPO AMOLED display that sticks to the identical 466 x 466 decision and now spreads that throughout the bigger display property. The show is roofed in Sapphire crystal to present it a few of the greatest scratch safety you’ll discover on a smartwatch and holding a 2.5D show provides the display a pleasant sheen to it once you view it from all angles.
Mike Sawh
Whereas the display has grown, the overall really feel of carrying it doesn’t really feel drastically totally different, which is partly right down to OnePlus holding to a similar-sized case. You’re nonetheless getting a pointy, vibrant and vibrant AMOLED display that, with a peak brightness of two,200 nits, is a big step up from the 600 nits provided on its predecessor.
Whereas the display has grown, the overall really feel of carrying it doesn’t really feel drastically totally different
OnePlus features a speaker and microphone as soon as once more, which allows Bluetooth calling, however nonetheless no LTE connectivity on provide. It might’ve been good to have the choice to have a extra untethered expertise, however I do marvel if it is a sacrifice made to be sure that battery life stays robust.
Software program & Options
- Runs on Put on OS 5.0
- Provides video watch faces
- NFC for contactless funds
OnePlus continues its strategy of utilizing two chipsets on the Watch 3. It additionally continues to make it a tool that solely works with Android telephones, identical to different Put on OS smartwatches.
Mike Sawh
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 processor stays, nevertheless it’s now matched to a brand new BES2800BP processor, transferring on from the BES2700 chip used on the Watch 2 and Watch 2R.
Utilizing a mix of processors means turning to at least one for extra demanding smartwatch options like working apps after which bringing the opposite processor into play for much less power-intensive options like displaying notifications. That’s backed up by 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage to assist preserve issues working easily.
Crucially, that’s now all powering Google’s Put on OS 5.0, giving the Watch 3 the most recent obtainable model of Google’s smartwatch working system. That Put on OS improve brings efficiency and energy optimisation enhancements and there are additionally some extra tangible enhancements, primarily centered on Google’s personal apps.
In the event you’re utilizing Google Maps, you’ll be able to sync navigation and placement information out of your telephone. You may also view boarding passes and tickets for occasions via Google Pockets on the watch. It actually looks like an replace that sees Google play catchup with Apple and makes OnePlus’ already-slick strategy to Put on a fair richer one.
Mike Sawh
Options like notifications are properly optimised to that bigger show together with pulling via photographs. The watch faces could be data-rich or extra minimalist, when you do now even have the choice to use video watch faces, with a great mixture of faces normally on provide.
Getting apps from the Play Retailer is easy, whereas the power to shortly alter the view of the app tray was a pleasant contact. OnePlus has added a controller function for letting you play movies on YouTube or TikTok or snap an image, nevertheless it’s solely obtainable to OnePlus telephone homeowners.
Health & Monitoring
- Improved dual-frequency GPS assist
- New ECG analyser
- Provides temperature sensor
The OnePlus Watch 3’s well being and health monitoring is centred on bettering options from the Watch 2 and including new ones that make it act extra like an entire well being monitor.
Mike Sawh
The headline addition is the ECG analyzer, which helps you to take a 30-second measurement when holding your finger down on the underside bodily button to take an ECG coronary heart fee studying.
In that measurement, OnePlus says it may detect circumstances like atrial fibrillation, sinus rhythm, when coronary heart fee has spiked or dropped and if there are any excessive coronary heart fee fluctuations. As with ECG options on different smartwatches, the provision of that function will fluctuate by area, as OnePlus must obtain the suitable regulatory clearance to examine for the guts well being circumstances talked about.
I used to be in a position to get entry to the function throughout testing, which doesn’t formally launch within the UK till later in 2025 (US availability TBC).
Setting it up jogs my memory of utilizing the ECG sensor on Samsung smartwatches. You’ll must activate it first from the OHealth telephone app and have a SIM within your telephone to examine that you just’re in a rustic the place the ECG function is supported and could be turned on. I in contrast a bunch of measurements to ones on the Apple Watch and it did current related information and handles presenting that information on the watch in a really related trend to the Samsung Galaxy Watch.
Mike Sawh
Past the ECG addition, you too can examine your vascular well being, which makes use of each the ECG and PPG sensors to examine and carry out a 60-second check-in to see a abstract of metrics like coronary heart fee, stress and blood oxygen ranges all on one display. This isn’t new to smartwatches and easily means OnePlus can provide a few of these richer well being options for individuals who need it.
On the health and sports activities monitoring entrance, it’s all about enhancements. You’re getting the promise of a greater model of the dual-frequency GPS included on the Watch 2 that’s constructed with a brand new GPS chip and antenna design. The modifications don’t appear to have massively paid off, although, because it tended to overreport distance and misjudge pacing regardless of the tracked routes trying fairly much like a Garmin watch with related dual-band know-how.
Mike Sawh
In typical smartwatch trend, there’s a bucketload of sports activities profiles on provide, plus automated exercise recognition for working, strolling, rowing (indoor), elliptical, biking and swimming. In the event you’re large into your tennis, that’s now included as one of many skilled sports activities modes, permitting it may observe specifics in your recreation.
I’ve used it for indoor and outside runs, indoor rows, swims and basic exercises and the monitoring efficiency on the entire has usually been high quality. Nevertheless, it’s merely not going to provide the stage of sports activities monitoring you’ll get from a equally priced sports activities watch.
Mike Sawh
The PPG sensor accountable for monitoring coronary heart fee day and night time and through train consists of new glass and LED materials that, together with a curvier strap, OnePlus says ought to give coronary heart fee monitoring a lift.
In testing, for train, it dealt with extra relaxed exercises high quality however struggled much more at excessive depth. For an interval observe exercise, the common and most coronary heart charges had been properly under what they need to’ve been for the depth of the session and when in comparison with a coronary heart fee monitor.
For train, it dealt with extra relaxed exercises high quality however struggled much more at excessive depth
I wasn’t massively satisfied over every day coronary heart fee monitoring both, the place resting coronary heart fee was usually within the ballpark of different units but nonetheless appeared to report wildly greater spikes in coronary heart fee through the day.
There are additionally promised enhancements with sleep monitoring, so I’ve been carrying the Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring together with a Garmin watch to measure up monitoring that slumber time.
The Watch 3 sometimes produced related sleep period information and recommended close to equivalent occasions it had taken me to go to sleep and get up within the morning. Sleep scores and sleep coronary heart fee regarded good and there’s loads of that sleep information obtainable to view on the watch if you wish to dig deeper into it.
Battery Life & Charging
- As much as 5 days of battery life
- As much as 3 days in heavy utilization mode
- 16 days in battery saver mode
OnePlus made large strides with the battery on the OnePlus Watch 2 and it’s aiming to take action once more with the Watch 3.
Mike Sawh
It’s upped the capability of the battery from 500mAh to 613mAh, which may supposedly ship as much as 5 days of battery (120 hours) in what OnePlus calls its ‘good’ mode. That’s at some point greater than the Watch 2.
In the event you’re utilizing it in ‘heavy’ mode, that drops to three days, although once more it’s up a day on the Watch 2. It makes use of its dual-chip setup to push issues additional and once you get low, there’s VOOC quick charging to present you a day’s watch time from a 10-minute cost.
I discovered the battery life robust on the Watch 3, and a big step up in comparison with the Watch 2.
On the whole, I discovered the battery life robust on the Watch 3, and a big step up in comparison with the Watch 2.
My time veered extra on the heavy utilization, utilizing a mixture of the increase to wake and holding the display set to always-on mode. I managed to get 4 days nevertheless it undoubtedly has the capability to get to five days. Even once I needed to change to the battery saver mode, which jumps from 12 days to 16 days, it isn’t as restrictive as mode as you’d count on, I used to be nonetheless in a position to get via a day and that included monitoring a exercise. Even an hour’s use of the GPS noticed battery drop 4-5%, which isn’t too dangerous going.
It’s the sort of battery that does a great job of actually clinging on to the tip till it’s lastly time to drop it on the same-look proprietary charging cradle used on the Watch 2.
Worth & Availability
The OnePlus Watch 3 was introduced and launched on 18 February 2025 with a £319 launch value. It’s obtainable within the UK from the OnePlus web site, although US pricing and availability are but to be confirmed.
So, that’s a leap in value on the OnePlus Watch 2, which launched at £299 and has since dropped to £239.
In the event you evaluate that to different main Put on OS smartwatches, it’s barely cheaper than the Google Pixel Watch 3 (£349/$349), however pricier than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (£289/$299). It’s not fairly as low-cost because the Mobvoi TicWatch Professional 5 although – it began at £329.99/$349.99 however is now obtainable for a lot much less.
Do you have to purchase the OnePlus Watch 3?
The OnePlus Watch 3 stays one of the crucial likeable Put on OS smartwatches. It does sufficient within the appears division whereas providing robust software program and battery efficiency to make it a great all-round bundle.
In the event you’ve been holding out for a OnePlus Watch with critical well being options like ECG, then it’s disappointing these options gained’t be prepared at launch. Particularly as you’ll be able to seize it on the Pixel Watch 3 for a bit more cash or much less on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.
Placing the value up makes it a harder promote over the Galaxy Watch 7 should you’re craving for these additional well being options. It does offer you a extra refined look and higher battery life than Samsung’s smartwatch, although. The Pixel Watch 3 takes issues up a notch, however can’t match the Watch 3’s battery life.
The OnePlus Watch 3 is an effective showcase for Google’s Put on OS software program, nevertheless it’s not the standout choice within the class that OnePlus may’ve been hoping for.
Specs:
- Put on OS 5.0
- Snapdragon W5 + BES2800
- 2GB RAM and 32GB ROM
- 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED
- ECG sensor
- NFC with Google Pockets
- Waterproof as much as 50 metres
- Constructed-in dual-frequency GPS
- PPG coronary heart fee sensor
- Works with Android solely