OnePlus Watch - One year later… how are you doing?
Almost a year after the release of OnePlus Watch, we thought it made sense to review it, also due to a substantial update recently received that improves the software and makes the smartwatch mature to the point of eliminating the criticisms received on day one. A concrete wearable device with so much potential that combined with the many features make this device a product to focus on, also in view of the very attractive price. Let's find out together in this full review.
The sales box comes to the eye because of a bright red color but also for the excellent packaging that OnePlus puts in all its products. Here we find in addition to the OnePlus Watch, the 22mm strap in hypoallergenic silicone (fluorine elastomer) and the Warp Charge magnetic charging base and manuals. Unfortunately, there is no plastic to protect the display, but it is difficult to find it even in competing products, so I do not consider it a negative point.
On an aesthetic level, the company has hit the mark, offering a product that gives a premium feeling from the first contact on the wrist. Made with a stainless steel case that immediately transmits a sense of solidity and resistance over time to the watch and then the gem of the OnePlus logo inserted in the upper button, on the right frame of the case, while we find a second lower button that can be programmed with the recall of some functions, considering instead that the basic function is set for recalling the monitoring of sports activity. The upper button, on the other hand, is used to turn the display on / off, enter the system menu or return to the home.
What stands out, however, is undoubtedly the magnificent 1,39-inch AMOLED circular display with a resolution of 454 x 454 pixels, protected by a sapphire glass, surrounded by a series of circular serigraphs that increase its premium appearance and capture the attention on it. it. There is an excellent brightness adjustment sensor, very fast in recognizing lighting situations, so we advise you to leave the automatism active. The definition of the screen allows full visibility even outdoors with direct sun and the Always On Display is present, although in this case in my opinion the visibility is decidedly reduced even in shady areas. Personally, I think the AOD is a function that only serves to increase energy consumption, also because in the case of OnePlus Watch, it only allows the display of the Home screen, even if sports monitoring is enabled, forcing us to switch on the display via wrist gesture. .
As mentioned at the beginning of the review, OnePlus Watch after almost a year received mature and stable software, making it more than complete in everyday use, without particular sacrifices. Recall that this is the first real smartwatch of the Chinese brand and it is understandable that some lack in general is present, such as NFC. In reality in the Chinese version the sensor is present and functioning but in the global version, the NFC has been made invisible, as we would not have had the opportunity to exploit it on platforms such as Google Pay and / or similar.
The smart watch interfaces with the smartphone via Bluetooth through the OnePlus Health app, available exclusively for Android users, which allows us to set up notable functions such as receiving notifications from certain apps rather than others. On the OnePlus Watch display we can in fact read the notifications, expand them if they contain considerable text while for those coming from the Whatsapp app we can also respond, but only with pre-configured answers. In short, here it must be admitted that the brand could do better, at least allow you to customize the answers or increase the number of apps to respond to, but we are confident in future updates that solve this gap.
On the other hand, the possibility of receiving and making calls via the watch is excellent, viewing the sender and deciding whether to write down or answer directly, relying on an excellent speaker and microphone, which give a "call" experience almost comparable to that of a smartphone. . it should be noted that for calls, we can import quick contacts from the companion app or make calls using the numeric keypad.
Unfortunately, the speaker does not allow you to listen to music from the clock, which actually allows you to store music tracks by relying on an internal memory of 4 GB (not all available). So for the music you will either command the one coming from the smartphone from the watch or, leaving the latter at home and being independent, you can combine the Bluetooth headphones to manage the songs in the internal memory, complete with recognition of the touches for the TWS headphones. An excellent solution for sports without carrying the smartphone with you (you can change the music track even when training has started, which is not to be taken for granted).
The software in general is proprietary and this does not allow the possibility of installing third-party apps, although it must be admitted that those integrated by OnePlus cover most of the uses, making the lack less burdensome. OnePlus Watch is a cross between a simple smartwatch and a sportwatch, offering at the hardware level a very fast GPS (GLONASS, GALILEO, BEIDOU) which confirms the independence from carrying the smartphone for training sessions. There are 110 physical activities that you can detect and monitor, including aquatic ones, counting on an IP68 and 5 ATM certification. For activities like walking, cycling and running, the OnePlus Watch also has automatic detection, asking you if you are actually doing that activity and want to log session data. On the whole, the data collected are quite complete but above all reliable, deviating very little from more professional and expensive products. Therefore, the step count and heart rate monitoring are reliable, but if necessary we can also track the SpO2 value, thanks to a dedicated sensor (continuous monitor only in the sleep phase).
At the software level, there are also functions such as the daily activity log, sports log, stress, respiratory relaxation, weather, stopwatch, timer, torch, barometer, compass, remote control of the smartphone room but also an interesting function that allows you to view the route of the smartphone navigator on the smartwatch display. Many functions and all practical but some might think that our OnePlus Watch is stripped of this in terms of autonomy ... well even in this chapter the wearable does not disappoint, easily reaching at least 10 days with notifications of the apps activated, automatic brightness, GPS and three sports activities. In addition, the Warp Charge charging system in just 13 minutes brings the clock to 50% while it only takes 45 for a full charge.
PROJECTED IMPACT
OnePlus Watch has really convinced me and I'm happy to have tried it a year after its launch, because I was able to appreciate the true essence of this smart watch. Accurate in the monitored data and full of useful functions for everyday life. Stunning display and fast GPS are prominent elements for this device that probably still has so much potential to unleash, such as for quick responses in apps, but overall OnePlus Watch to date is one of the best complete and low-cost wearables. that you can find on the market.
If you are interested in buying this OnePlus Watch you can find it on Hekka.com at a price that will surprise you, but it does not end here because using the coupon eitech10 you will get an additional $ 10 discount (also valid for other expenses as long as they are above $ 29,99).
