The pros and cons of using OnePlus smartwatches

Though they have their dedicated fans, OnePlus devices have always been a bit niche. Just like the company’s phones, OnePlus smartwatches stand toe to toe with competitors’ in terms of performance, but remain far from the most popular on the market. With OnePlus’ announcement that it will no longer be selling its devices in the US or Europe, now might be a strange time to start considering a new purchase, but it’s not out of the question.

On the official OnePlus store, it’s currently impossible to buy a new smartwatch in the US, but other options are available. Online retailers like Amazon still have stock of the entire smartwatch line for now. So the question remains: what do you gain or lose by choosing OnePlus smartwatches over any other brand, especially when you might not be able to find one if you wait too long?

Battery life has always been one of the biggest advantages of OnePlus devices, and its smartwatches are no different. The OnePlus Watch 4 boasts five days of use on a single charge in smart mode and up to two weeks in power saver mode.

OnePlus smartwatches also charge incredibly fast. Performance tests showed that a OnePlus Watch 3 reached up to 80% charge in 30 minutes. By comparison, a Apple Watch Series 10 reached 50% and a Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra only 36%. That means there’s almost no risk of your OnePlus Watch battery ever running dry if you’re paying the slightest bit of attention.

The other big advantage for OnePlus is that its smartwatches are more affordable than comparable competitors without sacrificing quality. Despite being a bit cheaper, OnePlus watches are well made with large, bright AMOLED screens. Their onboard software, called OHealth, is generally considered serviceable but not great, but the full suite of Google apps is available on OnePlus watches as well.

The build quality of OnePlus watches is also a point in their favor. OnePlus watches are solid and durable, which matters a lot when they’re meant to be worn during physical activity. They’re designed to look more like traditional watches, which generally makes them more aesthetically appealing than other smartwatches, but that can also be a matter of taste.

On the other hand, OnePlus watches lag behind on some major features. The big one is cellular support: OnePlus watches have none. That means that you need to pair one with a phone to make it useful, and since they use Wear OS, OnePlus watches are only compatible with Android phones. Since OnePlus didn’t get the required FDA approval, US models lack ECG trackers; older OnePlus Watch 2 models also lack fall detection.

Build quality can also be a double-edged sword. OnePlus watches are chunky devices, and despite their good looks, that can make them stand out a bit too much if you prefer something sleeker. Their size also makes them hard to wear if you have slimmer wrists, and they’re heavier than the competition, which could make them a pain over long periods.

OnePlus has promised to continue supporting existing devices with software updates, but it’s unclear how easy support will be to reach. Smartphone users will likely feel the impact sooner than smartwatch owners since watches rely less on software updates, but it’s something to consider before getting too used to the feel of OnePlus watches.