OnePlus Watch 2R review: A cheaper, lighter Android watch that keeps on going

Consumer electronics manufacturer OnePlus took the “one size fits all” saying quite literally for its brand-new OnePlus Watch 2R smartwatch. That’s the only major complaint I’ve had, after using the smartwatch for over a week.

The OnePlus Watch 2R is sleek and looks premium, it comes with some design changes vis-a-vis the OnePlus Watch 2 (which launched earlier in the year) but still features the massive 46mm size as its only option. It’s available in two colours – Forest Green and Gunmetal Gray – and retails for ₹17,999.

The Watch 2R was launched as a cheaper and lighter package than the Watch 2, but with the same competition-crushing 100-hour battery life that everyone has come to love. If you’re okay with the huge 46mm size, and have an Android smartphone, this smartwatch should be at the top of your holiday shopping list.

Design

Now that I’ve put it out there, let’s kick off with some of the design changes I’m a fan of. The Watch 2R has a brushed aluminium finish (different from Watch 2’s polished stainless steel finish) with a simple two-button layout (reminiscent of stopwatches of the past). It gives off a vintage look. The Watch 2R is 21g lighter, has a flatter build, and has a permanent set of numbers painted around the watch face (a faux chronometer). The rotating (or spinning) buttons on the Watch 2R are more durable and resistant to impacts but aren’t used in the UI.

The faux chronometer adds a bit of character, and the sporty silicone strap provides lasting comfort. Overall, the Watch 2R looks good, is very comfortable and doesn’t need to be charged as often as an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

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The 1.43-inch AMOLED panel is one of the best I’ve seen in any smartwatch. It’s got punchy and accurate colours, and the brightness mode tops out at 600 nits, which is plenty for outdoor usage. Just in case it isn’t, there is a high brightness mode where it can reach 1,000 nits. The Watch 2R has an IP68 rating for dust and water (up to 5 ATM of water pressure) resistance.

Hardware, software and battery life

The Watch 2R features the same dual-engine architecture as the Watch 2. At the heart of this is Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 wearable platform (which helps run all the Wear OS tasks) and the BES 2700 MCU chip for efficiency (and helps achieve insane battery life) and runs the Realtime Operating System (RTOS). There are plenty of sensors - optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, geomagnetic sensor, barometer and more - present inside the Watch 2R.

Wear OS 5 is a minor update and is currently a Samsung Galaxy Watch7/Watch Ultra exclusive. Nonetheless, Wear OS 4 is excellent. Working in tandem with RTOS, the two provide an efficient and smooth experience on the OnePlus Watch 2R. If you’re an Android user, then all your apps (available from the app store) will work smoothly. I noticed no lags or any app freezes.

Battery life is one of the standout features of the Watch 2R. OnePlus claims that you’ll get anywhere between 48 hours and 100 hours on a single charge, depending on how the watch is being used. There’s also a “smart mode” (a battery-saving mode) that shuts down the Wear OS parts of the watch at night, using much less power.

My usage was in line with what OnePlus claimed. I “lost” the charger in my room shortly after charging and setting up the watch. Luckily, I didn’t have to search for it until several days later. With a combination of GPS, always-on display and some fitness features, I easily got over 2.5 days of battery life. When you do need to charge the Watch 2R, it can be juiced from 0-100 percent in just an hour.

There’s a single speaker grille and a microphone hole. The microphone is fine, and the other person could hear me well on a call, but the speaker volume is very low. You must always have your wrist right next to your ear to have a proper phone conversation. It’s decent for indoors, in quieter environments, but it’s harder to hear and talk when you’re outside.

OHealth app for all your fitness needs

The Watch 2R uses the OHealth app for all your health and fitness insights. For the most part, the fitness tracking on the Watch 2R is fantastic. It’s miles away from the Garmins and Fitbits of the world, and even behind the Apple Watch, but it does a commendable job concerning fitness metrics and accuracy. The one advantage the Watch 2R has is how all the data is presented - both on the app and on the device. It’s very colourful and easy to read.

Once you open the OHealth app, you’re greeted with an easy-to-read summary of your day’s activity. From the four rings - Steps, active calories, workout and activity - to heart rate and sleep, the OHealth app can even be liked by beginners who are just beginning to learn as to how to interpret all the data.

The only metric I had a problem with was the stress score (on a scale of 100). My average remained very low and never moved out of the “normal” range (30-59). It seemed much less than it should have been at times.

My one major complaint though is how one cannot move their OHealth data from one phone to another. I can’t think of a single reason why OnePlus has done this, and it baffles me. While I haven’t used the Watch 2 extensively, the fitness metrics from the Watch 2R seem to be a lot more accurate.

Should you buy the OnePlus Watch 2R?

If you’re an Android user who is looking for a mid-range smartwatch with insane battery life, then look no further than the OnePlus Watch 2R. Just make sure to check it out in a shop first (plenty of OnePlus stores around the country) and make sure the “one size fits all” approach suits you.

If fitness is an absolute priority, then you should gravitate toward a Garmin for more accurate measurements. If you want the best mix of the “smarts” and “fitness” then the Galaxy Watch 7 might be the one to get. But, if you want a premium-looking smartwatch that doesn’t break the bank, and with which you don’t need to charge as often, then the OnePlus Watch 2R is for you. The Watch 2R will not work with an iPhone, but it is compatible with all Android smartphones. The Watch 2R also lacks cellular connectivity.

But thanks to the lower price, stylish design, excellent battery life, gorgeous AMOLED display, and better fitness metrics, the OnePlus Watch 2R is a better deal than the OnePlus Watch 2.

Sahil Bhalla is a Delhi-based writer. He posts @IMSahilBhalla

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