A fitness-centric smartwatch is an indispensable tool for amateur athletes and competitive sportspersons. It encourages a new user to pay more attention to their health and quite literally see how little gains everyday add up to big results. To that end, The Hindu reviewed the OnePlus Watch 2R to see how it would serve both fitness enthusiasts as well as those trying to make a healthier lifestyle a reality.
At a Glance
Technical Specifications
- Display: 1.43-inch AMOLED; default maximum brightness 600 nits and high brightness mode 1000 nits; 466*466 resolution
- Weight: About 59 grams, with the wrist strap
- Battery: 500mAh and up to 100 hours in smart mode
- Sports modes: 100+ sports modes and 6 types of automatic recognition
- Water/dust resistance: IP68
- Processor: Snapdragon W5 Gen 1
- OS: Wear OS 4 + RTOS
The Watch 2R is quite durable; it handled a number of bumps and scrapes, a nasty fall, and hour-long swimming sessions with ease | Photo Credit: Sahana Venugopal
Design
After reviewing the OnePlus Watch 2 earlier and experiencing its heavy build, we worried that the less expensive OnePlus Watch 2R would be even more of a burden. However, we were pleased to instantly realise that the OnePlus Watch 2R is lighter and far more comfortable on the wrist than its premium sibling. To be precise, the OnePlus Watch 2R weighs about 59g, including the wrist strap; roughly 20g less than the OnePlus Watch 2. It was also comfortable to wear while sleeping.
That being said, the OnePlus Watch 2R is not a smartwatch that transitions smoothly throughout your day. Its large dial and the numbered rim make it clear this is a sports watch, and the design is practical, rather than chic. If you need a device that fits business attire, ethnic clothes, or evening wear, the OnePlus Watch 2R would neither be your first choice nor your second one.
Furthermore, there are two very stubby buttons on the side of the watch dial that look as though they were nailed in: one powers the device on and takes you to the app grid, while the other takes you straight to choose a workout and lets you pause the session whenever needed.
The Watch 2R is quite durable; it handled a number of bumps and scrapes, a nasty fall, and hour-long swimming sessions with ease while still managing to look polished and new. One useful feature is the ability to make the phone expel any moisture from its inner parts and speaker, through vibration.
User experience
It takes about half an hour or so to activate the OnePlus Watch 2R, sign into any needed accounts, download the OHealth app, and make the device uniquely yours. From there, you can set up your personalised photo wallpaper, arrange your apps, and get going.
As soon as we turned on the OnePlus Watch 2R, we were taken aback by the size and quality of the display. The casual user will not really be able to see a difference between the display of the Watch 2 and the Watch 2R, as both are equally fine. Colours are rich and punchy, while even tiny text is sharp and easy to read. The accuracy of the keypad is definitely a huge plus, as we were able to send quick texts from our wrists even while on the move. The dial size may not suit users with smaller wrists.
However, the smartwatch’s flat face and numbered bezels give it a distinctly “sporty” look that could have been a little more subtle.
The dedicated second button on the watch will take you to the sports modes that include everything from various running styles and pool swims to snow activities and even freestyle workouts. The watch supported us during a long swim in the pool, and also tracked metrics such as blood oxygenation, heartrate, calories burned, active movement sessions, stress levels, and steps taken. The readings were largely accurate and will help users check their workout progress and current physical condition.
Other smartwatch users should check with OnePlus to see if their own devices are suitable for extended use in fresh water, sea water, or hot showers.
While the smartwatch offers settings to measure sleep-related breathing disturbances and a “sleep score,” this should not replace seeing a licensed medical practitioner about conditions such as sleep apnoea.
The smartwatch display is not very responsive to light-fingered or fast touches, as you have to consciously apply some force to switch between screens. This means quickly or discreetly flicking between pages is difficult. The device also disables some key apps—such as Maps—unless you sign in via your Google account, or offers erratic service when not signed in, which was frustrating. It was also hard to force quit certain app functions in order to save battery. A smoother process could have been put in place for this.
The smartwatch’s Google Wallet setting is not enabled for use in the region yet.
App
Smartwatch users will have to connect their device to the OHealth app in order to access their detailed statistics and health data.
The app’s design makes it intuitive for users, and all the information is neatly presented in the form of eye-catching graphics, making it easy to share with a healthcare professional, a caretaker, or even a trainer. It is also easy to visualise your progress over time, using the provided charts and graphics.
As soon as we powered on the OnePlus Watch 2R, we were taken aback by the size and quality of the display | Photo Credit: Sahana Venugopal
Battery
The OnePlus Watch 2R offers several battery-saving/hibernation modes that extend the life of the device without making you feel like you are missing out on the best features.
On average, we were able to use the Watch 2R for 3-4 days between charges, though this may decrease if you use it heavily for navigation while exercising or check most of your emails, texts, and other smartphone notifications through the watch itself.
The device goes from zero to 100% charged in about 60-70 minutes, though you can stop charging long before that and still have enough power for a whole day.
All in all, the smartwatch’s battery life is more than adequate for the average user, and it is well-calibrated to suit unpredictable schedules.
Verdict
The OnePlus Watch 2R is a chunky yet snug smartwatch that easily fits into your daily routine, as it represents a significant improvement over the higher-priced OnePlus Watch 2.
The device is recognisable on sight as a sports watch, so it may not be the best choice for those seeking a more elegant or office-friendly accessory. Even so, its lightweight build, strong battery, and impressive water resistance will endear the OnePlus Watch 2 to most users in a very short span of time, inspiring them to exercise a little more every day.
Published - October 04, 2024 11:55 am IST
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