OnePlus Watch 3 review: five times Apple Watch's battery at one third the price
The OnePlus Watch 3 has enough 'Ultra' features to rival Apple, Samsung and Google
🏆 Review score: 4 out of 5
Pros
✅ 💰 A value: $329 for a titanium Ultra-rivaling smartwatch
✅ ⌚ Stylish circular design with a big, bright 1.5-inch display
✅ 🔋 Astounding 5-day battery life in the normal smart mode
✅ 🏃♂️ Advanced health tracking with 100+ different workouts
✅ 👑 New rotating crown makes cycling through the UI easy
✅ ⚡Travel-friendly charger can detach from the USB cable
Cons
❌ ❤️ ECG measurements aren’t available in the US
❌ 📐 Only comes in one larger size, unlike Google Pixel Watch 3
❌ 📶 WiFi-only model, so no LTE or cellular version
The OnePlus Watch 3 is striking in design, battery life and overall value, making it the biggest surprise hit to launch from the ‘Never Settle’ brand since the OnePlus Open. The company is on a roll in 2025, as evidenced by our equally glowing OnePlus 13 review and OnePlus 13R review.
At just $329 – and $30 cheaper on its site with promo code TIME1010 during the pre-order – the OnePlus Watch 3 steals many “Ultra” features found in its chief rivals: the pricier Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Google Pixel 3. It has 100+ workout presets and a titanium bezel around a 1.5-inch circular display (though the actual watch case is stainless steel). You won’t find many compromises on this Android Wear watch, which now has a rotating crown, unlike the OnePlus Watch 2.
The reason my OnePlus Watch 3 review took longer than normal to write is because I wanted more time with the battery life. Using the default smart mode, this smartwatch lasted five days between charges. And I’m not talking about the power-saving mode – in that mode, get this, the OnePlus Watch 3 lasts 16 days. Even with heavy usage, OnePlus promises 3 days for power users, which is still impressive.
OnePlus Watch 3 doesn’t have everything offered by Samsung and Apple. Newer features like sleep apnea detection didn’t make the cut and the ECG hasn’t gotten FDA clearance in the US, according to OnePlus. You also can’t splurge on an LTE model – there isn’t one. OnePlus Watch 3 is a WiFi-only watch, and unlike the Google Pixel Watch 3, there’s only one big size (although on my wrist, it’s a perfect fit).
It’s a shame that the OnePlus Open 2 release won’t be this year. Plans for it have been canceled for 2025; there won’t be a OnePlus foldable phone follow-up to rival the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 any time soon. But at least OnePlus offers the best value-packed smartwatch I’ve tested in a long time. It’s the smartwatch Samsung, Apple, and Google must beat in 2025 to appeal to consumers on a budget.
⌚ True circular design. I didn’t hate the odd circle-in-a-box shape of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra like some reviewers, but I can admit the OnePlus Watch 3 nails the traditional watch look so much better. It’s a true circular (outside of the straight line on the right side in between the two buttons). With an analog watch face, I’ve fooled some people into thinking I ditched my Apple Watch for an old-school watch.
🪨 Titanium upgrade. The OnePlus Watch 3 looks a lot like the OnePlus Watch 2, except it now has a titanium bezel with appropriately sized hash marks (not too overbearing like some smartwatches). The actual Watch 3 casing is still made of stainless steel and, therefore, heavier than it needs to be, but the fact that there’s any titanium on a $329 is something.
👑 Rotating crown added. The button on the top left side of the OnePlus Watch 3 now rotates as a way to cycle through the UI – no need to smudge the touchscreen. This is pretty standard on today’s smartwatches, but it was sorely missing from the OnePlus Watch 2. This is my favorite core year-over-year upgrade.
🩹 Standard 22mm watchband. If you don’t like the green or black fluororubber strap choices, you can always easily swap them out later because this smartwatch is compatible with standard 22mm watch bands (you may need to purchase a gapless adapter on Amazon for some bands). Apple, Samsung, and Google have all gone with proprietary straps that are easier to swap in and out quickly (I’ve struggled when trying to change the OnePlus Watch strap), but if OnePlus did that, there would be such limited watch band support. This was a wise move for consumers.
📐 One size, GPS only. Unlike the Google Pixel Watch 3, which comes in two sizes, there’s only one OnePlus Watch 3 size. It’s a good fit for people with medium to large wrists, but people with small wrists may find this watch chunky. There’s also no LTE version – this is a GPS-only smartwatch.
🛡️ Durable AF. This watch has military-grade durability (MIL-810H), so it not only has an IP68 rating but can be used for diving thanks to 5ATM waterproofing up to 50 meters underwater. The fine print still says you should avoid seawater.
⚡ Cable matters. I really like the detached wireless charger that’s included with the OnePlus Watch 3. It may seem like a minor deal, but the Pogo pin charging dock has a USB port for the USB-C-to-USB-A cable (also included). It makes the charging dock infinitely easier to pack in a travel bag without the long tail of a permanently attached cable (I have enough USB-C cables in my backpack). I could see myself buying a few of these (or having them from the OnePlus Watch 2 or Watch 2R).
🔋 5-day battery life. Testing the battery was why my OnePlus Watch 3 review took an extra week. The battery lasts five days with normal use. Marathoners can deplete the battery with back-to-back-to-back all-day activity tracking, according to OnePlus, but that’s still much better than every other smartwatch I’ve tested.
🧠 Two brains are better than one. The dual-chip architecture of the OnePlus Watch 3 is the reason it lasts so long. It uses Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon W5 chip for intense tasks and switches to run off of an efficiency chip, an upgraded BES2800, for minor tasks. I wish more smartwatches would follow this idea.
🏃♂️ 100+ workout presets. Do you play tennis? How about bobsled? Activity tracking on the OnePlus Watch 3 goes well beyond running to train with you on just about any sport or quasi-sport you can think of. For tennis, it can even track each stroke, which is something I don’t see on other smartwatches. Even tug-of-war, dog walking and jump rope are among the granular tracking options.
❤️ No ECG in the US. OnePlus Watch 3 goes above and beyond in terms of health sensors and metrics for $329, but it’s missing one crucial feature in the United States: ECG. The watch’s ECG Analyzer hasn’t been approved by the FDA, so users in the United States won’t see this. A “60-Second Health Check-In” feature will launch in Q2 2025 (without the ECG), according to OnePlus.
🛰️ Dual-frequency GPS. It’s another “Ultra” coup for the OnePlus Watch 3 – a feature for more precise location tracking runners and marathoners love. This is the type of perk you get from the more expensive Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Apple Watch 1 and 2. Notably, even the Google Pixel Watch 3 doesn’t have this feature.
🏥 OHealth is basic but free. You’ll find a few more stats and syncing abilities within Samsung, Apple, and Google’s respective health apps, and they work with more of the gym equipment I use. I find the layouts of companion apps from the Oura Ring 4 and the Whoop tracker to be more user-friendly. However, everything within OHealth is free (unlike Google’s Fitbit Premium services).
Should I buy the OnePlus Watch 3?
Yes, if…
✅ You want a new fitness smartwatch that costs no more than $329
✅ You appreciate the traditional-looking circular watch design
✅ You desire 5-day smartwatch battery life more than anything else
✅ You’ll make use of the 100+ fitness tracking modes
No, if…
❌ You own OnePlus Watch 2, which has a similar design (stick with it)
❌ You want ECG or sleep apnea detection (get Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra)
❌ You have small wrists (get the 41mm Google Pixel Watch 3)
