OnePlus quickly followed up the Watch 2 release with Watch 2R. This new watch offers almost the same impressive specs but for $70 less. You still get dual OS, dual processors, around 100 hours of battery life, and the same RAM and storage. All the sensors and features from the Watch 2 are included too.
So, what’s the catch with the Watch 2R and how does it compare to the Watch 2? And more importantly, how does it perform in daily use? After wearing it for over a week, here is my OnePlus Watch 2R review. Let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
First Impressions: Differences Between Watch 2 and Watch 2R
The OnePlus Watch 2R is noticeably lighter than the OnePlus Watch 2. The Watch 2 weighs about 80g with the strap, while the Watch 2R is just around 59g. This weight difference is due to the materials used. Watch 2 is made of military-grade stainless steel whereas the 2R uses aluminum alloy. Aluminum isn’t as strong as steel but comfortable and lighter making it more suitable for all-day wear.
The straps are also different. The OnePlus Watch 2 has a fluoro-rubber strap, which is more premium and durable, whereas the Watch 2R uses silicone straps. Silicone is a bit more prone to attracting lint, but both straps are the same size and can be interchanged.
In terms of design, the Watch 2R has unique dual-tone chronographic markings on the bezel, giving it a distinctive look. On the other hand, the Watch 2 follows a more typical smartwatch design. I personally prefer the minimal approach of the Watch 2, but design can be subjective.
The Watch 2 features one non-rotatable crown button and one standard button, whereas the 2R comes with two non-rotatable crown buttons, which I find more appealing. More on their functions below.
Overall, the Watch 2R is lighter with a chronographic design, though slightly less strong. Beyond these differences, both watches are quite similar. Here’s the spec sheet comparing the OnePlus Watch 2 with Watch 2R.
| Feature | OnePlus Watch 2 | OnePlus Watch 2R |
|---|---|---|
| Build Material | MIL-STD-810H, 5ATM + IP68 | Aluminum alloy frame, 2D sapphire crystal glass |
| Weight | 49g (without strap), 80g (with strap) | 37g (without strap), 59g (with strap) |
| Durability & Water Resistance | MIL-STD-810H, 5ATM + IP68 | 5ATM + IP68 |
| Battery | 500mAh, up to 100 hours in Smart Mode, 48 hours with heavy use, 12 days in Power Saver Mode | Same as Watch 2 |
| Charging Speed | 60 minutes for full charge, 10 minutes for 24 hours of power | Same as Watch 2 |
| GPS | Dual Frequency (L1 + L5) | Same as Watch 2 |
| Strap Quality & Size | Fluororubber, 140-210 mm | Silicone, 140-210 mm |
| Display | 1.43-inch AMOLED, 466 x 466 pixels, 1000 nits brightness | Same as Watch 2 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 + BES2700BP MCU | Same as Watch 2 |
| OS | Wear OS 4 + RTOS | Same as Watch 2 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5G/2.4G, Bluetooth 5.0, dual frequency GPS (L1+L5) | Same as Watch 2 |
| RAM & Storage | 2GB RAM + 32GB storage | Same as Watch 2 |
| Colors | Wi-Fi 5G/2.4G, Bluetooth 5.0, dual-frequency GPS (L1+L5) | Forest Green, Gunmetal Gray |
| Price | $299.99 | $229.99 |
With nearly the same specs and features, the OnePlus Watch 2R makes the Watch 2 seem unnecessary unless you prefer a stainless steel look.
Wear OS + RTOS = 100 Hours of Battery Life
The Watch 2R uses a unique dual OS system combining Wear OS and RTOS (Real-Time Operating System). Nope, you don’t get to choose which OS to use. It runs on RTOS by default, which is lighter and more efficient on battery. When you need Wear OS features like calls, notifications, or using apps like Spotify or Google Wallet, Wear OS kicks in with the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip. You won’t notice the switch, but this setup helps save battery life.
In simple terms, the Watch 2R mostly runs on RTOS to save battery, switching to Wear OS for specific tasks. This allows the Watch 2R to give around 100 hours of battery life in smart mode. I activated the AoD (always-on display) and still got over 3 days of battery life. There’s also a power saver mode that should give around 12 days of battery life.
However, there’s a slight delay when notifications are shown or when Wear OS-specific apps like Google Maps are opened. Registering these actions takes a few seconds because the system has to switch to Wear OS. Even when I swipe to the Google Calendar tile, the watch takes a good second to display my next events. This impacts the user experience a little but is not a deal breaker.
Interface and Experience: Simple But Big
The OnePlus Watch 2R is available only in a 46mm size, which might be too large for people with smaller hands. Although it’s light and won’t cause skin irritation when used for longer durations, its large body gets in between my activities, especially while sleeping. I would personally prefer a smaller size.
The watch offers a simple and easy-to-navigate interface. Swipe from the top to access quick settings like Bluetooth, sleep mode, brightness, and volume. Swipe from the bottom to access notifications. Being a Wear OS watch, you can reply to messages using emojis, voice typing, or a full keyboard. Swiping left or right rotates through your tiles.
The Watch 2R has two buttons:
- Top Button: Press to return to the watch face from any page or open the app drawer. Long press for Google Assistant. Double press for the most recent apps.
- Bottom Button: Press to open the workout page with over 30 supported activities. Long press to open the power-off menu. Double press for Google Pay.
You can customize the long-press and double-press actions in the settings. The interface is straightforward, and the animations are smooth, but the design and overall UI need more polishing.
OHealth App: Simple but Lacking Features
With WearOS 4, you don’t need the Wear OS by Google app for setup. You can do everything from setup to tracking health data and changing settings in the OEM’s app itself. For OnePlus, you use the OHealth app.
OHealth is clean and easy to navigate with three tabs: Health, Fitness, and Devices. The Health tab tracks daily activity goals, heart rate, sleep, stress, and SpO2 data, with detailed graphs. The Fitness tab shows stats for activities like walking, running tennis, etc. In the Devices tab, you can change watch faces, tiles, and notification settings.
While the app is insightful and explains health metrics, it lacks customization options compared to Samsung Health or Fitbit. For example, Fitbit lets you set a focus like better sleep, staying active, or losing weight and the home page adjusts accordingly bringing the needed data to the forefront. Other health apps also offer mood tracking, calorie intake, and period tracking, which are missing in the OHealth.
Fitness and Health Tracking
Along with the OnePlus Watch 2R, I have also used the Samsung Watch 7 on my other hand for a few days to track and compare my health and fitness data. Here are the daily activity and running session results from both watches.
| OnePlus Watch 2R | Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Steps (1-day) | 6,768 | 6,980 |
| Active Time (1-day) | 22 mins | 19 mins |
| Active Calories (1-day) | 335 Kcal | 341 Kcal |
| Steps (1-run) | 540 | 572 |
| Calories burned (1-run) | 54 Kcal | 55 Kcal |
| Average cadence (1-run) | 54 spm | 56 spm |
The OnePlus Watch 2R’s results are on par with the Galaxy Watch 7. The heart rate, sleep, stress, and SpO2 tracking results were similar. However, the OnePlus Watch lacks advanced health features like ECG, body composition, and energy scores. Watch 2R does a good job at tracking health metrics but there are better options like the Galaxy Watch Series 4, 5, or 6 for a lower price.
What About Other Smart Features
When it comes to call quality, the OnePlus Watch 2R performs adequately. The built-in microphone and speaker work well enough for quick conversations. The sound clarity is decent, and except for 1 time, people on the other end of the call didn’t report any issues hearing me
One notable aspect of the OnePlus Watch 2R is its lack of wireless charging. Unlike some of its competitors, the watch 2R only supports wired charging. However, it does feature 7.5W VOOC fast charging, which efficiently charges the 500mAh battery in just under 60 minutes. While wireless charging would have been a nice addition, the speed and battery life of the watch makes up for it.
Another highlight of the Watch 2R is its support for Dual GPS. This is particularly useful for outdoor activities like running and hiking, where precise location tracking is crucial. However, I did notice occasional signal drops, which is something that didn’t happen as often with the Galaxy Watch 7. It’s a minor issue but worth mentioning if you rely heavily on GPS for your activities.
OnePlus Watch 2R Review: Should You Go For It
If you need a smartwatch to check the weather, track basic health and fitness data, and navigate with Google Maps, along with excellent battery life and fast charging, the OnePlus Watch 2R is a great choice. At $70 less than the Watch 2, it offers similar specs, features, and design. However, for advanced health tracking, go for a Garmin, Samsung, or Pixel watch.
