4 OnePlus Watch 3 features that are keeping this smartwatch on my wrist

2025 is shaping up to be the year of OnePlus, with the company’s latest wearable launched on February 18th. The OnePlus Watch 3 didn’t need to overhaul what its predecessor started. It only needed some refinements, and that’s what we got. While the first OnePlus Watch failed, the OnePlus Watch 2 brought redemption to the brand’s smartwatch aspirations. The watch was better than the brand’s first attempt, but I found areas where the OnePlus Watch 2 struggled. However, OnePlus isn’t one to sit back and watch. The OnePlus Watch 3 has become a winning Wear OS watch for me, and these are the reasons why.

4

Consistency

… and speed

One thing that separates the OnePlus Watch 2 from other smartwatches, not only Wear OS, is that it runs two operating systems simultaneously. This watch uses Wear OS 5, like the Google Pixel Watch 3 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, but it also runs a custom RTOS (real-time operating system) developed by OnePlus.

This strategy was implemented on the new OnePlus Watch 3. However, the two are very different in daily use. I’m unsure if there are improvements in the software, the updated secondary processor to the BES2800BP from the BES2700BP, or a combination of both. Whatever it is, the new wearable is more consistent with daily use. It performs as expected when opening apps or swiping between screens, and it does so quickly.

Wear OS 5 hums along on the OnePlus Watch 3 thanks to the powerful Snapdragon W5 chipset, which means there are fewer hiccups when using apps from the Play Store. As before, the basic functions of the watch are handled by the RTOS, which by default is snappy. I’m happier using this wearable than the Watch 2. I’m not sure what the savior is in the change between generations of smartwatches, but it’s a welcome one.

3

Battery life

Keeps on winning

Aside from the dual-OS integration on the OnePlus Watch 3 bringing speed and consistency to the wearable, it also brings benefits to battery life. For years, one of my favorite smartwatches has been a Mobvoi TicWatch Pro model. Aside from being one of the best-performing Android wearables, it has the longest-lasting batteries of Wear OS devices. Mobvoi also achieved this feat by going dual, but not in operating systems. Instead, it uses two display technologies to achieve its impressive battery life.

While OnePlus “only” uses a singular display, which is nice and gets bright, the secret to the long-lasting battery comes from the secondary RTOS. Though Mobvoi had my battery-life-loving heart for Wear OS devices, the Amazfit Balance takes the win. The Balance doesn’t use Wear OS. Instead, it runs its own custom RTOS system called Zepp OS. Aside from being a fantastic smartwatch, I consistently get over five days of use between charges.

OnePlus combines the ecosystem benefits you get from using Wear OS with the speed and efficiency of RTOS for a wearable that leads the pack for battery life. I only charged it once in the seven days I’ve used the OnePlus Watch 3. It is freezing cold and snowy in Kansas, so I haven’t done anything to task the GPS on the watch for the past week. Still, it has tracked health metrics, handled calls and notifications, been with me through a few workouts, and tracked sleep. With all of that, I’ve charged it once. As I sit here Friday morning writing this, I’m at 62% charge. I call this a win.

2

Design

From nice to great

Design wasn’t an area I felt OnePlus had many changes to make. The OnePlus Watch 2 had a nice design that looked like genuine time and thought had gone into the style, materials, and feel the watch would embody. Still, two areas stood out for improvement. One was in the bezel surrounding the display, and the other was the crown.

Starting with the bezel, I didn’t hate what OnePlus did with the Watch 2. It seemed unfinished, making the display seem worse than it was. For the Watch 3, OnePlus added a titanium bezel around the display’s outer edge with markings for time increments. On the Watch 2, the metal casing stopped at the edge of the sapphire crystal covering the display. While that wouldn’t be a big deal, the screen underneath didn’t reach the edge. Instead, concentric lines were under the crystal, creating a gap between the casing and the screen. That gap is smaller, thanks to the new titanium bezel.

The bigger design change is in the crown. The OnePlus Watch 2 had the same dual-button setup we get with the Watch 3, with slight visual differences, and the larger crown at the top was a button, and it could rotate. However, that rotation was only for show or to act as a fidget. Where the Amazfit Balance, all Pixel Watches, and others put action behind rotating the crown, it was missing from the OnePlus Watch 2. That has been resolved with the Watch 3. This may not seem like much of an issue, and it wasn’t, but when you spend time with a watch that has a fully functioning rotating crown, you’ll understand how beneficial it is.

1

Durability

More than just a pretty face

This isn’t an area that the OnePlus Watch 2 struggled in, but I’m happy to see that OnePlus kept this as an area of focus. For a device that costs hundreds of dollars, is to be worn daily, and is regularly exposed to potential damage, durability is a must. I don’t baby my devices, and between workouts, working outside, or random things I do, they need to keep up. For a few reasons, the OnePlus Watch 3 can, and I think it is better positioned to last longer than the Watch 2.

With the watch, you get IP68 dust and water resistance, 5ATM water depth rating, and military-grade MIL-STD-810H durability certification. These designations mean it can technically hold up to a lot of abuse and keep on ticking. While I haven’t put the watch through all these tests to confirm, the stainless steel case, sapphire crystal covering the display, and the new titanium bezel point towards the OnePlus Watch 3 being able to handle it just fine.

Refinement and respect

Nothing is perfect, and the OnePlus Watch 3 has areas it can improve. However, the changes made from the Watch 2 to this generation have made me strongly consider a OnePlus wearable as my daily watch. Gone are the jitters that would come during basic usage, which has sped up everything else. I never had the amazing battery life that others got on the Watch 2, but I am with the Watch 3. I also like the subtle design changes, and not so subtle in the functioning rotating crown.

I still don’t like the alarm app, which is a personal complaint. I want better official watch faces and improved support for third-party options. I have had some lingering connectivity issues from time to time on Watch 2. However, aside from those things, I have enjoyed using the OnePlus Watch 3 and look forward to seeing how it works over a longer period.