OnePlus Watch 2R Review: The Latest Affordable Smartwatch

The Latest from OnePlus: OnePlus Watch 2R Review

The OnePlus Watch 2R is the newest addition to the OnePlus wearable series and the budget-friendly version of the OnePlus Watch 2. Launched last year to critical acclaim, the OnePlus Watch 2 impressed reviewers with its design, build quality, performance, dual operating system, and exceptional battery life.

The OnePlus Watch 2R builds on this success without altering the winning formula much. This variant retains most of the original features with a few changes. Are these changes significant enough to warrant a new version? Let’s dive in and find out.

Design

The design of the OnePlus Watch 2R closely resembles the Watch 2. The shape remains largely the same with identical dimensions, featuring a large circular watch face and two side buttons. The buttons now both feature a standard pusher mechanism, unlike the Watch 2, which had a crown and a flat button. The previous crown button on the Watch 2 was somewhat confusing as it spun like a crown but functioned only as a button. The 2R’s buttons do not rotate, eliminating any potential confusion.

The watch body of the Watch 2R differs in two main aspects from the Watch 2. First, the casing is made from brushed aluminum instead of polished stainless steel. Second, the glass is flat rather than curved around the edges.

Switching from steel to aluminum has significantly reduced the weight; the Watch 2 weighed 49g without the strap, while the Watch 2R weighs just 37g. This reduction in weight is further emphasized when considering the default straps; the Watch 2 weighs 80g whereas the Watch 2R weighs just 59g.

One of my main issues with the Watch 2 was its size and weight. For a watch aimed at fitness enthusiasts, it felt too large and heavy, making it distracting during workouts and uncomfortable for sleep tracking. While the size remains unchanged, the reduced weight of the new model makes a substantial difference. It’s easy to forget you’re wearing this watch, unlike the more expensive model. However, some users might prefer the heavier feel of the Watch 2.

The only downside of switching to aluminum is that the Watch 2R loses the MIL-STD-810H military-grade testing certification. Nonetheless, it still retains the IP68 and 5ATM ratings.

The glass is still sapphire crystal but now has flat edges. This might not feel as nice when swiping from the edges, but some might prefer the flat glass look. Additionally, the Watch 2R covers up the thick bezels on the Watch 2 with a two-tone chronometer dial that looks much nicer.

The Watch 2R is available in two variants, Forest Green and Gunmetal Gray. The former features a silver case with a green strap, while the latter has a dark gray case with a black strap. The straps are otherwise identical.

The straps on the Watch 2R feel less premium than those on the Watch 2, with a more pronounced plasticky texture compared to the supple rubber of the more expensive model. They are not bad, just less luxurious. They use a standard strap attachment mechanism, so you can replace them with straps from another watch.

Overall, the Watch 2R design is what you’d expect – a less premium version of the Watch 2. It lacks the luxurious feel of polished stainless steel and soft straps but offers a lighter feel, making it more suitable for everyday use and fitness tracking. However, the large dimensions remain, and it would be great if OnePlus considered making a smaller size.

Display

The OnePlus Watch 2R features the same display as the Watch 2 – a 1.43-inch AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate and a 466 x 466 resolution.

The display looks and functions nearly identically to that on the Watch 2. Our Watch 2R display was slightly brighter and had a different color tone, but this could be due to unit variation. Both displays are good but could use a bit more brightness in direct sunlight.

Software and Performance

The OnePlus Watch 2R has identical software and hardware to the Watch 2. It combines Wear OS by Google and RTOS, running on Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 and BES2700 chipsets. This ingenious design offers the best of both worlds – full smartwatch functionality and long battery life.

We discussed these aspects in detail in our OnePlus Watch 2 review, and since nothing has changed, it remains relevant for the Watch 2R. You can check that review here.

Overall, the software experience on the Watch 2R is largely positive. Wear OS offers the expected Android smartwatch features, while the OnePlus RTOS complements it seamlessly.

However, there are areas where OnePlus could improve. The fake crown on the Watch 2 could have been an actual crown for UI navigation, enhancing some interactions.

The Watch 2R includes 100 watch faces in the OHealth app, with some new and exclusive to the Watch 2R. However, the Watch 2 also has some faces not available on the 2R.

Transferring watch faces is slow, taking 60 to 90 seconds to appear on the device from the app. This time varies significantly, with pairing to different phones affecting the transfer time.

Finally, OnePlus has omitted women’s health features – such as ovulation, fertility, and cycle tracking – despite focusing on health and fitness. This feature is present in nearly every competitor’s device, making its absence puzzling.

Battery

The OnePlus Watch 2R features the same 500mAh battery as the Watch 2. OnePlus claims the same battery life figures: up to 48 hours in Smart mode with heavy use, 100 hours with light use, and up to 12 days in power-saving mode.

Testing with always-on display enabled, display brightness set to 3/5, SpO2 tracking for sleep, and constant heart rate tracking, I managed about three days of battery life with two nights of sleep tracking. This falls between OnePlus’ light and heavy usage claims. Unfortunately, I couldn’t test the 12-day power-saving mode.

The watch takes about an hour to charge fully, making it easy to charge while preparing for the day. The charging puck remains unchanged from the Watch 2 – small, easy to lose, and sometimes easy to detach from the cable’s weight.

These battery life figures are impressive for an Android smartwatch, comparable to a mini Android phone, and still get about two days of use. With lighter usage, you can get 4-5 days or almost two weeks in power-saving mode.

Pricing

The OnePlus Watch 2R is priced at £249 / €279 / $229.99 / ₹17,999. For reference, the Watch 2 was priced at £299 / €329 / $299.99 / ₹24,999 at launch. The newly launched Samsung Galaxy Watch7 starts at $329.99 for the similarly-sized 44mm version, with a more expensive LTE variant. Unfortunately, like the Watch 2, the Watch 2R has no LTE version.

Conclusion

OnePlus impresses with the new Watch 2R. The original Watch 2 was a highly competent, likable product that was slightly too heavy and expensive. The Watch 2R addresses both issues, making it the default choice for most and a great smartwatch overall.