OnePlus has launched a budget alternative to their OnePlus Watch 2, the OnePlus Watch 2R. Having made what is arguably one of the longest-lasting premium Android smartwatches, OnePlus set out to create its budget alternative, going against the likes of brands like Fitbit and Amazfit, who have a stronghold in the mid-range smartwatch segment.
Over the years, the watches in this segment have gotten better and have shown some surprising results when it comes to tracking vitals. At Digit, medically certified devices are used to take SpO2, heart rate, and blood pressure readings, which we use as the benchmark to score the products that we are testing.
When I started testing the OnePlus Watch2R, I put its SpO2 and heart rate monitoring to the test, and here’s what I found out –
OnePlus Watch 2R – Heart Rate monitoring test
The OnePlus Watch 2R is fairly accurate when it comes to monitoring the heart rate. It packs a solid heart rate monitor, which was 99 per cent accurate in our test. As you can see in the image below, the heart rate measured by the OnePlus Watch 2R was 77 beats per minute, while our testing device, the AliveCor KardiaMobile, tested the heart rate to be 76 beats per minute. The OnePlus Watch 2R performed very similarly to the OnePlus Watch 2, which is the brand’s flagship watch.
OnePlus Watch 2R – SpO2 test
After the heart rate monitoring test, it was my turn to test the SpO2 readings of the OnePlus Watch 2R. This is where the watch fumbled, to begin with. The OnePlus Watch 2R, during my initial tests, was off by 10 per cent when compared to the readings of the specialised equipment that we use to test SpO2 levels. However, after the initial few runs, the readings of the OnePlus Watch 2R normalised, and it came out to be 100 per cent accurate. You can see the results for yourself.
What about the rest of the watch?
The OnePlus Watch 2R caught everyone’s eyes when it showed up at the Digit Test Centre. The sturdy yet light metallic case of the watch gives it a premium look. The watch face has a glossy finish, with the sides and the button face having a matte look to them.
Couple that with a sharp display that performs fairly well in outdoor lighting conditions as well, a strap that is easily replaceable and has a good look out of the watch, and you have a looker on your hands. The metallic case, the high-quality strap, and the IP68 rating and 5 ATM water resistance make this watch a solid outdoor companion as well. There are a plethora of sensors, as listed below, that will ensure you can keep track of a variety of metrics.
OnePlus Watch 2R specs at a glance:
- Dimensions:
47.5 × 46.6 × 12.1 mm (Excluding Optical Health Sensor Area)
270.5 × 47.5 x 13.7 mm (Including strap and sensor area) - Display screen: 1.43 inches
- Battery capacity: 500 mAh
- IP rating: 5 ATM + IP68
- Sensors: acceleration sensor, gyroscope sensor, geomagnetic sensor, optical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen sensor, ambient light sensor, barometric pressure sensor
- Bluetooth: BT5.0
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 5G / 2.4G, 802.11 a/b/g/n
- Satellite location: Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS
During my time of use, I found the interface of the watch to be polished and snappy, and the buttons on the side of the watch also have a very nice and tactile feel to them. The display, as I mentioned earlier, is sharp and crisp and works well in broad daylight.
Also Read: OnePlus Watch 2 launched at ₹24,999 – Is the Dual-Engine Architecture here to stay?
With the OHealth app, you get all of your health data in one place and all the customisation options as well. You also get the fairly stocked app market, which you can use to load apps onto the OnePlus Watch 2R. You can do most of the customisation on the watch itself, and given that it has 32GB of built-in storage, it will easily store all of the information natively.
Should you buy it at launch?
OnePlus Watch 2R has launched at ₹17,999, which makes it a great watch for the price if you are looking to take the plunge right at launch. The watch has plenty of features packed in, and has done well in our preliminary tests for SpO2 and heart rate. OnePlus has yet again delivered a solid wearable, following up on the OnePlus Watch 2. You will not be disappointed with the watch. If you are looking for alternatives, then you can look at Amazfit Active Edge and the Fitbit Versa 4. If you do not mind going for a slightly older model, then the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or the Watch 4 Classic, which at the time of writing were priced around ₹10,000, can be a good purchase.
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Satvik Pandey
Satvik Pandey, is a self-professed Steve Jobs (not Apple) fanboy, a science & tech writer, and a sports addict. At Digit, he works as a Deputy Features Editor, and manages the daily functioning of the magazine. He also reviews audio-products (speakers, headphones, soundbars, etc.), smartwatches, projectors, and everything else that he can get his hands on. A media and communications graduate, Satvik is also an avid shutterbug, and when he's not working or gaming, he can be found fiddling with any camera he can get his hands on and helping produce videos – which means he spends an awful amount of time in our studio. His game of choice is Counter-Strike, and he's still attempting to turn pro. He can talk your ear off about the game, and we'd strongly advise you to steer clear of the topic unless you too are a CS junkie. View Full Profile
