Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
After I first reviewed the OnePlus Watch 3, I gave it a strong 4 stars for its implausible battery life, refined design (learn: a practical rotating crown), and clean Put on OS 5 efficiency. On the time, it felt like a robust step ahead for OnePlus within the smartwatch house and a terrific choice for anybody prioritizing battery life. Nevertheless, I additionally famous that the watch was too huge for my wrists. And after just a few months of carrying it, that shortcoming has grow to be extra of a deal breaker than I anticipated.
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
The Watch 3’s measurement and weight are undeniably daring. Measuring in at 47mm and a hefty 81g, it makes a big first impression. However that impression hasn’t aged nicely. Since my preliminary overview, I’ve stored carrying the Watch 3 alongside different wearables to match knowledge and expertise. I examined its battery efficiency towards the Apple Watch Sequence 10 and rocked it alongside the Garmin Venu 3 for an general smartwatch expertise comparability. In each instances, I used to be constantly pissed off by how awkward and heavy the OnePlus Watch felt in comparison with the options.
The outsized wearable is uncomfortable with poorly designed lugs.
Throughout runs, the watch bounced noticeably on my wrist and weighed down my arm. Whereas lifting, it felt cumbersome and unbalanced. And in day-to-day put on, it acquired caught in sleeves, clanged towards my standing desk, and ran into my youngster’s head whereas I lay her all the way down to sleep.
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
What irked me over time, although, wasn’t simply the sheer measurement, however the design. Just like the earlier era, the watch’s lugs are outsized, creating a large hole the place the band meets the case. This prevents the strap from sitting flush towards my pores and skin, amplifying the sensation that the watch by no means fairly settles into place.
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
I do know I’ve smaller-than-average wrists, however the problem isn’t restricted to me. A couple of weeks in, I requested my associate to put on the Watch 3 for a day of health monitoring and common use. He took it on an out of doors run in addition to to a high-intensity recreation of final frisbee (or as intense as frisbee can get, I don’t know. I’m not a golden retriever). Regardless of his average-sized wrists, he additionally discovered the match awkward and the lug design irritating. Even with a number of strap changes, the watch by no means sat comfortably. After making an attempt to sleep with it on, he declared it “totally uncomfortable.”
In comparison with different smartwatches I’ve used, the OnePlus Watch 3’s measurement stands out in all of the improper methods. The Apple Watch Extremely 2 has a big display, but it feels balanced and wearable. Apple’s Sequence lineup, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 collection, and Google’s Pixel Watch 3 line all supply a number of case sizes. If OnePlus needs to remain aggressive, it must comply with swimsuit.
OnePlus wants to supply a number of case sizes, similar to its rivals do.
To be honest, OnePlus acquired lots proper. The rotating crown is clean, the AMOLED show is sharp and vibrant, and the software program expertise is snappy. However when a watch is uncomfortable, these strengths don’t matter a lot. Battery life is a standout, but when I’m leaving the watch on the charger simply to keep away from carrying it, that battery benefit turns into irrelevant. Over time, the bodily trade-offs grow to be tougher to disregard. I now take the Watch 3 off earlier than mattress as an alternative of utilizing sleep monitoring, or go away it behind throughout exercises in favor of one thing lighter.
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority
In fact, some customers may very well want a bigger, extra substantial accent (together with me, often). A big watch gives a daring look and a display that’s simpler to learn at a look. However a number of measurement choices would go a great distance towards making the Watch 3 accessible to a wider vary of customers. The 47mm case may fit for some individuals, however it doesn’t work for me. Furthermore, the watch is in determined want of a revamp relating to its lugs. Loads of outsized units are rather more comfy on-wrist thanks to raised band integration. Because it stands, the OnePlus Watch 3 continues to be a strong system, however its unwieldy measurement makes it impractical for on a regular basis use.
