OnePlus Watch 2R Review: The Smartwatch That Solves Battery Life Problems

OnePlus Watch 2R Review: In a world flooded with smartwatches, there’s a clear divide between two types: the budget-friendly fitness bands with basic features and long battery life, and high-end Android Wear smartwatches with all the bells and whistles—but poor battery performance. What if you could get the best of both worlds?

Enter the OnePlus Watch 2R, a game-changing smartwatch that promises to deliver 7 days of battery life while running on two operating systems. Intrigued? Let’s dive deep into the features, performance, and what makes this watch stand out.

What’s Inside the Box?

When you unbox the OnePlus Watch 2R, here’s what you’ll find:

The Watch itself
Charging Dock with Type-C port
Charging Cable
Some paperwork

The charging dock isn’t wireless, but it uses a magnetic Pogo pin system that ensures the watch stays securely in place while charging. This is a nice touch, as it prevents accidental disconnections, unlike some wireless chargers that can be knocked off.

The Design: Classic Looks with a Modern Twist

One of the first things you’ll notice about the OnePlus Watch 2R is its classic design. Unlike the square Apple Watch, it features a round metallic body with two metallic buttons. The silicon strap is soft and comfortable, though you might experience slight discomfort if you have a smaller wrist. Thankfully, the straps are standard 22mm, meaning you can easily swap them with third-party leather or fabric straps.

The display is another strong point. With a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, it remains clear even in bright outdoor conditions. Whether you’re wearing sunglasses or just outside in the sun, the display remains readable. However, the small marking on the bezel might feel distracting to some users, but this is a minor nitpick in an otherwise well-built watch.

Setting Up the OnePlus Watch 2R: Easy and Fast

Setting up the OnePlus Watch 2R is straightforward. First, download the O Health app from the Google Play Store. Note that the OnePlus Watch 2R only works with Android devices, so if you’re an iPhone user, you’re out of luck here.

Once you have the app installed, you can easily pair the watch by going to the Device section within the app and adding the watch. After syncing, the watch interface is intuitive and very similar to other Android Wear smartwatches. You can swipe down for quick settings like brightness adjustments, switch between Smart Mode and Power Saving Mode, and swipe up to access notifications.

Key Features: What Sets the OnePlus Watch 2R Apart

The OnePlus Watch 2R has several standout features that make it a compelling choice for users looking for a balanced smartwatch. Let’s take a closer look:

1. Dual OS: The Game-Changer

This is where the OnePlus Watch 2R truly stands apart from its competitors. It runs on two operating systems: Wear OS (Google’s Android Wear) and RTOS (Real-Time Operating System). The RTOS is lightweight and helps conserve battery life, while Wear OS provides the full Android smartwatch experience.

RTOS handles the basic tasks like health tracking and activity monitoring. It consumes very little power.
Wear OS comes into play when you need to access more demanding features, like installing apps or using the Play Store. The transition between the two OSes is seamless, and it’s designed to balance power and performance efficiently.

This approach combines the benefits of both worlds—offering you long battery life without sacrificing the full smartwatch experience.

2. Display: Bright, Clear, and Crisp

The 1.39-inch AMOLED display on the OnePlus Watch 2R provides clear, sharp visuals with vivid colors. It can hit a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, which makes it easy to view in direct sunlight. The watch’s automatic brightness adjustment makes it even more user-friendly, especially when moving between environments with different lighting conditions.

3. Fitness and Health Tracking

The OnePlus Watch 2R comes equipped with all the essential fitness sensors. You can track your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and sleep patterns. Additionally, the watch offers activity tracking for various exercises, including walking, running, swimming, and more.

One unique feature is wear detection. The watch will automatically pause your heart rate monitoring if it detects that the watch isn’t being worn. This prevents inaccurate data collection, saving battery life and ensuring more accurate readings.

4. Battery Life: 7 Days on a Single Charge

Now, let’s talk about the battery life—arguably one of the most important factors when choosing a smartwatch. OnePlus promises 7 days of battery life on a single charge, and based on our testing, this claim holds true. Even with regular use—including phone calls, WhatsApp messages, running activities, and sleep tracking—the watch lasted around 3-4 days, which is significantly better than most high-end smartwatches like the Galaxy Watch 5 (which only lasts 1-2 days).

Moreover, the OnePlus Watch 2R features a hibernation mode that kicks in at night. During this time, the watch collects sleep data but doesn’t consume much power, further extending the battery life.

User Experience: Smooth, Responsive, and Intuitive

The user interface on the OnePlus Watch 2R is very intuitive. You can swipe right to access tiles for weather, heart rate, sleep, and more. Long-pressing on the home screen allows you to change watch faces. Swiping down reveals quick settings for adjusting brightness, switching to power saving mode, and controlling other features.

The two physical buttons are functional:

Button 1 takes you to the app drawer.
Button 2 is customizable, letting you set your most-used functions.

Additionally, the raise-to-wake feature works flawlessly, instantly lighting up the screen when you raise your wrist.

Calls, Messaging, and Notifications

The OnePlus Watch 2R lets you make and receive phone calls directly from the watch. The call quality is good, but the speakers are best suited for quiet environments. In noisy places, like outdoors, the audio might not be as clear.

You can also reply to text messages using Gboard, making it easier to send quick replies. Notifications come through instantly, and there’s no noticeable lag in syncing with your phone.

Should You Buy the OnePlus Watch 2R?

For its price point of around $169, the OnePlus Watch 2R offers solid value. It solves the common pain points of smartwatches—battery life and performance—without compromising on features. Whether you’re looking for a fitness tracker, a stylish watch, or a smartwatch with full app support, the OnePlus Watch 2R delivers it all.

While it’s not perfect (the bezel marking could be a bit cleaner, and there’s some room for improvement in activity tracking accuracy), it stands out in a crowded market, offering one of the best combinations of battery life and features for its price.

Conclusion: A Smart Buy for 2025

If you’re looking for a long-lasting smartwatch with a classic design, solid performance, and smooth integration with Android—the OnePlus Watch 2R is definitely worth considering. It offers a smart balance of performance and battery life that’s hard to beat in this price range.

So, if you’re currently eyeing another smartwatch (like the Galaxy Watch 5 or an older model), the OnePlus Watch 2R may just be the upgrade you need.