OnePlus Nord Watch review

While the rectangular design has come to be pretty standard among budget watches, OnePlus has gone the extra mile to stand out. The 45.2 mm case is truly massive. While it reduces the need to squint at the screen, if you happen to be blessed (or cursed) with smaller wrists, it does look a touch heavy and obtrusive which takes away from the otherwise great look and feel of the watch. The colour of the model we received was pretty unique and fresh and definitely enticing. 

The bevelled rectangular design is accompanied by a push button (that does deceptively look like it would turn). The strap seems sturdy and well-designed, made from silicone but it looks cheap. That said, it does sit very nice and snug on the wrist while exercising and in daily life, once you get used to the size. It is available in Midnight Blue and Deep Black to match the body.

The device runs on the RTOS operating system and is accompanied by the N Health App which is a pretty straightforward app to help you keep track of your data and syncing is both quick and efficient. When it comes to the user interface, the watch is pretty bright and clear even when out in the sun. The stunning 1.78in AMOLED display is smooth and responsive to the touch. It has the screen real estate but is lacking an Always-On Display – a feature which is rampantly growing in popularity.

When it comes to tracking, the watch is not on par in accuracy when compared with the Amazfit GTS 4 Mini (it's budget counterpart) and the slightly expensive Garmin Forerunner 45 (which is a pretty advanced running watch). It seemed to be off by about 600 metres for runners, which isn’t a particularly forgivable discrepancy. While the device is sweat and splash resistant with the IP68 rating, the ability to go swimming with the watch is something that is dearly missed. It’s definitely got the basics right. The watch can track over 105 sports modes and automatically logs in when you start running or walking. For the rest, you will need to choose the activity type before you begin.

That aside, the watch tracks all the health features you need from VO2 max, continuous heart rate monitor, sleep and stress to menstrual tracking. Where the watch really shines is the in-built apps like the music app, calculator, Pomodoro app, weather and so on.

The battery life was definitely something that stood out. In the brief couple of days we have spent with the watch, with heavy use over 36 hours and workouts, the watch has only drained 25%. The workout itself only drained a percent. For customization, there are over 100 different watch faces, varying to match your mood, aesthetic and personal style.

If you are looking for a watch heavy on style and light on the pocket, this is a decent option on the market. That said, there are definitely a few things missing if you are a serious athlete (but hey, if you are looking for an athlete’s watch, you may need to up the budget a smidge). For daily use, it is more than sufficient with several apps and features to assist you. Although, there OnePlus has definitely left room for improvement when it comes to the basics.