OnePlus recently launched the Nord Watch, but how does it stack up against the more premium OnePlus Watch? OnePlus' new smartwatch doesn't run Wear OS, but the lightweight RTOS operating system is also used by several other manufacturers. The biggest disadvantage of RTOS watches is the lack of third-party apps, unlike Wear OS and Apple's watchOS. Nevertheless, what these watches lack in app support, they make up for in battery life.
The new Nord Watch will be facing intense competition in the budget wearable space with rivals such as the Redmi Watch 2, Amazfit GTS 2 Mini, and Amazfit GTS 4 Mini. However, OnePlus fans who have been waiting for an affordable watch from the manufacturer will find it appealing. Those who want a premium OnePlus smartwatch will have to wait for the rumored successor to the OnePlus Watch which is said to be in development.
The Nord Watch and the OnePlus Watch appear strikingly different. The former has a square dial and sits in a case made from zinc alloy. On the other hand, the OnePlus Watch has a circular display nestled inside a stainless steel case. Both smartwatches use the same type of silicon band which has a ridged design on the outside but is smooth on the inside. The Nord Watch has a single physical button, while the OnePlus Watch has two. Although the two watches have an IP68 rating, the OnePlus Watch also has a 5 ATM water resistance rating. The Nord Watch can be purchased in Deep Blue and Midnight Black while the OnePlus Watch is available in Midnight Black and Moonlight Silver, depending on the market.
The OnePlus Watch Has Longer Battery Life
The Nord Watch has a 1.78-inch 368 × 448 AMOLED display, which is slightly bigger than the Amazfit GTS 4's 1.75-inch display. The 1.39-inch AMOLED display of the OnePlus Watch is smaller but sharper thanks to its 454 × 454 resolution. However, its 50Hz refresh rate is a bit lower than the Nord Watch's 60Hz panel. The OnePlus Watch has 4GB of built-in storage, which is just about enough for users to store playlists and audiobooks. While the Nord Watch's spec sheet mentions it has 256MB of storage, it is not enough for users' audio files.
Both watches have sensors for heart rate and blood oxygen level monitoring. They also have stress level monitoring and sleep tracking. However, only the Nord Watch has support for women's health tracking. In terms of fitness tracking, the OnePlus Watch is capable of tracking over 110 different workouts, which is just a bit more than the 105 sports modes on the Nord Watch. The premium OnePlus Watch also has a four-satellite GNSS chip for route mapping during activities such as outdoor running and cycling. To keep the price low, the Nord Watch misses out on GPS, but can latch on to a connected smartphone with GPS. The Nord Watch also skips the NFC chip, although the one inside the OnePlus Watch doesn't work for payments outside of China.
The Nord Watch misses out on several sensors available on the OnePlus Watch, including a gyroscope, electronic compass, ambient light sensor, and a barometer. Furthermore, the OnePlus Watch even has a microphone and speaker that allows users to take calls on the watch. However, it uses the older Bluetooth 5.0 standard whereas the Nord Watch has Bluetooth 5.2. The OnePlus Watch's 14-day battery life also puts it ahead of the Nord Watch which provides up to 10 days of usage. Another key difference is that the Nord Watch doesn't use the OnePlus Health app but has its own companion app called N Health. Both smartwatches are compatible with Android and iPhones. The Nord Watch is currently only available in India for ₹6,999 (~$86) while the OnePlus Watch is sold in several regions, including the U.S., where it retails for $159.