Five months after the launch of the OnePlus Watch 3, the Chinese manufacturer offers a smaller version of its last connected watch. We used the 43 mm OnePlus Watch 3 for a few weeks.
The 43 mm model is similar to the OnePlus Watch, but with a dial smaller by a few millimeters, which is not without interest. It is a connected watch focused on sport and well-being. She turns on Wear OS from Google and is mainly managed via the Ohealth smartphone app. This means, among other things, that you will find your usual apps by default such as Gmail, Google Assistant, YouTube Music and Wallet. You can also synchronize your calendar with the watch.
But (almost) all Wear OS apps are supported. You can therefore also download Strava, Spotify, Komoot and many others via the Apps store. The main thing is to determine the use you want to make of the device.
Concept
The connected watch box is made of stainless steel. It has a touch screen with a wheel and a button. The bottom button activates the default sport app. Pressure on the wheel opens the screen of the app, while turning it amounts to sweeping the screen up or down, allowing you to access the Quick Settings (fast settings) or notifications. Personally, we prefer to have more buttons on sports watches, if only because sweeping the screen and sweating the fingers do not always mix.
The 354 mAh battery (robust) recharges via the included station. This small gadget has a mini-loving at the rear, a detail which, although discreet, testifies to the care and dexterity given to its design. This type of small charger tends to quickly fall from the office or get lost at the bottom of a wardrobe. OnePlus therefore did well to make them less volatile.
As it is the lot of connected watches, you can choose from a wide variety of dials, each offering the style and the information that best suits your needs. By default, the watch displays the classic options: the time (obviously), the weather and the notifications of your phone. You can also opt for bright colors or additional information. Be careful however: too bright a color can impact the autonomy of the battery. During our test, we noted a significant difference between a more sober dial (allowing the device to hold several days without recharge) and a dial in more vivid colors or with more needles, which seemed to unload the battery in a single day.
Sister
The new version has a smaller box than its big sister. As its name suggests, the dimensions of the case go from 46.6 x 47.6 to 43.2 x 43.2 mm. This watch is also thinner and lighter. It measures 11 mm thick and weighs approximately 37.8 grams.
The 43 mm Watch 3 is therefore mainly intended for people on the fine wrist. Those who found the original connected watch too large and angular can now opt for a more elegant model. This means that the supplied bracelet is really not too long. It was always possible for me to go around the wrist during the test, but hardly more. This is likely to get worse with wider wrist. We also appreciate the sober and rounded design, which evokes a classic watch more than a sports watch. This gadget is currently available in two colors: black or silver with a white bracelet.
What are the other differences? Its battery is smaller, while remaining very efficient. The 43 mm Watch 3 must be recharged earlier than the classic Watch 3, but this model also has one of the best batteries for watches currently connected on the market. We had to recharge the 43 mm Watch 3 every two or three days during our test. In intensive use, it held almost 36 hours. The larger variant is about twice as long. So much for the comparison, but what are the real performance of this watch?
Like a fitness watch
The 43 mm OnePlus Watch 3 is, as provided, equipped with sensors to follow your heart rate, your blood oxygen level, your temperature, etc. For those interested, these sensors can also monitor your sleep, your cycle and your mood. The latter is recorded thanks to a barometric sensor that measures your fatigue every thirty minutes. The wellness app can also help you do breathing exercises to relax if necessary.
Several physical activity monitoring options are available. The button at the bottom right of the screen allows you to directly access your training app, where you can choose from different sports. There are a surprising number of variants of walking and cycling (mountain, endurance, exterior, interior, etc.). It is somewhere logical, because the integrated GPS can be very useful. It goes without saying that there are also classic sports such as tennis, rower, yoga, skiing, etc. We have mainly tested the watch with a series of steps and swimming.
By hiking, especially in the mountains, the GPS is very requested. It allows you to accurately follow the distance and altitude traveled, as well as the amount of sweat (heart rate) spent. Swimming in a pool is often a good test for other integrated sensors, because the GPS does not really have a voice here. The watch must calculate the number of lengths traveled itself, while you count. However, this OnePlus product is sometimes wrong on this point. The watch also tries to indicate the type of swimming you practice (breaststroke, crawl) and is not always precise in this regard. This could be linked to waterproofing, the fact remains that improvements are still possible.
What also emerges from use in the pool is that the watch is indeed waterproof. However, if you choose to swim, a specific mode is active and, once deactivated, you are literally invited to shake the device to … Empty it.
Like a connected watch
As a more classic connected watch, the OnePlus Watch also offers many features. As aforementioned, it supports Google Wallet, which allows you to pay with Google Pay.
You can also use the watch to order your music without taking your phone out of your pocket, or making calls. You can also control your camera via the connected watch, even if it is more complicated than we would have liked. If you prefer, all the notifications of your phone will also appear on your watch, which is not always practical. This could indeed result in many team beeps during a working day. Fortunately, in the OHEALTH app can configure each app separately or make sure that it transfers notifications to your watch or not.
Conclusion
The 43 mm OnePlus Watch 3 is a good option for those looking for a smart watch focused on sport, without having to set a … brick on the wrist. It is somewhat smaller and lighter, without sacrificing the features. Its autonomy is also excellent. With a recommended sale price of 279 euros (in black or silver), it is located in the high -end of sports watches, but it benefits from an incorporated GPS and practical features like Google Pay.
