OnePlus Nord Watch mini review: just for the sake of it

OnePlus has evolved a lot as a brand in recent years. One visible change is the prominence of the "Nord" sub-brand. As the Nord brand continues to expand, we have seen OnePlus offer more products under this label, the latest being the OnePlus Nord Watch priced at Rs 4,999. It's a large 1.78-inch display that's not common in the segment. However, judging by figures from research firms such as International Data Corporation (IDC), India's budget smartwatch segment is definitely dominated by domestic brands such as Noise, Fire-Boltt and BoAT. Where does the Nord Watch fit and how does it work? Here is our mini review.

Display

The OnePlus Nord Watch stands out in this segment due to its larger screen size, which has both strengths and weaknesses. The 1.78-inch screen will appeal to those who want such a display as it can show more data for notifications and during workouts. The downside, however, is that this screen size makes the watch awkward and bulky for some people, especially those with bony wrists like me. More than the screen size, my biggest problem is that this watch is too heavy. Unlike my Galaxy Watch 5 or several Dizo watches I tried, I was constantly reminded that I was wearing a bulky watch on my hand.

The OnePlus Nord Watch offers a quality display - easy to read in bright sunlight with 500 nits of brightness. The watch comes with a silicone strap and a zinc-alloy case with a glossy finish, the deep blue looks great considering the price. I don't see any deep scratches from use on the watch.

Fitness and Health

Nord Watch offers 105 sports modes. This is similar to most other budget watches from brands like Redmi, Amazfit and others. I primarily used this watch to track outdoor walks and indoor strength training sessions, but I used the built-in workout options to track the latter. I have collected and found that the heart rate readings are within the range that the Apple Watch Series 8 and Galaxy Watch 4 were displaying.

The watch was also accurate when it came to tracking my daily steps, and there were no sudden jumps like when I was driving. Watch the Nord Watch store your exercise data on the device can which is also good. So you don't have to sync with your phone every time. I've found that some budget watches lose their workout metrics entirely if they don't sync their data daily. The watch is also equipped with a blood oxygen sensor, now standard on these devices. It was accurate during my use.

The watch is not swim proof

The OnePlus Nord Watch has some limitations. For one thing, the watch is IP68-rated for water resistance, but it's not swim-proof, which is disappointing given how budget devices offer such features. This was a huge downside for me as I was learning how to swim during the time I was reviewing the watch, but it won't be a deal breaker for most people.

Battery Life

The OnePlus Nord Watch offers impressive battery endurance. Though I never got the claimed 10 days of battery backup, the watch easily lasted for a week with still some juice left in it.

OnePlus Nord Watch Verdict

OnePlus' Nord Watch is a great smartwatch option. It has several features aimed at health and fitness and offers a large screen. But nothing stands out from the dozens of budget watches flooding the market. The software is no different than what we've seen on countless devices and offers features similar to others, with the highlights being the display and the brand name OnePlus. Its strongest competitors are Redmi, Amazfit and Realme options. The OnePlus Nord Watch now feels like another device added to the list of "must-have" products in the smartphone maker's portfolio.