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With a multitude of smartwatches in the budget category, it has become quite difficult to make a lasting impression with features alone. But the OnePlus Nord watch ticks many boxes on the way to being a well-priced feature-rich smartwatch.
User experience
For a smartwatch, the setup process was surprisingly long – once powered on, one needs to download the N Health app, register with an email id and after creating an account, one can use the N Health app to access the health and fitness tracking features of the OnePlus Nord.
An elaborate registration process might not be intuitive for people who’re not very tech-savvy. For example, you might have to be around to set it up, if you’re gifting this to elderly parents.
The Nord’s rectangular form factor with round edges is reminiscent of the common design language used at this price point. The device weighed in at around 52 grams and fits snuggly. The watch case is made of a zinc alloy and retains its shine, while not picking up too many fingerprints over the course of the review.
The color I got for the review was deep blue. The watch features a silicon strap, along with a stainless steel buckle. The watch strap was comfortable to wear for long stretches, thanks to the silicon finish. The straps are replaceable and any third-party watch strap can be used with it.
Display
The OnePlus Nord watch comes with a 1.78-inch AMOLED screen, which has excellent visibility both indoors and outdoors, with 500 nits rated brightness. The general usage felt buttery smooth, with the 60HZ refresh rate of the display. Thanks to a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch, the text and graphics look crisp and clear, compared to other budget smartwatches.
The watch also features a crown that can be pressed to access the features menu or go back to the watchface screen. The crown’s rotation doesn’t have any functional features though.
Fitness features
The OnePlus Nord Watch features the usual entourage of fitness features, which includes 105 workout modes, including running, walking, climbing, hiking, and cycling ... and most of them, including walking and running, worked accurately.
While the watch doesn’t have automatic workout detection, it is able to detect walking and running, which can be helpful for those who forget to clock their basic walking and running, or other exercises during the week. It also features specialised modes like heart rate, SpO2, stress, and women’s menstrual cycle tracking. Heart rate detection can be done on a 24-hour cycle.
Battery life
The Nord Watch features a 230 mAh battery, which can be charged in under 2 hours using the supplied USB magnetic charger clip. On average, the Nord watch could get through more than 7 days connected to a smartphone. That, too, with the screen at 100 per cent brightness and Bluetooth on at almost all times.
Verdict
At its price, the OnePlus Nord Watch seems to join the budget smartwatch arena, where companies such as Amazfit, Noise, and boAt, price their smartwatches aggressively. However, a clear, bright, and snappy AMOLED display, with a smooth user experience, excellent battery life, and good health features, make the OnePlus Nord watch worth your money.
Price: ₹4,999
Pros: Excellent display, battery life
Cons: Convoluted set-up process
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