OnePlus Watch 2 vs Google Pixel Watch 2: Which reigns supreme?
Choosing the right smartwatch can be tough, especially with two strong players like the OnePlus Watch 2 and Google Pixel Watch 2 in the game. If you’re looking for a techy sidekick on Wear OS that looks great and does even more, this side-by-side rundown will help you decide which one deserves a spot on your wrist.
Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets
Whether you’re all about long battery life, detailed health tracking, or a stylish look, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive streight in.
Key takeaways
The OnePlus Watch 2 is a worthy second attempt from the company. It offers excellent value with its large display, long battery life, core smartwatch features, and sports tracking, making it a practical choice for Android users. The Google Pixel Watch 2 focuses on in-depth health analysis, polished Wear OS integration, a sleek design, and optional cellular connectivity.
View on OnePlus; View on Amazon (Google Pixel Watch 2). Read our full hands-on review of Google Pixel Watch 2.
Jump to
Hardware
Technical specs
Features
Bottom line
OnePlus Watch 2 vs Google Pixel Watch 2: Hardware
Look & feel
Both the OnePlus Watch 2 and Google Pixel Watch 2 offer a stylish and modern look, but with distinct design choices. The OnePlus Watch 2 is constructed with a stainless steel case, plastic bottom, and a 2.5D Sapphire Crystal cover plate, suggesting durability and a premium feel. It is complemented by a fluororubber strap that adds to its sophisticated appearance.
In contrast, the Google Pixel Watch 2 opts for a domed top glass that curves elegantly to its 100% recycled aluminum case, showcasing a commitment to sustainability without sacrificing style. This creates a sleek and eco-friendly design that stands out for its material choices and build quality. The Pixel Watch 2 is noticeably lighter on the wrist than the OnePlus Watch 2.
Physical buttons on both devices enhance their functionality while contributing to their aesthetic appeal. The OnePlus Watch 2 features a rotating crown that serves as a multi-function button. However, you can’t use it as a classic rotating crown for scrolling through menus. However, there’s a flat button below it that acts as an action button, offering tactile interactions that enhance the user experience.
The Google Pixel Watch 2 also includes a digital crown alongside a button, facilitating easy navigation through menus and quick access to features, ensuring that functionality and design go hand in hand. That one has a proper rotating crown.
Display, colour options, water resistance
Regarding screen technology, both watches use AMOLED displays, but the OnePlus Watch 2 has the edge with a larger 1.43-inch display and 466 x 466 pixel resolution. The Google Pixel Watch 2, on the other hand, offers a smaller 1.2-inch AMOLED screen with a 450 x 450 pixel resolution. And there’s a rather thick bezel around its edges.
The Pixel Watch 2 boasts a greater degree of customization, offering different bands and watch faces to personalize its look. As far as colour options, the OnePlus Watch 2 comes in Black Steel and Radiant Steel color options, while the Google Pixel Watch 2 offers Polished Silver, Matte Black, Champagne Gold, and Polished Silver with different colored bands. Importantly, both watches share a 5 ATM water resistance rating, making them suitable for swimming and other water activities.
Under the hood
While the Pixel Watch 2 and OnePlus Watch 2 share some internal components (Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 processor, 2GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage), they diverge in their approach to handling background tasks. Google’s Pixel Watch 2 uses a Cortex-M33 MCU within the Wear OS environment, whereas the OnePlus Watch 2 utilizes a BES 2700 MCU Efficiency chipset paired with the OnePlus RTOS operating system. Which offers certain advantages, mostly in terms of battery performance.
When it comes to sensor technology, the Google Pixel Watch 2 pulls ahead of the OnePlus Watch 2. While both smartwatches include standard sensors like an accelerometer, gyroscope, optical heart rate sensor, and a light sensor, the Pixel Watch 2 goes further. It features a compass, altimeter, multipurpose ECG sensor, and skin temperature sensor. These additional sensors allow for more comprehensive health and fitness tracking, including advanced sleep monitoring and potential atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection.
The OnePlus Watch 2 does have an advantage in positioning technology, offering dual-frequency GPS (L1 and L5 bands). This translates to improved location accuracy, particularly in built-up urban areas or challenging environments. Both watches support standard connectivity features like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus NFC for contactless payments. Additionally, they both offer music storage capabilities so you can enjoy your favorite tunes directly from your wrist without needing your phone nearby.
Battery life
The OnePlus Watch 2 boasts a long-lasting battery life, thanks to its Dual-Engine Architecture. With its 500 mAh battery, the timepiece can last up to 100 hours in smart mode with the always-on display turned off. This mode provides basic functionality like timekeeping, step tracking, and notification alerts, while still keeping the display on at all times.
In heavy use scenarios, the OnePlus Watch 2 offers up to 48 hours of battery life. This includes features like continuous GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring, and music playback. Finally, the OnePlus Watch 2 also features a power saver mode that can extend its battery life to an incredible 12 days. This mode disables most features and limits the watch’s functionality to basic timekeeping and step tracking. However, it can be a useful option if you’re running low on battery and need to conserve power.
In contrast, the Pixel Watch 2’s battery life typically reaches a maximum of 24 hours on a single charge, which is not great. This large difference in battery life can be a significant factor for users who prioritize longer intervals between charges and want to minimize the disruption of having to constantly recharge their smartwatches.
OnePlus Watch 2 vs Google Pixel Watch 2: Technical specs
Here’s a detailed tech specs comparison table for the OnePlus Watch 2 and Google Pixel Watch 2:
Feature | OnePlus Watch 2 | Google Pixel Watch 2 |
|---|---|---|
Release Date | Feb-24 | Oct-23 |
Case Material | Stainless steel case, Plastic bottom, 2.5D Sapphire Crystal cover plate, Fluororubber strap | Domed top glass that curves all the way to the 100% recycled aluminium case |
Number of Physical Buttons | Rotating crown that serves as a multi-function button + flat button below that is an action button | Digital crown + button |
Shape | Round | Round |
Size | 47 x 46.6 x 12.1 mm | 41 x 41 x 12.3mm |
Display Type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
Resolution | 466 x 466 pixels | 450 x 450 pixels |
Screen Size | 1.43 inch | 1.2 inches |
Weight (without strap) | 49 grams without wrist strap, 80 grams with wrist strap | 31.9 grams |
Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, optical heart rate sensor, optical pulse oximeter, geomagnetic sensor, light sensor, barometer | Compass, Altimeter, Red and infrared sensors for SpO2, Multipurpose ECG sensors, Multi-path optical heart rate sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, Gyroscope, Ambient light sensor, cEDA, Skin temperature sensor, Barometer, Magnetometer, Ambient light sensor |
Water-Resistance | 5 ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H | 5 ATM |
Positioning | Dual Frequency L1+L5 (Beidou, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS) | GPS, Glonass, QZSS, Beidou |
Built-in Speaker | Yes | Yes |
Microphone | Yes | Yes |
NFC | Yes | Yes |
Music Storage | Yes | Yes |
Connection | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 5G/2.4G, support 802.11 a/b/g/n | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz |
Cellular Connectivity | No | Optional |
Battery Type | 500 mAh | 306 mAh Li-po |
Battery Life | Up to 100 hours in smart mode (AOD display turned off), heavy use – up to 48 hours, power saver mode – up to 12 days, 60 minutes for 100% charge, 10 minutes of charging for 24 hours of power | 24 hours |
Operating System | Wear OS 4 + RTOS | Wear OS 4.0 |
Colors | Black Steel, Radiant Steel | Polished Silver Aluminum Case / Bay Active Band, Matte Black Aluminum Case / Obsidian Active Band, Champagne Gold Aluminum Case / Hazel Active Band, Polished Silver Aluminum Case / Porcelain Active Band |
Typical RRP | $300 | $350 |
OnePlus Watch 2 vs Google Pixel Watch 2: Features
When it comes to health and fitness features, the Google Pixel Watch 2 pulls ahead of the competition. While both smartwatches offer standard tracking capabilities like step counting, heart rate monitoring, and sleep tracking, the Pixel Watch 2 goes further by incorporating a multipurpose ECG sensor for potential atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection and a skin temperature sensor.
These advanced sensors enable the Pixel Watch 2 to provide deeper insights into your overall health and wellbeing. The Pixel Watch 2 directly benefits from Fitbit’s expertise in health tracking, making its sleep tracking and overall fitness analysis potentially more accurate and comprehensive as a result.
Both the OnePlus Watch 2 and Google Pixel Watch 2 support a variety of sports modes for tracking different types of workouts. The OnePlus Watch 2 boasts a greater number of pre-loaded sports modes, making it a good choice for those who enjoy variety in their workout routines. This, combined with its Dual Frequency GPS for improved positioning accuracy, makes it a reliable companion for outdoor enthusiasts and athletes who require precise data to enhance their training efficiency. However, both watches allow you to track your exercise progress, calories burned, and other relevant fitness metrics.
Smartwatch-type features
As for smartwatch-type features, both devices deliver a rich array of functionalities powered by Wear OS, ensuring users enjoy a cohesive experience with notifications, calendar, and app integrations. They both support NFC for contactless payments, making transactions convenient and swift. Music storage is available on both, allowing for offline playback and control of music right from the wrist, enriching the user experience during workouts or daily commutes.
Unsurprisingly, the Pixel Watch 2 offers smoother integration with Google Assistant, allowing for more seamless voice commands and interactions. Also, Google might offer more frequent and long-term support for the Pixel Watch 2 compared to OnePlus and its own version of the operating system.
The app selection on both devices can be a bit hit or miss. This is worth noting since Wear OS app support isn’t always as robust as smartphone app ecosystems.
The OnePlus Watch 2 and Google Pixel Watch 2 diverge slightly in their approach to connectivity, with the Pixel Watch 2 offering optional cellular connectivity. This feature extends its utility beyond the reach of a smartphone, allowing users to stay connected, receive notifications, and even stream music without needing their phone nearby. This cellular option enhances the appeal of the Pixel Watch 2 for those seeking a more independent device that can serve as a standalone tool for communication and entertainment.
OnePlus Watch 2 vs Google Pixel Watch 2: Price
The OnePlus Watch 2 and Google Pixel Watch 2 occupy slightly different price points. The OnePlus Watch 2 comes in at a more budget-friendly price of $300, making it an attractive option for those looking for a solid smartwatch without breaking the bank.
The Google Pixel Watch 2, with its additional sensors and features, lands at a slightly higher price point of $350. This makes the Pixel Watch 2 a more premium offering for those willing to invest in a wider range of health and fitness tracking capabilities.
OnePlus Watch 2 vs Google Pixel Watch 2: Final thoughts
The OnePlus Watch 2 offers excellent value for money. It has a large display, it won’t need daily charging, it includes essential smartwatch features, and supports a variety of sports tracking modes. Unlike its predecessor, this device is apractical choice for Android watch lovers.
The Google Pixel Watch 2 may appeal to those who want in-depth health analysis and more polished Wear OS integration. It provides comprehensive health tracking and boasts a sleek, sustainable design. Optional cellular connectivity adds flexibility for those who want to stay connected without their phone.
Buy the OnePlus Watch 2 if:
- You value super-long battery life (for a wear OS watch).
- You prioritize affordability and don’t want to compromise on core smartwatch features.
- You engage in a wide variety of sports and workouts and want dual-band GPS.
Buy the Google Pixel Watch 2 if:
- You want the most comprehensive health tracking capabilities available on a Wear OS smartwatch.
- You value sleek, sustainable design.
- You don’t mind the 24 hour battery life.
- Optional cellular connectivity is a feature of interest to you.
View on OnePlus; View on Amazon (Google Pixel Watch 2). Read our full hands-on review of Google Pixel Watch 2.
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