A sleeker, redesigned OnePlus Watch 3 is coming July 8
OnePlus has announced a new variant of its Watch 3 with a 43mm diameter and a completely different design. It’s officially arriving on July 8th, and from the looks of it, this isn’t just a scaled-down version of the original.
This is not just a smaller case
The Watch 3 I reviewed in April measured 46.6 x 47.6 x 11.75 mm and had a bold, masculine look. It wasn’t exactly subtle. The new version softens all of that. The body is rounder, more neutral, and feels less aggressive visually. OnePlus didn’t just shrink it. They reworked the shape, flattened the buttons and cleaned up the lines.
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It now comes across as more wearable across wrist sizes. Which should make it easier to wear on smaller wrists. This version clearly targets people who felt the first model was a bit much.
Now its worth noting that this design isn’t entirely new. It looks nearly identical to the Oppo Watch X2 Mini. That wouldn’t be a stretch. OnePlus and Oppo are tied closely behind the scenes, and this feels more like a rebranding than a full rebuild. But if that’s the case, it’s still a smart move. The X2 Mini had a cleaner look and decent specs, and this could bring that to new markets under a more global brand name.
What we now know officially
This smaller OnePlus Watch 3 features a 1.32-inch AMOLED display with 466 x 466 pixel resolution, protected by sapphire crystal glass. That’s a slight step down in size from the 1.43-inch panel on the larger model, but it still supports always-on display and the same UI animations.
The new case is made from stainless steel with a ceramic back, just like the original. It’s rated at 5 ATM and MIL-STD-810H, so the durability seems unchanged. Battery life does drop slightly. You’re looking at up to 72 hours on a single charge, which is a small dip from the 100 hours promised on the larger Watch 3.
The chipset and software stack remain the same. You still get the Snapdragon W5 alongside a BES2700 co-processor, running Wear OS 5. Google apps are preloaded, and OnePlus has confirmed that the same UI options carry over, including the three app drawer styles and the panel zoom layout.
What’s still missing
There’s no LTE on this smaller variant, just like the larger Watch 3. And while OnePlus hinted in the past that a cellular version could come eventually, it doesn’t seem like this will be the one to introduce it. Connectivity stays limited to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC.
Sensors and health features are unchanged. You still get heart rate, SpO₂, stress, skin temperature, sleep, and VO₂ max. Workout tracking supports over 100 modes, with automatic detection for a handful of them. All of this runs through the OHealth app, which feels snappy enough on both Android and iOS.
If the size or styling of the original Watch 3 kept you on the fence, this new 43mm option could be what finally gets it on your wrist. It keeps nearly everything that made the larger version solid, but with a more balanced look and a better fit for smaller wrists.
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