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Best for most people
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Part of Samsung’s 2024 smartwatch lineup, the Galaxy Watch 7 stands out with its upgraded processor, Wear OS 5, and a dual-frequency GPS.
Pros- Lightweight design
- Refined software
- Solid activity and health tracking
Cons- Some features exclusive to Samsung phones
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Impressive battery life
OnePlus Watch 2
The OnePlus Watch 2 is the company’s first smartwatch with Wear OS. It employs a hybrid hardware-software system to deliver 100 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Pros- Solid battery life
- Sleek and durable design
- Good performance
Cons- Unrefined software experience
- Inconsistent activity tracking
The OnePlus Watch 2 made quite a splash at launch and showed that the company has turned a corner in its smartwatch endeavors after a disappointing first attempt. It offers impressive battery life, beautiful hardware, and good general performance. But is all this enough for it to take on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7, which builds on the Galaxy Watch 6, boasting upgraded internals, snappy performance, and refined software? Let’s find out.
Price, availability, and specs
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 comes in two sizes and two connectivity options. The 40mm Wi-Fi only model costs $300, and the 40mm Wi-Fi + LTE model is priced at $350. Similarly, the 44mm Wi-Fi-only model will set you back by $330, and the Wi-Fi + LTE model in the same size carries a price tag of $380. All variants are widely available, and the LTE models are compatible with all three major carriers.
In comparison, the OnePlus Watch 2 has a single 47mm Wi-Fi-only variant that is priced at $300. It’s also widely available.
Here’s a look at the raw specifications of both smartwatches:
Design
It’s aluminum vs. stainless steel
The Galaxy Watch 7 looks similar to its predecessor, and that’s not a bad thing. It has a circular watch face with an aluminum casing that is said to be more durable than the Watch 6 frame. It’s comfortable to wear and looks like a traditional watch. And it’s lightweight, which helps if you like to wear it while sleeping.
The OnePlus Watch 2 also has a circular watch face, but it opts for a striking stainless steel casing instead of aluminum. Another design highlight is the flat edge on the right side of the casing, which protrudes on an otherwise circular design. It houses two buttons. The top rounded watch crown-like Home button opens the most recent app, whereas the lower flat button opens workouts by default. You can, however, change this behavior in the company’s OHealth app. Weirdly, the Home button rotates like a watch crown, but this rotation doesn’t do anything.
Since there is only one size for the OnePlus Watch 2, some users will undoubtedly find it a little big for their wrist. Moreover, it’s heavier than the Watch 7, and you can blame the steel casing for that.
Otherwise, both smartwatches are rated IP68 and 5ATM for water and dust resistance. While the Galaxy Watch 7 accepts any standard 20mm strap, the Watch 2 is compatible with standard 22mm straps.
Display
Beautiful OLED panels all around
The circular displays on the Galaxy Watch 7 and the OnePlus Watch 2 have beautiful OLED panels covered by sapphire crystal glass. While the Watch 7’s 40mm version has a smaller 1.3-inch display, the 44mm version houses a 1.5-inch panel. Despite having a larger frame than the 44mm Watch 7, the OnePlus Watch 2 has a smaller 1.43-inch screen.
The Galaxy Watch 7 also has an edge in screen brightness, as it can reach up to 2,000 nits, delivering excellent visibility at all times. The Watch 2 tops out at 1,000 nits, but it’s still bright enough to see in most conditions, including outdoors.
Performance and battery
One processor or two
Samsung has upgraded the processor in the Galaxy Watch 7 from the last generation, and it now packs Exynos W1000, which is based on a 3nm manufacturing process. It delivers snappy performance, and you won’t notice any lag or sluggishness. The OnePlus Watch 2, on the other hand, relies on the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip, which is based on a 4nm manufacturing process. Although it’s not particularly new, it still provides a responsive performance on the OnePlus smartwatch.
Battery is one area where the OnePlus Watch 2 easily destroys the Galaxy Watch 7, and there are two good reasons. Thanks to its larger frame, the OnePlus smartwatch packs a bigger 500mAh battery than the 40mm Watch 7’s 300mAh and 44mm Watch 7’s 425mAh. Moreover, the Watch 2’s dual OS approach offers better battery efficiency. (More on the dual OS in the next section.)
OnePlus promises 100 hours of mixed usage on a single charge, and it delivers. In comparison, you can’t expect more than a day from the Galaxy Watch 7 unless you employ the power-saving mode. The Power Saver Mode on the OnePlus Watch 2 can last up to 12 days. But you lose out on Wear OS apps, Google Assistant, and more while using it. The two smartwatches also have dual-frequency GPS for faster and more precise location tracking.
Software, health tracking, and more
Experience helps Samsung excel
The Galaxy Watch 7 is one of the first smartwatches to run on Wear OS 5, and you get the One UI Watch 6 to complement it. This new version of Wear OS improves performance and efficiency over previous iterations.
The older OnePlus Watch 2 runs on Wear OS 4 and has some of the company’s own customizations. More interestingly, it has a dual OS system, in which a low-power real-time operating system (RTOS) handles background tasks. As a result, Wear OS doesn’t always have to work and drain the battery. Despite the dual OS system, the user experience is very similar to any other Wear OS smartwatch, and you won’t even realize that an RTOS is at work.
OnePlus Watch 2 may be strong on the battery front, but the Samsung smartwatch has better health and fitness tracking. After all, Samsung has far more experience making smartwatches than OnePlus. Samsung’s updated BioActive sensor array in the Watch 7 performs well. As we mentioned in our review, sleep tracking, blood oxygen, and heart rate monitoring overnight are excellent.
You also get FDA-authorized sleep apnea detection in the Watch 7, a first for a smartwatch. Plus, you can track tons of workouts, take an ECG, and measure body composition metrics like body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI). Notably, while the Galaxy Watch 7 is compatible with any Android smartphone, select features like AI insights, snoring detection, and ECG are limited to Samsung phones.
The OnePlus Watch 2 can do many of the same things as the Galaxy Watch 7, such as blood oxygen tracking, heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and activity tracking. However, it isn’t always the most accurate. As we noted in our review, OnePlus’s activity tracking has many inconsistencies. It also lacks ECG, skin temperature sensing, period tracking, and fall detection. So, if activity and health tracking are vital to your smartwatch purchase, it’s best to stick with the Samsung offering.
Which should you buy?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch lineup has consistently been among the best smartwatches for Android owners, and that’s not changing with the Galaxy Watch 7. It has a lot to like, from a snappy performance to excellent activity and health tracking. You also get a clean user interface and a reasonably durable build quality. If you own a Samsung phone, you also get some extras. And there’s a choice of two sizes and optional LTE support.
Editor’s pick
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Excellent health and fitness tracking
The Galaxy Watch 7’s refined software and UI experience, responsive performance, and excellent health and fitness tracking make it an easy choice for most Android owners.
The OnePlus Watch 2 is a good alternative if you value battery life and design more and are okay with some activity tracking inconsistencies. It also uses the Wear OS, so you can access the same apps as the Samsung smartwatch. The only downside is that the software and UI experience could be better on the OnePlus offering.
Runner-up
OnePlus Watch 2
Four-day battery life
OnePlus Watch 2’s sleek design and impressive battery life help it stand out from the Samsung and Pixel smartwatches. It also delivers a snappy performance.
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