This is what the OnePlus Watch 4 brings to the table
- 1.5-inch LTPO OLED touchscreen with 466 x 466 pixel resolution and up to 3000 nits of brightness;
- Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 processor;
- 2GB RAM;
- 32GB storage;
- 646mAh battery;
- Wear OS 6.0 with OxygenOS Watch 8 software;
- Bluetooth 5.2;
- GPS, Galileo, Glonass;
- NFC;
- Optical heart rate sensor;
- Blood oxygen sensor;
- Wrist temperature sensor;
- Sleep tracking;
- Fall detection;
- 5ATM water resistance;
- IP68 and IP69 certifications;
- MIL-STD-810H durability;
- Titanium alloy case;
- Fluororubber strap;
- Sapphire crystal cover glass;
- Midnight and Evergreen color options;
- 47.4 x 47.4 x 11mm dimensions;
- 43 grams weight (without strap).
So what’s new here?
Not much, I’m afraid, and while I’ve obviously seen and discussed many so-called iterative product upgrades over the years, this is one of the most redundant and least interesting “new” devices I can remember covering in a long time.
The OnePlus Watch 4 is safe to use while surfing. | Image by OnePlus
That’s right, both the OnePlus Watch 4 and Watch 3 come in black and green hues, the “difference” being that the “new” model is advertised as coated in Midnight Titanium and Evergreen Titanium while its forerunner was painted in Obsidian Titanium and Emerald Titanium. I can’t decide if that’s funny or sad. Check that, it’s both at the same time.
And no, I’m not noticing any distinctions whatsoever in key departments like screen size, resolution, battery life, connectivity, or health monitoring either, although for what it’s worth, the OnePlus Watch 4’s display is apparently a little brighter and the OnePlus Watch 3’s IP68 and MIL-STD-810H ratings get an added IP69 certification for an extra touch of durability under distress.
Is the OnePlus Watch 4 doomed right off the bat?
The OnePlus Watch 4 can accurately and reliably (at least in theory) track your swims. | Image by OnePlus
Mind you, we’re talking about a “new” intelligent timepiece capable of keeping the (super-sharp OLED) lights on for up to three days between charges in “heavy” use, as much as five days in “smart mode”, and no less than 16 days in “power saver mode”, which are absolutely outstanding numbers by Wear OS standards, also crushing what the best Apple Watches out there can offer in the same department.
Add the aforementioned high-quality OLED panel to the equation and a set of health monitoring tools that covers all the typical bases, as well as an ultra-robust titanium build, and I can definitely see the OnePlus Watch 4 become a (moderate) box-office hit… at the right price.
How much will the OnePlus Watch 4 cost?
That, my dear friends and readers, is the million-dollar question… I cannot answer with any reasonable degree of confidence at the moment. Given that the OnePlus Watch 3 normally costs $349.99 (in a “standard” 46mm size) stateside, you might expect its repetitive sequel to carry the same price tag (or an even lower one) when it goes on sale in the US (which will hopefully happen soon).
While not quite as rugged as something like the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the OnePlus Watch 4 should handle your adventurous lifestyle pretty well. | Image by OnePlus
