Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. OnePlus Watch 2

We’re entering peak launch season in the tech world, where there’s something new right around the corner almost every other week. Samsung just kicked things off with the launch of the updated Galaxy Watch 7, along with a slew of other products. The new model promises more accurate health and wellness tracking, the latest software, and a more fluid usage experience. It’s also priced the same as last year’s model. 

The OnePlus Watch 2, which launched earlier this year, is also priced the same and has a similar design and features. Its unique dual-identity for the processor and software helps it achieve incredible efficiency, which shows in the battery life. If you’re looking at getting a new watch or thinking of upgrading, which one of these two best Android smartwatches should you pick?

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. OnePlus Watch 2: Design 

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and OnePlus Watch 2 have similar designs, with large circular dials, two physical buttons, and a traditional buckle-style clasp on the strap. The Watch 2 has a stainless steel chassis and only comes in a single 46mm size. This is a bit of a letdown, especially since those with smaller wrists might find it too large. 

It’s also on the heavier side, weighing 80g with the straps. It comes in two combos: Radiant Steel with a green rubber strap or Black Steel with a black rubber strap. OnePlus sells additional bands, or you can pick from the best Watch 2 bands from other manufacturers. 

The display on the OnePlus Watch 2 is great. The 1.43-inch AMOLED panel has a high resolution and good brightness, and we didn’t face any outdoor legibility issues when we tested it. It also has 2.5D sapphire crystal glass for better durability. The physical buttons on the watch have an asymmetrical design, which is said to have been inspired by vintage cars. 

The rotating crown on the Watch 2 gives it a cool analog feel, but it’s not functional, sadly. The second, more recessed button can be used to launch workouts or be programmed to do other things.

The Galaxy Watch 7 comes in two sizes—40mm and 44mm—and each weighs 28.8g and 33.8g, respectively. Thanks to the aluminum frame, it’s much lighter than the OnePlus Watch 2. The two sizes should also appeal to a wider audience. The larger variant comes in Green and Silver, while the smaller one is available in Green and Cream. 

Samsung offers more options for watch straps with the Watch 7, including two sizes. You can choose between Fabric, Sport, or Athleisure options, and each type comes in multiple colors.  You can take this customization one step further with Watch Design Studio, which has even more colors to choose from. Finally, you get LTE or cellular options for both sizes, too. 

Folks with smaller wrists will prefer the 40mm Galaxy Watch 7. It has a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display, color always-on mode, and sapphire crystal for scratch protection. The 44mm version has all the same features but a larger 1.5-inch AMOLED screen and a higher resolution. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 vs. OnePlus Watch 2: Hardware and specs 

The OnePlus Watch 2 has a unique combination of a Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 SoC and a BES2700BP chipset. The former powers Wear OS 4 tasks, while the latter handles the low-power RTOS and all the sensors. In our experience, the interface is fluid, and you never really notice the switch between the two chipsets. The Watch 2 has been promised two Wear OS updates, so it should be getting Wear OS 5, although OnePlus hasn’t said when. 

When we reviewed it, the software was very buggy. We faced issues receiving timely notifications, getting the DND mode to work, and when Sleep mode refused to engage. OnePlus did roll out a big update for the Watch 2 in May, which added two new apps and included bug fixes.

The OnePlus Watch 2 supports dual-frequency GPS for more accurate positioning when using it outdoors. There’s also dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5 LE, and NFC. All the usual health tracking sensors are present, like an optical heart rate sensor, SpO2 monitoring, a geomagnetic sensor, and a barometer. There’s no support for taking an ECG, though, which is a big miss. Apart from the accurate GPS, we didn’t have the best experience with health tracking. The Watch 2 was consistently off, whether it was tracking calories burnt, sleep, or even stress.