I wore the OnePlus Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 7. Here’s the one to buy

If you want a smartwatch for your Android phone, then there are two excellent choices available at the moment: the OnePlus Watch 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. I called the OnePlus Watch 3 the best smartwatch for your Android phone in my review, but also urged people not to ignore the Galaxy Watch 7. I decided to find out which was the best purchase by putting them against each other.

SHOP ONEPLUS WATCH 3 SHOP GALAXY WATCH 7

Specs

Hardware and spec differences

The two smartwatches are quite similar on paper, but the Galaxy Watch 7 does come in two case sizes, either 40mm or 44mm, while the OnePlus Watch 3 only comes in a single 46mm case width. For this test, I’ve been comparing the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7 with the OnePlus Watch 3. Both have the same 1.5-inch screen with sapphire crystal to protect it, both show Google’s Wear OS operating systems with the manufacturers own interface, and both only work with Android phones.

There are some small changes that will be important to know. If you want an LTE connection so you don’t always need your phone, the Galaxy Watch 7 is your only choice as the OnePlus Watch 3 doesn’t give you the option. Both have onboard speakers to take calls and hear alarms, and volume from them both is noticeable. If you prioritize battery life, the OnePlus Watch 3’s larger 648mAh battery cell will deliver it over the Galaxy Watch 7’s 425mAh battery.

Both have the same retail price too, but it’s common to see Samsung discount its mobile products and provide attractive trade-in offers, and even to give you a smartwatch for nothing when you buy one of its phones. The OnePlus Watch 3 is newer than the Galaxy Watch 7, and offers will be less common. Samsung provides more choice in general when selecting its smartwatch, with two distinctive case colors and multiple band designs and colors, plus two case sizes and the option of 4G LTE.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

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Wearing the two smartwatches

The OnePlus Watch 3 has a far more watch-like design than the sportier Galaxy Watch 7, and despite a small difference in case size, both provide a very similar level of comfort, but the OnePlus Watch 3 manages to take the lead because of its more comfortable strap. The Galaxy Watch 7’s strap is designed to have the end tucked underneath and against your wrist. It makes getting the fit right much harder than it should be, as there’s no give in the rubber.

The OnePlus Watch 3’s strap is just like most others, with a pair of keepers ensuring the end doesn’t flap around. It’s a tried-and-tested design for a reason: it works really well. Samsung and OnePlus use an integrated lug design for a sporty look, but the OnePlus system keeps the watch centered on your wrist more effectively, and it makes it more comfortable. The polished stainless steel case is classier than the aluminum case on the Galaxy Watch 7.

If you plan to track your sleep, I’ve found both are fine to wear overnight. Neither got too sweaty or bothered me due to comfort issues, something I was surprised about with the OnePlus Watch 3. It’s quite a lot heavier than the Galaxy Watch 7, but I think the strap design helps minimize it a lot. While I love that Samsung provides two case sizes for the Galaxy Watch 7, the OnePlus Watch 3 is the more attractive, nicer to wear smartwatch.

You use the touchscreen and two buttons to control the Galaxy Watch 7, and although it has a “virtual” rotating bezel to quickly move through vertical menus, it’s not quite as tactile as the OnePlus Watch 3’s rotating crown. Both are accompanied by haptic feedback when you scroll, but the Watch 3’s feel is slightly more pleasing on the wrist.

Winner: OnePlus Watch 3

SHOP ONEPLUS WATCH 3

Tracking health and activities

I wore the two smartwatches on a 30 minute walk to see if the two agreed on basic stats. I also tracked the same walk with my Oura Ring 4. The OnePlus Watch 3 was on my left wrist, and the Galaxy Watch 7 on my right. The OnePlus’s OHealth app has a pleasing design and is packed with information, and you don’t have to dig to see much of it in the same way you do with Samsung’s Health app.

The two broadly agree with each other, recording similar step counts, elevation, and pace. The Galaxy Watch 7 estimates a considerably higher calorie burn and slightly higher average heart rate, but both had an identical maximum heart rate. The Oura Ring 4 agreed with the OnePlus Watch 3 and OHealth, indicating the Galaxy Watch 7 may be overestimating calorie burn.

I really like Samsung’s heart-shaped display on the watch to see daily activity data, and its Energy Score metric too. OHealth doesn’t have a single, at-a-glance metric like this, and it feels less personal because of it. However, I like the way it presents stress and sleep data on your wrist, and there’s very little need to visit the OHealth app at all. Samsung Health and its associated apps required for more advanced health features are far more integral to the experience.

Both track exercise very effectively, but I prefer the Samsung smartwatch here. The Galaxy Watch 7 not only has a sportier look, it’s lighter and more compact on your wrist, and I definitely prefer to wear it for more active sports than the OnePlus Watch 3. While the data from the OnePlus Watch 3 may appear a little more realistic, if I only had the Galaxy Watch 7, then any discrepancy wouldn’t be an issue. I also like the daily activity display, Energy Score, and the Body Composition reading on the Galaxy Watch 7. If activity tracking is your number one requirement, the Galaxy Watch 7 is the slightly better choice.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

SHOP GALAXY WATCH 7

Tracking sleep

I wore both smartwatches to sleep, again with the Oura Ring 4 as a control. I manually put both into sleep mode at the same time, but the OnePlus Watch 3 accurately recorded when I woke up, while the Galaxy Watch 7 used the time I got out of bed as when I woke up. Therefore, it recorded a longer sleep time, and returned a higher Sleep Score than the OnePlus Watch 3. However, it also picked up my sleep latency more effectively than OHealth.

Sleep stage times were very similar, both returned a normal reading for blood oxygen, but OHealth recorded a slightly lower average heart rate than Samsung Health. The Oura Ring 4 was right in-between the two, and because the difference was only 1bpm either side of the Oura Ring 4’s figure, all are likely quite accurate.

For ease of in-app data viewing, the winner is actually secret option number three, the Oura app. It’s far easier to quickly check sleep and activity data than the dense view in Samsung Health. OHealth comes second to the Oura Ring, and it’s more logical and quick to use than Samsung Health, but it is more basic. If you really want to track sleep above much else, a smart ring like the Oura Ring 4 is the better choice in general, but the OnePlus Watch 3 is closer to its results than the Galaxy Watch 7, plus the data on the watch and in the app is clearer too.

Winner: OnePlus Watch 3

Battery life

The OnePlus Watch 3 has superb battery life, and based on the results in my review for both smartwatches, it will easily win this category. During my review period the OnePlus Watch 3 lasted four full days on a single charge, complete with all the health tracking features activated, due to OnePlus’s clever battery technology which makes the large capacity possible and its use of a second RTOS software system to manage lighter duties.

The Galaxy Watch 7 has no such special talents. The battery will last one to two full days depending on what you do with it. Push it with long GPS-tracked workouts or navigation, and it won’t last through the second day. Choose the 40mm Galaxy Watch 7 and a single day is about all you’ll get. It’s poor performance next to the OnePlus Watch 3.

Returning to both the smartwatches, I fully charged them and wore both at the same time (on different wrists, obviously), and therefore allowed them to track the same movements. They were connected to different phones, but received the same notifications. I tracked sleep and a single 30 minute activity with GPS on both. After 24 hours the OnePlus Watch 3 had 82% battery remaining, and the Galaxy Watch 7 only had 44% battery left.

While the OnePlus Watch 3 definitely returns the most battery life, the charging puck isn’t very nice. It’s a square block of white plastic which connects to a USB C cable and magnetically attaches to the smartwatch. The Galaxy Watch 7’s circular metal puck has its own USB C cable integrated into it, and looks far higher quality than OnePlus’s puck. It doesn’t affect the outcome, but I do think OnePlus could have tried a bit harder.

Winner: OnePlus Watch 3

Which smartwatch should you buy?

The OnePlus Watch 3 has won the contest, taking victory in three categories compared to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7’s two category wins. It’s a fantastic all-round smartwatch, suitable for everyone in all situations, while the Galaxy Watch 7 definitely prioritizes sport, wellness, and casual wear. I do like the wider choice of Galaxy Watch 7 sizes, bands, and features though, and consider the single size of OnePlus Watch 3 and lack of LTE considerable downsides.

It’s impossible to overlook the OnePlus Watch 3’s long battery life, which is its biggest strength, followed by slick performance and good on-watch software. OHealth is fine, but you really don’t need to use it, and this is an upside few may expect. The conclusion here echoes our review, and the OnePlus Watch 3 is the Android smartwatch to buy, but it’s followed closely by the Galaxy Watch 7.

SHOP ONEPLUS WATCH 3 SHOP GALAXY WATCH 7