The OnePlus Watch 3’s price has suddenly increased to $500, but we reviewed the smartwatch when it cost $330. It hasn’t become a different device overnight, no additional features have been added, and it doesn’t come with a solid gold bracelet. OnePlus has not made a comment on why the price has increased, but as it has (so far) only increased in the U.S., it’s fairly safe to assume the price increase is due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, as the OnePlus Watch 3 is made in China.
The question now becomes, is the OnePlus Watch 3 worth $500 and should you still buy it? The answer is complicated.
The OnePlus Watch 3 is excellent
I reviewed the OnePlus Watch 3 and gave it a 9/10 score, our Editor’s Choice award, and said it, “perfectly blends high quality design and materials with superb performance and technical ability, then adds in fantastic battery life for a killer product.” I went on to call the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus Watch 3 the best Android phone and smartwatch pairing you can get at the moment.
After reviewing the OnePlus Watch 3 I spent some time wearing it alongside the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, and came to the conclusion the OnePlus smartwatch was the better purchase, even though Samsung makes its smartwatch in more than one case size. I’m not the only one singing its praises either. Digital Trends’ Mobile Evergreen Writer Mark Jansen was so taken with it, he said it had, “ruined all other wearables” for him. It has since taken its place at the top of our best smartwatches list.
However, every last word of all this adoration was based on the OnePlus Watch 3 costing $330, a competitive price which positioned it against the Galaxy Watch 7, TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro, and the Google Pixel Watch 3. Unexpected price increases like this are rare, especially without communication from the brand ahead of time, and when asked questions about the extra cost OnePlus told Digital Trends in an email it has no additional comment to share at this time.
A bigger problem than just the price
For us, the customer, any OnePlus answer would not be all that helpful in terms of buying advice anyway. If it costs $500, it costs $500, and you’ve either got to make peace paying it or not. Here’s where the problems really start. A smartwatch is something that’s nice to have and rarely an essential, so it’s one of those products that’s “worth” what someone is willing to pay for it.
What it’s worth, and how much value it provides, are also two different things. The OnePlus Watch 3 was great value at $330 as it was technically superior to other models around the same price. At $500 it’s still technically superior to its old competition, but it’s now part of a different conversation, and it’s far more skewed towards what it’s worth to you.
Smartwatches above $500 such as the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2, models like the Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4, and even the titanium Apple Watch Series 10 aren’t technically much different to smartwatches that cost a lot less, especially if you don’t go near a mountain, and a lovely bath is as close to diving as you’ll ever get. However, a lot of people buy these models because of what it says about them, and how they feel wearing it.
These are true luxury models, and much as I like the OnePlus Watch 3, it’s not a luxury smartwatch. Unfortunately, at $500, that’s the conversation its inserting itself into now. It’s no longer a question of simply “should I buy the OnePlus Watch 3,” it’s “should I pay this much for a OnePlus Watch 3,” and I don’t think it is. This kind of thinking then leads to some other problematic considerations.
Don’t buy the OnePlus Watch 3?
Because price is subjective, some may simply be willing to pay $500 for the OnePlus Watch 3, but this sits very uncomfortably with me. What message does it send to brands when we’re suddenly happy to come up with an additional $170 for a product, especially when there’s no obvious justification for a price increase? Was it too cheap before, executives in boardrooms will ask. Big price increases may become more common if companies see we don’t care and will pay what’s asked without question.
Then there’s the fact the OnePlus Watch 3 hasn’t risen in price elsewhere in the world. It’s no fun feeling like you’re being ripped off, but you probably will do when a friend in the U.K. paid the original price for one. What if the U.S. price increase has been influenced by political machinations and only temporary? If in a few months the OnePlus Watch 3 went back down to the $330 launch price, the realization you’ve paid way over the odds will quickly set in if you buy now. A temporary increase would also be a PR disaster for OnePlus.
Are we recommending you don’t buy the OnePlus Watch 3? The smartwatch is still excellent, and I’m sure there are ways to justify paying $500 to get one. However, you’d be wise to hold off and be patient. The price change has only just become known, and if it is tariff-related, that situation is fluid enough where things could change again next week and the smartwatch could cost $330 again, provided OnePlus can put up with the roasting it’ll get for doing so.
Be patient, and shop around
The answer to the question of whether you should buy the OnePlus Watch 3 at $500 comes down to its worth and value to you. But before you make your final decision, I want you to consider one last thing, and that’s seeing the price in context today. Visit Mobvoi’s (also a Chinese brand and possibly subject to tariffs in the future too) online store right now, where it has up to 50% of its also excellent smartwatches. The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is yours for $175 at the time of writing, and the Ultra-troubling TicWatch Atlas is $210.
A $175 TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is an outstanding buy, and far better value than a $500 OnePlus Watch 3, plus it’s “worth” about the same on your wrist too. If this has turned your head, then it may mean you just want a smartwatch, and not specifically a OnePlus Watch 3. If it has made you think twice, do not spend $500 on a OnePlus Watch 3, and if the TicWatch Pro 5 has sold out by the time you look, I have a feeling a $330 Galaxy Watch 7 will suddenly look a lot more tempting than a $500 OnePlus Watch 3 too.
Oh, if price increases have made you jittery and you want a OnePlus 13 smartphone, it’s still $800 just as it was at launch at the moment, so it may be wise to get one soon, in case it mysteriously increases in price too.
