The OPPO Watch has been released in 2 sizes, a 46mm and 41mm model which we got. This is the brand’s first stint at producing a wearable accessory other than its audio-ware.
Though I’m no fitness junky, I am quite a smartwatch fan. Seeing that this is OPPO’s first go at a wearable OS, I was pretty excited to see how it’d fit into my daily smartwatch usage.
A flex from its looks
Boasting a square screen, the 41mm OPPO Watch looks awfully similar to the Apple Watch. It was totally a head-turner for those who saw me sporting the Pink Gold watch with an aluminium alloy frame and its soft baby pink detachable rubber strap.
The 41mm watch cuts down on less essential features from the 46mm version. One of them you’ll immediately notice is that the smaller device doesn’t have a curved display, but just like phones, it’s a feature that’s mostly for aesthetics rather than functionality.
There are a handful of watch faces to choose from and you could also download more options from the Google Play store if you get bored of the default selection.
The watch’s 1.6” AMOLED screen is vibrant and clear with great colours and sharp visuals to read even small text on the screen. On the highest brightness setting, it’s visible outdoors too.
A plus one to your phone
I’ve grown accustomed to wearing a smartwatch all the time and am particularly reliant on them because they’re my main way of being notified of messages and calls coming into my phone.
Being a smartwatch, the 41mm OPPO Watch supports action notifications and I could reply to messages from the watch itself with its suggestions or manually type them out. The keyboard was cramped as it had to fit on a tiny screen, but I was surprised at how accurately I was able to text with it.
I could also use the watch to make and answer calls, where the audio coming out from its speakers was clear, and my receiver reported the same on their end. Although it looks pretty awkward speaking on the phone through my watch, it undeniably gives me Totally Spies! vibes.
The watch’s in-built mic also allows you to interact with Google Assistant hands-free.
Weighing at just about 30g, the watch is light enough that moving about won’t cause any hindrances. Admittedly, I forget that it’s even there, and its glass screen has been pretty durable, surviving some accidental bumps and knocks against cabinets and tables.
This could likely be an improvement from the 46mm model, as reviewers have noted how easy it was to dent and scratch the variant’s watch face.
Though there is a raise to wake function to check the time, the OPPO Watch annoyingly resets it daily and turns it off, so perhaps an update may solve this issue down the line. Otherwise, a simple tap on the screen or pressing either one of its physical buttons is enough to do the job.
The top button opens up your apps drawer or goes to the home screen, and the button on the bottom gives you quick access to whichever app you set it to.
Apps on the OPPO Watch are plentiful, much like those you’d expect to see on most premium smartwatches. There are a couple of pre-downloaded Google apps too, such as its Calendar, Translate, and Play Store where you can get more apps.
Getting insights about my health
To get a comprehensive view of your health, you’d have to pair the watch with the HeyTap Health app on your phone. It’s where you can view widgets like your daily activity levels, workout records, heart rate, and sleep data.
You can also customise your workout and health goals such as your steps and calorie-burning. Like I’ve said, I’m not a fitness buff, but I do try to clock in at least some form of exercise every day for the sake of maintaining decent health levels.
Hence, the watch’s 5-Min Workouts feature was very much appreciated. There are 5 different guided sessions, each requiring different levels of energy. My personal favourite was its Bedtime Stretches which I found myself doing on routine every night.
Workout modes on the watch are limited and largely centred around cardio, so I opted for Google Fit which was pre-installed and had more options. With it, I could record my usual activities like aerobics, yoga, and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).
With a 3ATM (30 metres) water resistance for the 41mm model, it’s just slightly below the 46mm version with 5ATM, and getting splashed with rain shouldn’t be a problem. However, it won’t survive a swim, unlike the 46mm version.
The sleep tracker works similarly to other smartwatches and is pretty accurate, monitoring my sleep stages from awake, light, and deep. It doesn’t track REM sleep, but having previously used watches that do, I can safely say that it adds little value to me.
As a light sleeper with trouble falling and staying asleep, I wasn’t surprised to find that I was clocking in insufficient deep sleep on most days. Over the course of 16 nights, there have only been 4 times where I got the recommended 80% of deep sleep in 7 hours.
Unlike most watches on the market, the 41mm OPPO Watch doesn’t monitor stress levels. However, it does record your heart rate and comes with a guided breathing app as well.
You could also enable alerts on the watch to notify you if your heart rate (whether resting or during workouts) reaches above a certain BPM, which will likely be helpful for those experiencing heart problems.
Verdict
In general, the 41mm OPPO Watch isn’t doing anything too different from its competitors, but I actually really enjoyed having it as an extension of my phone.
At RM689, it provides all the essentials most would need in a smartwatch, and where it lacks pre-installed apps, you could overcome it via the Play Store. I’d say it’s a great option for most beginners but experienced smartwatch users looking for more won’t be getting it from OPPO’s first try.
With a 430mAh, non-removable battery, it should last a whole day, even with heart rate monitoring and raise to wake turned on.
But if you run out of power without immediate access to the watch’s charger, putting it in power-saving mode should do the trick for a couple more hours’ worth of juice.
Overall, it has a decent battery life with the always-on display turned off, and charging it for about 30 minutes was enough to get its juice back to 100%.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great design and comfortable to wear | Pricey for a beginner user |
| Clear speaker and mic for calls | Battery lasts for only a day |
| Access to more apps through the Play Store | Unreliable raise to wake function |
| 5-Min Workouts to get active for short stints throughout the day | No stress tracker |
VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion to our Facebook page.
