By Nick Gelling
Product Test Journalist | Kaipūrongo Whakamātautau Hautaonga
The Oppo Watch takes clear style inspiration from the Apple Watch, but with a second button instead of a rotatable crown.
The face is big and conspicuous. There’s no hiding the 46mm screen from prying eyes, and it doesn’t look much like a traditional timepiece either. Thankfully, it’s easy on the eyes (at least, on my eyes).
I soon ran out of patience with the sleep-tracking feature. That’s nothing against the Oppo, though – I likely wouldn’t tolerate having any 60g box strapped to me for more than a few nights. Everything else worked as I’d hope – Google Assistant integration was good, notifications arrived simultaneously with my phone and controlling music from my wrist was invaluable, especially when walking in the rain.
Short battery lives are rampant in the premium smartwatch market, and this battery is no different. It needed charging every second day, lasting around 40 hours before entering the feature-light Power Saver mode. There’s an option to have the screen constantly lit, but that makes the recharge cycle even shorter – by default, the screen lights up when you tap it or twist your arm toward your face, which was good enough for me.
Oppo seems to have crafted a successful doppelganger to the ever-popular Apple Watch. But it’s a little cheaper and, crucially, works with Android phones as well as iOS. I’m really considering buying one.
Specifications
Oppo Watch 46mm
Price: $599
Display: 46mm AMOLED (also available in 41mm)
Operating system: Wear OS by Google
Colour: Glossy gold or black
Cellular: No
Fast charging: Yes (VOOC)
Water resistance: Up to 50 metres
First Looks are trials of new and interesting products from the perspective of our product experts. Our lab-based tests offer truly objective product comparisons. The watch was loaned to us by Oppo.
We’re currently testing the Oppo Watch in our labs. Look out for an update in early 2021.
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