OnePlus Watch 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

OnePlus Watch 2

1.43-inch AMOLED, 466×466 resolution, sapphire crystal. Bright, sharp, with always-on support — the RTOS efficiency chip keeps the AOD battery cost low.

• 1.43-inch AMOLED, 466×466 resolution — bright, sharp, vibrant.
• Always-on display supported — the BES2700 RTOS chip handles AOD efficiently, keeping the battery cost low.
• Sapphire crystal protection — scratch-resistant, premium at the price.
• Readable in daylight — adequate brightness for outdoor workouts.
• The large 47mm case gives the AMOLED panel plenty of room — generous display real estate.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

A Super AMOLED panel — 1.34-inch on the 40mm, 1.5-inch on the 44mm — that now peaks at a brilliant 3,000 nits, a big jump over the Galaxy Watch 7's 2,000. Sapphire crystal protects it, and there's an always-on mode.

• Peak brightness jumps to 3,000 nits — a major upgrade over the Galaxy Watch 7's 2,000 nits, easily readable in direct sun.
• Crisp, colorful and fluid Super AMOLED — TechMishka says it 'looks amazing in all conditions.'
• Sapphire crystal protection on every size — premium scratch resistance.
• The display stays round despite the squircle case — TechMishka notes the round panel still limits how much information fits on screen.

OnePlus Watch 2

Optical HR, SpO2, sleep tracking, stress monitoring. OnePlus Health app for analytics. Covers the everyday-wellness basics; less polished than Samsung Health or Fitbit.

• Optical HR + SpO2 — standard Wear OS sensor suite; reliable for steady-state, less accurate than a chest strap for intervals.
• Sleep tracking + stress monitoring — the OnePlus Health app covers everyday wellness insights.
• OnePlus Health app is less polished than Samsung Health or Fitbit — adequate basics, fewer AI-powered insights.
• No ECG on most regions — the Watch 2 lacks the clinical heart-rhythm feature found on Samsung/Apple/Pixel watches.
• Health tracking is adequate but not the Watch 2's selling point — battery and Wear OS are the headline features.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

This is the Galaxy Watch 8's strongest card — the deepest health suite of any Wear OS watch: ECG, blood pressure, body composition, SpO2, skin temperature, plus new metrics like the Antioxidant Index, Vascular Load and AGEs Index. Heart-rate accuracy during exercise is the weak spot.

• The deepest Wear OS health suite — ECG, blood pressure monitoring, body composition (BIA), SpO2 and skin temperature all on board.
• New wellness metrics — an Antioxidant Index, Vascular Load and an AGEs (cellular aging) score turn raw data into longer-term health guidance.
• Sleep tracking is a standout — Android Authority calls the Galaxy Watch 8 its favorite smartwatch for sleep tracking.
• Heart-rate accuracy lags rivals — The Quantified Scientist found it often read too low and lagged behind real heart-rate changes during exercise.
• The optical heart-rate hardware is essentially unchanged from the Galaxy Watch 7 — a disappointment for accuracy-focused buyers.

OnePlus Watch 2

100+ workout modes, dual-frequency GPS, auto-detection. The long battery means multi-day workout tracking without recharge. 5 ATM water resistance.

• 100+ workout modes — broad activity coverage through the OnePlus Health app.
• Dual-frequency GPS — accurate tracking for running and outdoor activity, uncommon at the $299 price.
• The long battery enables multi-day workout tracking without recharge — a win for hikers and weekend warriors.
• Automatic workout detection — catches walks, runs, and cycling without manual start.
• 5 ATM water resistance — pool + open-water swim tracking supported.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

Samsung Health workout tracking with dual-frequency GPS, automatic exercise detection and a new adaptive Running Coach. GPS distance is the best of any Samsung watch yet, though still behind a dedicated sports watch — and GPS workouts drain the battery hard.

• A new adaptive Running Coach delivers real-time pacing and audio feedback during runs.
• Dual-frequency GPS — distance accuracy is the best Samsung has managed yet, measured around 5.8% off outdoors, though still behind an Apple Watch.
• GPS locks fast — Ultra Value Tech got a fix in about 3 seconds in an urban area.
• GPS workouts drain the battery hard — a 1-hour run can eat 15-20%, capping GPS endurance.
• Automatic workout detection works, though it can be slow to recognize a session has started.

OnePlus Watch 2

500mAh battery — up to 100 hours with the always-on display off, the headline feature. Dual-engine architecture is the breakthrough. 10-minute fast charge returns a full day.

• Up to 100 hours of battery with AOD off — The Verge: the dual-engine architecture 'will purportedly enable up to 100 hours of battery life.'
• Wired: 'The OnePlus Watch 2 offers Android users the best battery life from a smartwatch' — the standout achievement.
• Dual-engine architecture — a Snapdragon W5 performance chip + a BES2700 RTOS efficiency chip; the breakthrough behind the battery.
• 500mAh battery — paired with the dual-engine architecture, this is what nets the 100-hour figure.
• 10-minute fast charge returns a full day of use — class-leading charging speed.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

The Galaxy Watch 8's clearest weakness. Samsung rates it at 40 hours (always-on display off) or 30 hours (on), and real-world results are merely okay — roughly 27-45 hours depending on settings, with the 44mm a particular underperformer. A full charge takes around an hour to 90 minutes.

• Rated 40 hours with the always-on display off and 30 hours with it on — an 8% bigger battery than the Galaxy Watch 7.
• Tech Spurt got roughly 36 hours from a full charge — wishing it could clear 48 hours so it wouldn't need daily charging.
• Endurance testing exposed a 44mm quirk — The Product Reviewer measured the 44mm at just 27 hours and, oddly, the smaller 40mm lasting longer at 32 hours.
• Lighter use stretches it further — one tester pushed the 44mm Bluetooth model to about 45 hours with two nights of sleep tracking.
• A full charge takes roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes via the 10W wireless puck — slower than rivals.

OnePlus Watch 2

Wear OS 4 + the dual-engine architecture. OnePlus Health app, Google Wallet, full Play Store. Works with any Android phone. The Watch 2 returned OnePlus to Wear OS.

• Wear OS 4 — The Verge: the Watch 2 'will run on Google's Wear OS 4,' returning OnePlus to the platform after the original's RTOS-only OS.
• Dual-engine architecture — Wear OS runs on the Snapdragon W5; the BES2700 RTOS handles low-power tasks. OnePlus pioneered this approach.
• Full Google Play Store + Google Wallet — the complete Wear OS app ecosystem.
• OnePlus Health app — less polished than Samsung Health or Fitbit; adequate but not a strength.
• Works with any Android phone — not OnePlus-locked; cross-brand compatible.
• Android-only — no iOS compatibility.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

One UI Watch 8 on Wear OS 6, running on the 3nm Exynos W1000 with 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Gemini is built into the wrist. Performance is snappy and Samsung Health is comprehensive — but the deepest features need a Samsung phone, and there's no iOS support.

• One UI Watch 8 on Wear OS 6 — snappy and smooth on the 3nm Exynos W1000 chip.
• Gemini is built into the wrist — the Galaxy Watch 8 was among the first smartwatches to run Google's new AI assistant natively.
• 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage — double the Galaxy Watch 7, with room for plenty of offline music.
• The deepest health features need a Samsung phone — full functionality is gated to Samsung handsets, and there's no iOS support at all.
• Samsung still locks down what users can tweak — TechMishka notes the UI is enjoyable but Samsung 'holds too much control.'

OnePlus Watch 2

Stainless-steel case + sapphire crystal + 5 ATM water resistance + IP68 + MIL-STD-810H. A genuinely rugged build for the price.

• Stainless-steel case — durable and premium at the $299.99 price.
• 5 ATM water resistance + IP68 — pool + open-water swim rated, dust-protected.
• MIL-STD-810H certified — drop, shock, and temperature resistance.
• Sapphire crystal display protection — highly scratch-resistant.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

Sapphire-crystal glass over an armor-aluminum case, rated 5 ATM plus IP68 and MIL-STD-810H. It holds up well to everyday knocks — a month of heavy wear left long-term reviewers with barely a scratch.

• 5 ATM plus IP68 water and dust resistance — fine for swimming, showering and rain.
• Sapphire crystal holds up well — a month of heavy wear left long-term reviewers with barely a scratch on the glass.
• Armor aluminum case with MIL-STD-810H certification — durable for daily wear, though not a rugged adventure watch.

OnePlus Watch 2

Dual-frequency GPS, NFC for Google Wallet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi. No LTE — phone required for connectivity.

• Dual-frequency GPS — accurate tracking in urban canyons and dense tree cover, uncommon at the price.
• NFC for Google Wallet — contactless payments.
• Bluetooth + Wi-Fi — standard Wear OS connectivity stack.
• No LTE — phone required for connectivity; no standalone calls or texts.
• No satellite messaging — a feature reserved for higher tiers and later watches.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

Dual-frequency GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC payments. An optional LTE model adds standalone connectivity for about $50 more.

• Dual-frequency GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC — the full connectivity set.
• An optional LTE model adds standalone connectivity for roughly $50 more.
• NFC payments work, but Tech Spurt notes Samsung doesn't make it easy to swap the default Samsung Wallet for Google Wallet.

OnePlus Watch 2

$299.99 launch. The Wear OS battery champion at launch. Competes with the Galaxy Watch 6 and the Pixel Watch 2 — and decisively beats both on battery.

• $299.99 launch price — strong value for stainless steel, sapphire crystal, dual-frequency GPS, and 100-hour battery.
• Android Authority: the Watch 2 is 'setting a new benchmark regarding battery life, innovative dual-OS tech, and, arguably, design.'
• vs Galaxy Watch 6: OnePlus wins decisively on battery (100 hours vs ~30); Samsung wins on ecosystem, app polish, and size options.
• Now superseded by the OnePlus Watch 3 — bigger 631mAh battery, titanium bezel, rotating crown (but a higher US price).
• Best for: Android users who want full Wear OS with multi-day battery no other Wear OS watch matched at launch — and don't mind a large 47mm watch.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8

At about $349.99 (40mm) rising to roughly $429.99 for the 44mm LTE, the Galaxy Watch 8 took a price hike reviewers widely call unjustified. It's the richest-software Wear OS watch — but the Pixel Watch 4 and OnePlus Watch 3 both counter hard on, respectively, polish and battery.

• PhoneArena's verdict: a 'brand-new design that looks original and grows on you, but the price hike is unjustified.'
• It starts around $349.99 for the 40mm and climbs to roughly $429.99 for the 44mm LTE — about $50 more than the Galaxy Watch 7.
• vs the OnePlus Watch 3: reviewers repeatedly point to the OnePlus for 3-4 days of battery against the Galaxy Watch 8's day-and-a-half.
• It's an iterative update — Tavesper sums it up as 'minor changes' that don't make it significantly better than the Galaxy Watch 7.
• Best for: Samsung phone owners who want the deepest health software in a Wear OS watch and can live with daily charging.