OnePlus Watch 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

So, you’re in the market for an ultra-durable smartwatch. For Apple iPhone owners, the choice is simple: go with the Apple Watch Ultra 2. But for Android phone owners, it’s a bit more complicated. Two top-notch models worth considering are the new OnePlus Watch 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. Both are fantastic options, but which one should you choose? We’re here to help.

OnePlus Watch 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Design and durability

The OnePlus Watch 3 comes in an Obsidian or Emerald finish with a stainless-steel case and titanium bezel with a PVD coating for extra durability and scratch-resistance. It has a 2D sapphire crystal display for even further strength and ruggedness.

The watch meets MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability standards, so you can be confident that it can withstand the elements and day-to-day use. It boasts an IP68 and 5ATM rating so it’s resistant to both water and dust: you can comfortably go for a swim, shower, or run in the rain with this watch on.

Equipped with a 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED 466 x 466 screen, you’ll get up to 2,200 nits of brightness, so you can easily view the screen in even bright sunlight. While it’s on the larger and heavier side when it comes to smartwatches, it’s still comfortable to wear all day.

What fans will especially appreciate is that it has a redesigned crown compared to the OnePlus Watch 2 that can now actually rotate, not just be pushed in for selections. In his initial review after using the OnePlus Watch 3 for 10 days, Nicholas Sutrich says the crown’s design is “phenomenal,” and even more comfortable to use than the rotating crown on the Google Pixel Watch 3 thanks to the larger size and the textured and offset angle.

Battery life is what really sets this smartwatch apart. It employs the same dual-chip architecture as the previous generation OnePlus 2, which consists of a Snapdragon W5 chip to handle the more intense features, like workout tracking and apps, and an upgraded BES2800 chip to tackle everything else that runs in the background.

Thanks to this dual-chip set-up along with the 631mAh Silicon NanoStack battery, the same one the company uses in its OnePlus 13 smartphone, you get up to five days or 120 hours per charge in smart mode, which is the standard, everyday mode. This decreases to up to three days or 72 hours in heavy usage mode, but you can get as much as up to 16 days of use in power-saving mode. Leveraging VOOC fast charging, you can plug it in for 10 minutes for an entire extra day of usage.

Sutrich calls the battery life “legitimately insane,” adding that a quick 25-minute charge got him from just 19% to 99% when using the included charging dock and a OnePlus 80W charger. I once had mine at 20% battery and was still able to do a 30-minute workout, a 40-minute walk, and get through the rest of the day in power-saving mode without it dying on me. That’s pretty incredible!

Along with the standard selection of watch faces from which to choose, including using your own photos, you can also use a Video Watch Face with the OnePlus Watch 3. While this will drain the battery more quickly, it’s cool to have a moving, animated image of your own as the face. I, for example, use an image of water hitting the rocks on a beach that provides a nice soothing reprieve when I don’t need to see my stats on screen.

You also get access to download tons of apps, including Google apps like Gmail, Maps, and Wallet. The OnePlus Watch 3 is ultra-affordable and comes with two years of software and security support.

How does the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra compare? As Samsung’s answer to the Apple Watch Ultra, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is the company’s ultra-rugged smartwatch, designed for outdoor adventurers. And it has plenty of features and design functions to match.

Available in Titanium Gray, Titanium White, or Titanium Silver, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a same-sized 1.5-inch Sapphire Crystal Super AMOLED display with a slightly higher resolution at 480 x 480. The Dynamic Lug System makes it more comfortable for all-day wear. Michael Hicks says in his review that the watch is somewhat clunky, though he grew accustomed to having it on his wrist over time.

Along with the standard band that comes in the box, you can opt for a Bespoke model, choosing from Marine, Trail, or PeakForm, depending on the activities you do the most. Hicks found it simple to swap bands using the Dynamic Lug system, though this limits the options to Samsung bands only.

Unlike the OnePlus Watch 3, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra does not have a rotating bezel. It does, however, have a Quick Button that you can customize to open whatever function you like, and do things like pause an activity during a workout.

As an extremely durable smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is made from a Titanium Grade 4 frame and boasts an incredible 10ATM water resistance. This means you can swim even deeper with it (down to 100 meters for up to 10 minutes). It also has an IP68 rating and meets the same MIL-STD-810H rating for durability.

Additionally, this smartwatch is rated to operate at more altitudes as well, from 500 meters below sea level up to 9,000 meters high. This makes it a good option for swimmers, cyclers, hikers, climbers, and those who love to engage in other extreme outdoor sports.

Choose from a wide range of watch faces, and the watch even automatically switches to Night Mode so you can more easily check your stats at a glance in the dark. Peak brightness is higher at an impressive 3,000 nits, so viewing the screen in sunlight is comfortable, too. Hicks says it “looks fantastic in direct California sunlight, richly colorful and unimpeded by reflections.” You can access all the Google apps your heart desires as well as Galaxy services and other compatible third-party apps.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a smaller 590mAh battery that promises about 2.5 days or 60 hours of regular use, up to 48 hours in Exercise Power Saving mode, and up to 100 hours or four days in Power Saving mode. It won’t last as long as the OnePlus Watch 3 but Hicks finds these numbers to be accurate following Samsung’s software update patch that fixed initial battery life headaches. It supports WPC-based fast charging with a compatible WPC wireless charger.

A plus with this smartwatch is that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra comes with four years of software and security support, twice as long as the OnePlus Watch 3. However, it’s also twice the price. There is an LTE option if you want cellular connectivity on the go without your phone, though this adds to the bottom line and recurring costs as well.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra vs. Google Pixel Watch 2: Specs

Let’s look at how these two smartwatches compare when it comes to basic specs.

OnePlus Watch 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: What you can do with them

Now that we have established that both these watches are ultra-durable with fantastic, bright screens and good (or even better) battery life, what can you do with them?

The OnePlus Watch 3, as noted, employs a dual chip architecture that makes it both battery efficient and powerful. Running Google Wear OS 5, it captures all the data you would expect from a premium smartwatch. It has advanced heart rate monitoring thanks to the 8-channel optical heart rate sensor along with vascular health monitoring, a wrist temperature sensor, and a 16-channel optical pulse oximeter sensor. Sutrich indeed says that health tracking has been drastically improved compared to the OnePlus Watch 2. In fact, he calls it “monumental.”

There are more than 100 sports modes from which to choose, along with fat burn efficiency in running mode, which serious runners will appreciate. There are 11 pro workout modes as well, including ones like racket sports whereby the watch can analyze metrics like strokes and swing speed. There’s also auto-detection for six common workouts.

The OHealth app has been updated to include a new health data view that summarizes key metrics about your health and wellness. This includes not only activity but also sleep, with more accurate sleep tracking than in previous generation models as well with features like a score and even snoring data. Sutrich loves how the OHealth app now presents the data, calling the organization concise with the laying not wasting any space. “I really love that I can view everything on my watch afterwards,” he adds.

A 60-second health check-in feature that measures heart rate, blood oxygen, mental wellness, wrist temperature, sleep quality, and vascular age all at once in a single minute is coming via an over-the-air update in March 2025. There’s also ECG readings but this feature isn’t available in North America with no plans to arrive here either.

Speaking of mental wellness, there’s also a new 360 mind and body feature that checks in on your heart rate variability, stress relief, and breathing to provide stats as well as tips to help you improve.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is, as mentioned, designed primarily for adventurers and athletes. As such, it’s a pretty powerful smartwatch in its own right.

Running on an Exynos W1000 processor, it also comes loaded with WearOS 5 as well, affording advanced performance and smooth operation. Hicks says it isn’t markedly faster than previous-generation phones, but you won’t notice a lot of lag and it can handle demanding tasks without issue.

You can track tons of different workout types as well as sports. This includes multi-course workouts in the new Multi-sports tile, ideal for those who have signed up for a triathlon, for example. Cyclers will appreciate the Functional Threshold Power (FTP) measurement, which clocks their maximum cycling power in four minutes using AI-powered metrics.

You’ll also enjoy features like personalized heart rate zones along with Samsung’s BioActive sensor and a temperature sensor.

OnePlus Watch 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: What else can you do?

There are some additional cool features with both these smartwatches. While the OnePlus Watch 3 works with all brands of Android devices (sadly, no iPhone support with the OHealth app just yet), you’ll get an enhanced experience when using it with a OnePlus phone. This includes the ability to use the watch as a controller for compatible video playback sites, like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. You can also use it as a camera controller with both OnePlus and OPPO phones.

The Watch also has features like Find my device and an SOS mode for safety, ideal for those who go running in the early morning or late-night hours, for example, or in case of any type of emergency.

There are useful safety features in the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra as well, including an emergency siren and emergency alerts.

It, too, works with all brands of Android devices (no iPhone support either) but you get specific features and a more seamless pairing with a Samsung Galaxy phone. It also works wonderfully with other Samsung devices like the Samsung Galaxy Ring. With this smart ring, the two devices together can provide more precise and accurate tracking day and night, especially during sleep.

OnePlus Watch 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra: Which should you choose?

When the decision comes down to the OnePlus Watch 3 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, you can’t go wrong with either. If you have a OnePlus phone, the obvious choice is the OnePlus Watch 3. If you use a Samsung Galaxy device, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is a no-brainer option. But if you aren’t tied to either ecosystem or you have one of the best Android phones from another brand, this is where it gets tricky.

There’s no denying that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is expensive, much more expensive than the OnePlus Watch 3. But it has features that extreme athletes will appreciate, including the 10ATM rating that makes it the ideal choice for those who often engage in water sports and activities.

However, it’s a lot of watch for everyday users. If you’re just looking for a solid and rugged smartwatch for everyday use, the OnePlus Watch 3 is the better option. Not only is it rugged and durable as well, albeit with a lesser water-resistance rating, but you also get a much longer battery life. It has enhanced sensors and can track all types of sports and activities. You might not get some of the same intricate features, but you get others, like those pro workout modes if you play tennis, for example, or you’re a serious runner.

At a fraction of the price, the OnePlus Watch 3 offers better value. However, since it’s only supported via software for half the time, you’ll have to take this into consideration as well. This doesn’t mean you have to replace it after two years: the watch will continue to work provided you take care of it. But this limitation is worth keeping in mind.

That said, even if you upgraded with a newer model two years from now at the same price, you’re still coming out ahead and not breaking the bank now. So, go with the OnePlus Watch 3 unless you’re a serious athlete who owns a Samsung Galaxy phone and wants the best pairing possible with that device.