I ran with the OnePlus Watch 3 and Apple Watch. The results shocked me

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has been my smartwatch of choice for the last several months. The hardware looks fantastic, watchOS is top-tier software, and I have years of data in the Apple Health and Fitness apps. But I’m always looking for something new, and most recently, my eyes have fallen on the OnePlus Watch 3.

I’ve been wearing the OnePlus Watch 3 for the last few days, and compared to the OnePlus Watch 2, I’m impressed. The hardware isn’t drastically different from its predecessor, but there are a few key upgrades — such as longer battery life, new health features, and a rotating crown that interacts with the software.

As a fairly avid runner, I was particularly interested in seeing how the OnePlus Watch 3 kept up with activity tracking. I found the OnePlus Watch 2 rather disappointing in this regard, delivering inaccurate activity stats in a barebones health app. To see if the OnePlus Watch 3 really is better, I ran with it and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and compared the results. Let’s just say I’m pretty amazed at how it turned out.

I live in Michigan, and in February, that means two things: cold temperatures and lots of snow — neither conducive to outdoor running. So, for this test, I visited the lovely treadmill in my apartment complex’s gym.

I wore the OnePlus Watch 3 on my left wrist and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on my right. I started a 30-minute indoor running workout on both simultaneously and ended each once their respective timers hit the 30-minute mark. I set the treadmill incline to 0.5 for the entire duration and occasionally adjusted my speed between 5, 5.5, and 6 mph.

Both smartwatches have all the usual health/fitness features you’d expect. The OnePlus Watch 3 has a new PPG module and LED design, which OnePlus claims allows for better heart rate accuracy. I wasn’t impressed with the OnePlus Watch 2’s heart rate monitoring, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has always been very accurate in my testing, so the OnePlus Watch 3 had its work cut out for it.

How did both watches fare? I’ll dig into my thoughts below, but first, I’ll let you look at the results for yourself:

What impressed me the most was how similar the heart rate readings were on both smartwatches. I frequently glanced at each watch during my run, and they were either showing the exact heart rate measurement or were within one to two beats per minute of each other. That’s reflected in the average heart rate in the table above, where the OnePlus Watch 3 recorded 162 bpm and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 recorded 164 bpm.

I’ve been continually impressed with the heart rate accuracy of modern Apple Watches, so to see the OnePlus Watch 3 line up so closely is pretty shocking — especially considering this was a weak point of the OnePlus Watch 2. It’s safe to say OnePlus’s new heart rate sensors are doing their job.

Despite the similarity in heart rate tracking, the OnePlus Watch 3 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 show discrepancies in other metrics. The OnePlus Watch 3 recorded 2.58 miles during my 30-minute run, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 reached 2.92 miles. The treadmill itself counted 2.77 miles — 0.19 miles more than the OnePlus Watch 2 and 0.15 miles less than the Apple Watch Ultra 2.

Distance tracking is always tricky for treadmill running, and considering both watches are roughly within the same margin of error compared to the treadmill’s distance, I’m OK with both results. That said, I am excited to compare the watches’ GPS capabilities during an outdoor run once the weather improves.

The difference in calories burned is interesting, too, though this likely comes down to differences in OnePlus and Apple’s algorithms rather than a legitimate tracking issue one way or the other. Two smartwatches seldom have identical calorie counting, so this isn’t too surprising.

Elsewhere, the OnePlus Watch 3 continues to impress. Its cadence measurement is very similar to that of the Apple Watch, and more importantly,  it recorded a few extra details that the Apple Watch did not.

On the watch display during your run and in the OHealth app afterward, the OnePlus Watch 3 recorded significantly more running data than the Apple Watch Ultra 2, such as my stride length and ground contact time (GCT). A dedicated “Running form” section houses this data and rates your GCT and vertical oscillation on a scale from Very Poor to Excellent. You can even see your GCT balance, indicating if you’re biased to your left or right foot during your run.

The Apple Watch shows similar data for outdoor runs but not indoor ones. As someone who almost exclusively runs indoors for four to five months out of the year, having this extra data on the OnePlus Watch 3 is fantastic. Not only that, it’s presented much better than on the Apple Watch.

Even when the Apple Watch shows my GCT and vertical oscillation after an outdoor run, it tells me nothing meaningful about the numbers. I can see what each one is, but I have no idea if they’re good or bad. The OnePlus Watch 3, meanwhile, very clearly indicates this. I wish it went another step by giving me tips on how to improve, but it’s still significantly better than Apple’s approach.

The OnePlus Watch 3 also surprised me with its “Advanced assessments” page. Here, you see a breakdown of your total calories burned and how much was burned fat vs. burned sugar. You also get a rating of your aerobic effectiveness of that particular workout, your cardio fitness (aka VO2 max levels), and your needed recovery time after the workout.

It’s a really impressive amount of data, a significant improvement over the OnePlus Watch 2, and a better user experience than what you get on the Apple Watch.

Does this mean the OnePlus Watch 3 will be my new running watch for 2025? It’s certainly become a very strong contender. The heart rate accuracy is top-notch, the more advanced running stats are presented nicely, and I appreciate extra insights like GCT balance and aerobic effectiveness that I don’t get from my Apple Watch.

That said, the Apple Watch still has undeniable benefits for my personal use. As an Apple Music subscriber, it’s far and away the easiest way to access my music while out running. I also like having LTE connectivity (something the OnePlus Watch 3 lacks) and the ability to receive texts from friends/family who are on iMessage.

I’ll keep wearing the OnePlus Watch 3 to see how I get along with it. While I may eventually end up back with my Apple Watch, I’m still impressed with its performance in this test. If you’re in the market for a new fitness/running watch this year, the OnePlus Watch 3 should absolutely be on your radar. If this test is any indication, it’s a strong contender for one of the best smartwatches of the year.