We knew this was coming. First it was the earbuds and now OnePlus has just announced the first Nord smartwatch. It’s part of OnePlus’ strategy to create a strong sub brand with a clearly defined proposition that complements the Nord smartphone line. The Nord smartwatch arrives on the back of the usual wave of leaks and pre-launch hype. OnePlus has positioned it as one of the best smartwatches you can buy at a sub Rs 5K price point. Does the first Nord wearable what it takes to excite buyers at this competitive price point?

Minimalist design

The OnePlus Nord smartwatch is easily one of the best looking wearables in this price bracket. We checked out the cool Deep Blue colour option. We completely dig the rippled strap that looks quite premium for its affordable price tag. There’s also a Midnight Black colour variant in the mix. The zinc alloy frame and stainless steel buckle (for the strap) add to the refined finish of the product. At 52.4 gm, it feels quite light on your wrist. You have the option of swapping the strap with third party 22mm straps. There’s also heaps of watch faces that add to it customisation and lifestyle appeal.

All clear

One of our favourite features of this wearable is it’s vibrant display with a 60Hz refresh rate. At 1.78-inches (326 x 446 pixels / 326 PPI), it’s quite large and offers excellent visibility even under direct sunlight. It’s quite immersive with minimal bezels and peaks at 500 nits. I also found it quite responsive. The UI is fairly clean while the companion N Health App is also clutter free. It took me a while to pair the device though – I tried it with an Android device and an iPhone.

Wellness essentials:

If you’re buying this wearable as a wellness accessory, you won’t be disappointed. The smartwatch is kitted with a 3-axis accelerometer, an optical heart rate sensor and a blood oxygen sensor. It’s what you’d expect in a smartwatch at this price point; no real surprises here. OnePlus offers 105 sports modes that covers almost every conceivable workout. We checked out the sleep tracking feature that was quite accurate too.

Smartwatch or tracker?

The One Plus Nord smartwatch is yet another wearable that reignites the smartwatch vs tracker debate. Is this a tracker with a big screen or a genuine smartwatch? That’s a question not just for this wearable but quite a few players at this price point and higher. Some will argue that you need a whole app ecosystem and extra functionality for a wearable to earn a smartwatch tag. There are others who will argue that a large screen and wellness features are all it takes to be deemed a smartwatch. The Nord doesn’t offer Bluetooth calling and doesn’t come with in-built GPS. But if these features don’t really matter to you, then the Nord watch deserves your consideration, especially if you own a OnePlus smartphone. It looks more expensive than it’s asking price and boasts of a clean UI.

The OnePlus Nord Watch costs Rs 4,999 and comes in Deep Blue and Midnight Black