All OnePlus Watch 4 details are now official... except for a price point and release date
The newest Apple Watch rival from OnePlus looks decidedly familiar, mirroring virtually all of its predecessor's capabilities.
The OnePlus Watch 4 is nearly identical to the OnePlus Watch 3 at first glance. | Image by OnePlus
With basically no buzz or advance notice, OnePlus has confirmed the disappointing recent rumors over its next big Wear OS-based timepiece, posting a full spec sheet and a bunch of high-quality product depictions on the company's official global website.
Even for the brand that "never settles"... but that continues to reduce its retail presence around the world in the smartphone space, this feels like a highly unorthodox move and a weirdly muted launch. If you take a quick look at the following list of OnePlus Watch 4 characteristics and compare it with the OnePlus Watch 3's features and components, however, you might get a pretty good idea of exactly why that's happening.
This is what the OnePlus Watch 4 brings to the table
- 1.5-inch LTPO OLED touchscreen with 466 x 466 pixel resolution and up to 3000 nits of brightness;
- Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 processor;
- 2GB RAM;
- 32GB storage;
- 646mAh battery;
- Wear OS 6.0 with OxygenOS Watch 8 software;
- Bluetooth 5.2;
- GPS, Galileo, Glonass;
- NFC;
- Optical heart rate sensor;
- Blood oxygen sensor;
- Wrist temperature sensor;
- Sleep tracking;
- Fall detection;
- 5ATM water resistance;
- IP68 and IP69 certifications;
- MIL-STD-810H durability;
- Titanium alloy case;
- Fluororubber strap;
- Sapphire crystal cover glass;
- Midnight and Evergreen color options;
- 47.4 x 47.4 x 11mm dimensions;
- 43 grams weight (without strap).
So what's new here?
Not much, I'm afraid, and while I've obviously seen and discussed many so-called iterative product upgrades over the years, this is one of the most redundant and least interesting "new" devices I can remember covering in a long time.
The OnePlus Watch 4 is safe to use while surfing. | Image by OnePlus
I don't want to go so far as to say OnePlus should have cancelled its Watch 3 sequel in this form, but a Watch 3s name would have probably been way more fitting for a wearable that looks almost exactly the same as its predecessor at first glance, only reducing its weight by around 7 grams and its thickness by 0.8mm while changing... the branding of its two colorways.
That's right, both the OnePlus Watch 4 and Watch 3 come in black and green hues, the "difference" being that the "new" model is advertised as coated in Midnight Titanium and Evergreen Titanium while its forerunner was painted in Obsidian Titanium and Emerald Titanium. I can't decide if that's funny or sad. Check that, it's both at the same time.
Do you think smartwatches should be upgraded every year?
And no, I'm not noticing any distinctions whatsoever in key departments like screen size, resolution, battery life, connectivity, or health monitoring either, although for what it's worth, the OnePlus Watch 4's display is apparently a little brighter and the OnePlus Watch 3's IP68 and MIL-STD-810H ratings get an added IP69 certification for an extra touch of durability under distress.
Is the OnePlus Watch 4 doomed right off the bat?
Not necessarily. At least not until its official pricing and availability info also comes out. That's because our in-depth OnePlus Watch 3 review labeled that battery life champ "the smartwatch you should get in 2025", and if the OnePlus Watch 4 is anything like its predecessor (which it obviously is), it will probably at least make our extended list of the best smartwatches money can buy in 2026.
The OnePlus Watch 4 can accurately and reliably (at least in theory) track your swims. | Image by OnePlus
Mind you, we're talking about a "new" intelligent timepiece capable of keeping the (super-sharp OLED) lights on for up to three days between charges in "heavy" use, as much as five days in "smart mode", and no less than 16 days in "power saver mode", which are absolutely outstanding numbers by Wear OS standards, also crushing what the best Apple Watches out there can offer in the same department.
Add the aforementioned high-quality OLED panel to the equation and a set of health monitoring tools that covers all the typical bases, as well as an ultra-robust titanium build, and I can definitely see the OnePlus Watch 4 become a (moderate) box-office hit... at the right price.
How much will the OnePlus Watch 4 cost?
That, my dear friends and readers, is the million-dollar question... I cannot answer with any reasonable degree of confidence at the moment. Given that the OnePlus Watch 3 normally costs $349.99 (in a "standard" 46mm size) stateside, you might expect its repetitive sequel to carry the same price tag (or an even lower one) when it goes on sale in the US (which will hopefully happen soon).
While not quite as rugged as something like the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the OnePlus Watch 4 should handle your adventurous lifestyle pretty well. | Image by OnePlus
But because this is 2026, a price hike to $379.99 or $399.99 is not to be ruled out, and I'm afraid a US release (at any price) is not guaranteed just yet. It's also unclear if the OnePlus Watch 4 will follow its predecessor's example and come out in a second, smaller, and cheaper version down the line, so stay tuned for that if you have a more delicate wrist and/or a lower budget.
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