OnePlus Band

OnePlus Band

The OnePlus Band (model # W101N) is the first fitness band released by the popular smartphone manufacturer OnePlus. OnePlus is a subsidiary of BBK Electronics (also owns the Oppo, realne and Vivo brands). While the OnePlus band was launched in January 2021, it actually is a rebranded Oppo Band which was released in June 2020.

While OnePlus has not disclosed the processor in this band, we suspect it is the same Apollo 3 chipset that is in the Oppo Band. This is an older processor also found in the Huawei Band 3 Pro, Huawei Band 4 and Honor Band 5. Performance is adequate and there isn’t too much lag when using the band.

Like most fitness bands, the OnePlus is using a proprietary operating system. There are only a limited number of apps on the band and no app store is available to add any additional apps. What you see, is what you get for apps on this fitness band.

Design

The OnePlus Band comes with the standard slim rectangular design we see on most other fitness bands. The band case is made of plastic. The watch is available in black but you can also get a blue or gray band. From a design perspective, the band is not premium but looks comparable to other fitness bands in this price range.

OnePlus Band Colors
OnePlus Band Colors

The OnePlus Band is relatively small at 40.4 x 17.6 x 11.9 mm size in line with most other fitness bands. The band is 11.9 mm thick and only weighs 10.3g. It is comfortable and can be worn while sleeping. The OnePlus Band comes with a 21 mm silicone interchangeable strap. The strap is comfortable and quality is acceptable for this low price point.

You can only interact with the this band using the touchscreen. There are no physical buttons available. The touchscreen works well and most of the time there is no noticeable lag. However given the small screen size, the fonts, menus and icons are on the smaller side.

The OnePlus Band has both a 5ATM and IP68 water resistance rating which allows for swimming and showers. Salt water or chlorine could be problematic so make sure to rinse, wipe and dry the watch after swimming.

Screen

The screen of the OnePlus Band is small at 1.1″. It has an AMOLED touchscreen with 126 x 294 pixels and the display looks quite sharp. Indoors the display is good while outdoors it is not the greatest.

OnePlus does not indicate what screen protection is provided. Given this is a very low cost fitness band we expect screen and overall durability to be average. Unfortunately, the watch does not have an always on screen option. The watch allows for custom watchfaces which is a nice feature.

Battery

The OnePlus Band comes with a 100 mAh battery. OnePlus claims that typical usage battery life is 14 days. Unfortunately real world battery life is less than half that. Many owners are getting 5-6 days only. While not terrible, it is worse than other comparable fitness bands.

Connectivity Features

From a connectivity perspective, the OnePlus Band has limited functionality like most affordable fitness bands. The band can only receive notifications and there is no ability to respond to notifications.

As this is just a basic fitness band, there are a number of features missing that you would normally find on a smartwatch:

  • Does not have a speaker or microphone
  • Cannot answer or place calls via Bluetooth
  • Does not have a camera
  • Does not have cellular connectivity
  • Does not come with GPS
  • Does not have Near Field Communication (NFC), hence you cannot make payments

Health and Fitness Features

The OnePlus Band comes with 4 sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), Pulse Oximeter (SpO2). These only cover a few fitness and health areas. These sensors allow you to track the following 8 metrics: Blood Oxygen Level,  Calories, Distance, Fitness Level, Heart Rate, Sleep, Steps,  Swimming.

Also included are 13 different sports modes. While heart rate monitoring and GPS are not 100% accurate, they do a good job for the casual owner. Fitness tracking and health tracking are quite good. In addition the sleep tracking is better than many other smartwatches.

OnePlus Health App

The OnePlus Band uses the OnePlus Health app, which appears to be a lift and shift of the Oppo HeyTap app. While OnePlus uses “Jason”, Oppo is using “Ethan” as a sample user.

OnePlus Health is a newer app which currently has limited features. You can see how the OnePlus Health app ranks on our Smartwatch Apps Page.

Known Issues

As this watch has just recently been released, there are no common known issues.

Verdict

The first OnePlus band appears to be a rebrand of the Oppo band. Unfortunately the poor battery life and low quality app delivers an underwhelming experience. The Mi Band 5 or Honor Band 6 are better options with a more refined app.

Specifications

General

Read Review
Watch Type Fitness Band
Gender Unisex
Release Date January 2021
Operating System Proprietary - Other
App OnePlus Health
Supported Devices Android 6.0+
Processor Not Disclosed

Design

Shape Rectangular
Case Size 40.4 x 17.6 x 11.9 mm
Case Material Plastic
Weight 22.6g
Strap Width 21 mm
Strap Material Silicone
Interchangeable Strap Yes
Watch Colors Black, Blue, Gray
Input Touchscreen
Water Resistance 5 ATM, IP68

Screen

Screen Size 1.1"
Screen Type AMOLED Touchscreen
Resolution 126 x 294
Pixels per Inch Not disclosed
Always On No
Custom Faces Yes
Screen Protection Not Disclosed

Battery

Typical Usage Battery Life (Days) 14
Watch Mode Battery Life (Days) Not disclosed
GPS Mode Battery Life (Days) N/A
Charging System Dock
Capacity 100 mAh

Features

Notifications Receive Only
Bluetooth v5.0
Bluetooth Calling No
Bluetooth Music No
Speaker No
Microphone No
Camera No
Cellular No
GPS No
Near Field Communication (NFC) No
Payments No
WiFi Yes
Voice Command No
Memory None
Sensors Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Heart Rate Monitor (HRM), Pulse Oximeter (SpO2)
Tracking Blood Oxygen Level, Calories, Distance, Fitness Level, Heart Rate, Sleep, Steps, Swimming
Sport Modes 13
Warranty 12 Months

Summary

Unique Features None
Advantages Good quality screen
Disadvantages Poor battery life
OnePlus Health App new and underdeveloped
Cannot respond to notifications
No GPS
No third-party apps
No NFC or payment capability
Verdict The first OnePlus band appears to be a rebrand of the Oppo band. Unfortunately the poor battery life and low quality app delivers an underwhelming experience.

Published: January 15, 2021

OnePlus Band - WatchSmarty
OnePlus Band

The first OnePlus band appears to be a rebrand of the Oppo band. Unfortunately the poor battery life and low quality app delivers an underwhelming experience.

Product SKU: OnePlus Band

Product Brand: OnePlus

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 35

Price Valid Until: 2023-01-01

Product In-Stock: SoldOut

Editor's Rating:
5.3