OnePlus Watch 3 (43mm) Review – A Compact Smartwatch That Doesn’t Compromise

A Petite Powerhouse with Big-Time Smarts

The OnePlus Watch 3 (43mm) proves that smartwatches don’t need to be bulky to be brilliant. With refined design, smarter health tracking, and surprising battery endurance, this latest wearable is a serious contender, especially for Android users with slimmer wrists.

At first glance, the OnePlus Watch 3 43mm might appear to be a “mini” version of its larger 46mm sibling. But don’t be fooled—this isn’t some watered-down sidekick. Instead, OnePlus has packed a ton of power into a smaller, sleeker smartwatch aimed at users who want comfort without compromise.

Launching in Canada for CAD 399.99 (or USD 299.99), it’s paired with strong incentives: $50 off with a trade-in, or 10% off for students throughout July. That price undercuts the 46 mm model by CAD 100, but what exactly do you gain—or lose—when you go small?

In this hands-on review, I’ll walk you through how it performs in the real world, what it gets right (and wrong), and whether it finally earns its place beside the giants like Samsung and Google. Let’s break it down.

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Watch 3 – Launch

Design & Comfort: Finally, a Watch That Doesn’t Feel Like a Brick

Here’s where the 43 mm model shines. It’s built for comfort, and it shows:

• Lightweight Build: Weighing just 59 g (with strap), it’s noticeably lighter than the 46 mm version, which hits 80 g. That’s a 21 g drop you’ll feel when you’re working out or sleeping with the watch on.
• Smaller Footprint: At 43.2 × 43.2 × 11 mm, it’s less bulky and fits smaller wrists better. It is more like a casual accessory than a sci-fi wrist computer.
• Streamlined Design: OnePlus ditched the awkward “button sidebar” found on the 46 mm. Instead, the 43 mm keeps things minimal with a single, precisely-placed rotating crown. That means no accidental presses during planks or pushups.
• Pre-installed Strap Wins: The flat-laying, flexible strap on the 43 mm version not only feels better out of the box—it looks better, too. The larger model’s curved strap has been a common gripe among users.

One caveat? The smaller watch swaps out titanium and sapphire glass for stainless steel and 2.5D curved glass. It’s still stylish, but the 46 mm edges it out in raw material quality.

Battery Life: Multi-Day Power Without the Stress

OnePlus is still leading the Wear OS battery game—and that doesn’t change here.

43 mm:

• 60 hours (~2.5 days) in full Wear OS mode.
• Up to 7 days in power-saver RTOS mode.
• SuperVOOC fast charging (10 min = all-day use; full charge ≈ 60 min).

46 mm:

• 120 hours (~5 days) in full Wear OS mode.
• Up to 14 days in RTOS mode.

The 43 mm doesn’t match its big brother’s longevity, but it still blows past the Pixel Watch 3 or Galaxy Watch 7, which offer barely a day or two of use under similar workloads.

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Both sizes share the same Snapdragon W5 chipset + BES2700 chip combo and OnePlus’s clever dual-OS architecture. Performance remains snappy and fluid—even in battery-saver mode, which doesn’t compromise GPS or health tracking.

Wear OS Experience: No Shortcuts Here

This is still full-blown Wear OS 5, with all the perks:

• Customizable watch faces.
• Notifications, calls, messages.
• Google Assistant & Google Wallet.
• Full Play Store access.
• Seamless Android integration.

Where other brands compromise when they shrink things down, OnePlus keeps the experience uniform between sizes. If you’re used to the bigger model’s UI, you’ll feel right at home on the 43 mm—just without the wrist fatigue.

Health & Fitness: Accurate, but Still Room to Grow

This is where the trade-offs begin.

Shared Features:

• Heart rate monitoring.
• SpO₂ (blood oxygen) tracking.
• Sleep tracking.
• Stress tracking.
• Fitness & workout modes.
• Built-in GPS (single-band).

Missing from 43 mm:

• Temperature sensor.
• Vascular health tracking.
• 60-second health scan.

These features are exclusive to the 46 mm because they rely on hardware not present in the smaller watch. If you’re serious about in-depth wellness metrics or health-focused coaching, the larger model wins this round.

That said, for the average user, the 43 mm has everything needed for running, gym workouts, hikes, and sleep tracking. And it does it with excellent accuracy—no skipped steps, laggy GPS, or questionable data points.

My Take as a Long-Time OnePlus Watch 3 User

Having used the larger OnePlus Watch 3 (46 mm) for several months now, I had a solid feel for what OnePlus was offering at the high end of the Wear OS market. So when the 43 mm version dropped, I knew there’d be some noticeable differences, not just on paper, but on my wrist.

Personally, the 43 mm is a bit too small for me. I prefer a larger face, especially for readability and general aesthetic. The 46 mm just fits better, feels more substantial, and suits my style.

That said, functionally, the 43 mm nails it. In terms of performance, responsiveness, and longevity, it’s every bit the Wear OS workhorse I’ve come to expect from OnePlus. And when you compare it to the Galaxy Watch 7 or Pixel Watch 3? The 43 mm holds its own. It beats them both on battery life and even runs smoother in some scenarios, thanks to the dual-OS architecture.

If your wrist is on the smaller side, or you prefer a lighter, more compact device without sacrificing performance, the 43 mm version is arguably the better pick, even if it’s not the one I’ll personally be sticking with.

How It Compares: OnePlus Watch 3 vs Galaxy Watch 7 vs Pixel Watch 3

Pricing, Availability & Promotions (Canada & U.S.)

The 43 mm OnePlus Watch 3 is now available at:

• CA $399.99 / US $299.99.
• Promo 1: Get 10% off if you’re a student.
• Promo 2: Get $50 off with an eligible device trade-in.
• Colours: Black Steel, Silver Steel.
• Availability: Shipping now in Canada & the U.S.

This pricing puts it in direct competition with the Pixel Watch 3 (CA$379) and Galaxy Watch 7 (CA$429)—but it’s still the battery king of the pack, even at this smaller size.

Who Should Buy It?

If you want a powerful smartwatch that doesn’t look or feel like a brick, the OnePlus Watch 3 43 mm is arguably the best compact Wear OS device around. You get a OnePlus Watch 3 43mm that feels premium, buttery-smooth, has fantastic battery life for its size, and full Wear OS functionality, with only a few compromises.

But if you want all the sensors, dual-band GPS, higher brightness, and more premium materials, spend the extra $100 and go for the 46 mm. It’s the more advanced device—but only if you need those features.

For everyone else? The 43 mm is the smarter buy—literally and figuratively.

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