This was a good year for WearOS and we are finally expecting marked enthusiasm for Google’s wearable ecosystem in 2021. One of the front runners championing WearOS has been Mobvoi with its TicWatch options available across different segments. TicWatch Pro 3 is the current flagship that’s powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon Wear 4100 SoC and has the standout dual display technology.
It also brings notable improvements on design and battery fronts compared to its predecessors. But is the WearOS experience finally ready for prime time? Is the TicWatch Pro 3 a recommendable option for the asking price of INR 28,990? Let’s answer all such questions in our TicWatch Pro 3 review.
Contents:
- TicWatch Pro 3 specs
- TicWatch Pro 3 review: Design & display
- TicWatch Pro 3 review: Performance & battery
- TicWatch Pro 3 review: Features & calling
- TicWatch Pro 3 review: Fitness & sleep tracking
- TicWatch Pro 3 review verdict with pros and cons
TicWatch 3 Pro Specifications
| Model | TicWatch Pro 3 GPS |
| Display | 1.4-inch AMOLED dual display 2.0 (circular) |
| Chipset | Snapdragon Wear 4100 |
| Dimensions and Weight | 47 x 48 x 12.2mm, 42g |
| Water-resistance | IP68 |
| RAM and Storage | 1GB + 8GB |
| Starp | Standard 22mm |
| Battery | 577mAh, up to 72 hours in Smart Mode, up to 45 days in Essential Mode |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, NFC, |
| Others | 0.5W speaker, microphone, Heart rate sensor, Infrared sensor |
| Price | INR 28,950 |
TicWatch Pro 3 review: Design and Display
TicWatch Pro 3 has a simple, sporty design and a circular display. It comes in only one size, 48mm, and wouldn’t be as appealing to people who prefer small watches. The faux-leather silicon strap is comfortable and has a regular clasp which we’d prefer over a nub any day. And since Mobvoi uses a standard 22mm strap, you can easily get replacements that suit your personal taste.
The watch is also quite light (42 grams) and wearing it during workouts shouldn’t be an issue.
We can see how many would admire the look and feel of the TicWatch, but at the same time, it doesn’t exactly scream ‘premium’ as Apple or Samsung watches do.
TicWatch has a 1.4-inch AMOLED display (454 x 454) paired with an FSTN (Film compensated twisted nematic) LCD panel. When the watch is idle (with ‘Always on’ mode turned off), the LCD display lights up – it consumes very little battery and is readily visible outdoors or in any situation where external light falls over it. The essential mode, which is a battery saver mode of sorts, continuously retains this secondary display to prolong mileage.
The OLED screen offers deep blacks and can get bright enough for comfortable outdoor visibility.
While the dual display is cool, it induces a gap between the digitizer and OLED panel and the colors don’t quite pop. On a positive note, Mobvoi uses a good oleophobic coating on the screen and unspecified scratch resistance. There is also IP68 ingress protection, which allows you to take it for a swim.
TicWatch Pro 3 review: Performance and Battery
It’s the performance that makes TicWatch Pro 3 tick. Mobvoi employs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 4100 which’s 85% faster than Wear 3100. The performance gain reflects in more fluid animations, better gesture accuracy, and faster UI transitions.
The chipset is aided by 1GB RAM and 8GB storage, which is a decent configuration to drive Google’s Wear OS on the 60Hz display.
The battery mileage is also surprisingly good and can be attributed to both the power-efficient chipset and above-average capacity (577mAh). With our mixed usage, we could easily get around 2.5 days on a single charge with the display set to Always-on mode – which is excellent for an OS watch.
With always-on mode off, the TicWatch reverts to the second FSTN display in idle mode, thus further extending the overall mileage. And if you stick to essential mode, only the monochrome FSTN screen shall remain in use, allegedly extending the battery back up to 45 days.
The magnetic charging puck doesn’t encase the whole watch and weirdly attaches to just a small part, leaving the bottom surface uneven. However, the magnetic grip is strong and the watch doesn’t dislodge as easily.
Also Check: LG Velvet Dual Display Review
TicWatch Pro 3 review: Features and Calling
Google has been apathetic about its WearOS software but it still remains the best alternative on the android side of the table. That’s because its integrates rather well with Android phones and benefits from google’s suite of software services like Google Assistant, Smart Replies, Maps, and Google Play Store.
The WearOS 2.1 running on the watch is still grudgingly lacking when it comes to app support, but it’s still any day better than most proprietary watch interfaces that lack ecosystem support and apps store.
The TicWatch is quite good at handling notifications. As usual, the -1 home screen is reserved for Google Assistant, but you may also summon the assistant by long-pressing the power button. We could use the Assitant on Watch to switch on/off our light bulbs and smart plugs.
The watch promptly shows music playback controls as soon as we streaming music on our phone or on Google Assistant-powered smart speakers.
Mobvoi leaves the default OS mostly unaltered, but there are some big and small changes through the UI. The app drawer for instance has two columns instead and that works better than the default list view.
We would have loved a few more quick setting tiles including the one to adjust brightness. Tic has added many of its own apps and most of these are useful additions. These include TicExcercise, TicPulse, TicZen app, TicOxygen (SPO2), TicBreathe, etc.
Mobvoi’s own companion app is needed on the paired Android phone for these Tic apps to be effective. The app is well designed and comprehensively shows all data in one place.
Default Watch Faces are not very fascinating. Since this is WearOS there are several third-party options to pick from. The best place to look is the Google Play store on the watch itself.
TicWatch Pro 3 review: Fitness and Sleep Tracking
A total of 13 workout modes are listed under TicExercise app and these include different indoor and outdoor walking modes, trail running, cycling, swimming, yoga, and elliptical machines. All fitness data syncs with Mobvoi app
The Watch has standalone GPS and our unit managed to lock location almost instantly. We couldn’t, however, test the GPS outdoors due to pandemic-imposed restrictions. The watch could automatically detect and turn on workout mode when we were brisk walking outdoors.
To determine accuracy, we tested TicWatch against Oppo Watch 46mm and the difference in activity stats was negligible. As far as we could tell, sleep tracking and SPO2 worked accurately. Detailed sleep stats can be viewed in the TicSleep app.
The Watch supports 24 Hour heart rate monitor and 24-hour Blood Oxygen Level tracking as well.
Also Read: Oppo Watch Review
TicWatch Pro 3 review: Verdict
TicWatch Pro is undoubtedly the best performing WearOS watch and it somehow manages to accomplish that without compromising on battery endurance. This also gives us an assurance that it should be able to perform reliably with future WearOS updates.
Of course, the dual-display tech makes it stand out and we quite like TicWatch’s sporty design and feel.
Its biggest challenger in India is the rectangular Oppo Watch 46mm (review) which takes design inspiration from Apple, is cheaper, and has relatively more premium vibes. In comparison, the TicWatch has more comfortable straps, is a significantly better performer, and takes a comfortable battery mileage lead.
Pros
- Excellent performance
- Excellent battery
- Dual Display technology
- The companion app is well designed
Cons
- Overpriced in India
