Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Review: One To Watch

At a look

Skilled’s Ranking

Professionals

• Premium, sturdy design 
• Wonderful OLED show 
• Spectacular battery life
• Slick Put on OS software program

Cons

• Poor companion app 
• No digital assistant 
• No LTE choice

Our Verdict

The TicWatch Professional 5 strikes an incredible stability between appears to be like, sturdiness and health options, making it among the finest Put on OS smartwatches round. Simply make sure that it’s the best choice for you at this worth level.

Worth When Reviewed

$349.99

Finest Costs Right this moment: Mobvoi TicWatch Professional 5

$349.99

When you’re in search of a premium smartwatch, a couple of manufacturers come to thoughts immediately. Apple stays the market chief, however Samsung and Google each make worthwhile options – particularly should you use an Android cellphone. 

Against this, Mobvoi flies beneath the radar in Europe and North America, regardless of the Chinese language firm releasing TicWatch branded smartwatches in each areas since 2015. 

Eight years later, the TicWatch Professional 5 is its most refined, polished effort but. With a rugged but trendy design, intensive monitoring performance and nice battery life, it’s undoubtedly among the finest smartwatches round. Right here’s our full assessment. 

Design & construct

• Premium rugged design
• Impressively light-weight
• 5ATM water resistance

The design of the TicWatch Professional 5 is something however refined. It’s a rugged smartwatch that’s constructed to final, one thing you’ll discover as quickly as you’re taking it out of the field. 

This cumbersome, imposing design received’t be for everybody, however I actually prefer it. The Professional 5 feels powerful and sturdy, but doesn’t sacrifice the premium aesthetic that’ll make you wish to present it off. It’s not that thick, both: at 12.2mm, it’s truly thinner than Google’s Pixel Watch (12.3mm). 

Because of this, the Professional 5 is flexible sufficient for use for each understanding and extra formal occasions, though the latter will most likely require a change of band. The pre-applied silicone one could be swapped out for any 24mm strap, though Mobvoi doesn’t promote any on its web site. 

The watch can also be solely out there with a 48mm case, so I don’t advocate it to folks with smaller wrists. A smaller choice could be good, in addition to options to the ‘Obsidian’ end – it’s your solely color choice. 

Nevertheless, none of those ought to be dealbreakers for most individuals. It’s straightforward to disregard these small compromises when sturdiness is so good. 

A mix of aluminium, nylon and glass doesn’t sound outstanding, nevertheless it means the machine meets MIL-STD-810H requirements. This certification proves that it may well stand up to something the US navy could encounter, together with a spread of utmost environments. 

In fact, my couple of weeks of testing hasn’t come near replicating these, however I’m impressed with the way it held up. There have been no indicators of wear and tear and tear in any way, and I’d be assured in it surviving nearly all bumps and drops. A barely raised bezel ensures the display stays protected. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Including to the sturdiness is 5ATM water resistance, that means you possibly can hold it on within the bathe or whereas monitoring swimming. It may well deal with as much as 50 metres of water for 10 minutes at a time. 

Regardless of many of the case being made from metallic, the Professional 5 additionally stays comparatively light-weight. Whereas the 44.3g determine solely applies to the case, a silicon strap provides little or no to the overall. 

Two bodily controls are positioned on the suitable aspect, though each have been seen on smartwatches earlier than. The rotating crown is a helpful various to scrolling on the display, whereas the button above it offers one-click entry to latest apps. 

Show & audio

• 1.43in OLED show
• Wonderful in all situations
• First rate speaker and microphone

Regardless of its dimension, the show could make an enormous distinction to the smartwatch expertise, and 1.43in one on the TicWatch Professional 5 is an actual asset. It’s not an exaggeration to say this among the finest screens you’ll discover on any wearable. 

A 466×466 decision is first rate, nevertheless it’s OLED that takes issues to the following degree. It combines wonderful element with vibrant colors and deep blacks, with the darkish hues of WearOS taking full benefit of the latter. I actually can’t fault it.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Mobvoi doesn’t quote a most brightness determine, however the display stays clearly seen in all of the environments I used it in. That features direct daylight, the place reflections from the shiny exterior by no means turn into distracting. 

Whereas a smaller model could be good, the dimensions of the display additionally makes it very straightforward to navigate. The responsive touchscreen permits me to be exact with swipes and faucets, resulting in only a few unintended presses.  

Choosing a flat slightly than curved show actually makes this simpler. I personally want this, with the sting of the display very clearly outlined. 

Audio isn’t practically as vital, with the loudspeaker on the Professional 5 solely actually helpful for calls. Voices come by means of loud and clear although, so I can’t have any complaints. The only mic is strong too, that means you possibly can simply have an extended dialog with somebody utilizing simply your watch. 

I’m additionally impressed with the accuracy of its textual content dictation, that means you should use your voice slightly than typing on the tiny on-screen keyboard. 

Software program & options

• WearOS 3.5
• Irritating companion app
• A number of options, however not all work easily

Out of the field, the TicWatch Professional 5 runs Put on OS 3.5. That’s nonetheless the most recent model of Google’s software program on the time of writing, nevertheless it’ll quickly get replaced by Put on OS 4. Mobvoi isn’t identified for being one of many early adopters of latest variations, and it’s not clear when the replace shall be out there. 

However even in its present type, the Professional 5’s software program is slick and intuitive. Google has had a couple of years to refine and tweak the Put on OS expertise, and it now feels very polished. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Even should you’ve by no means used it earlier than, Put on OS is straightforward to get used to. Swiping down for fast settings and up for notifications feels very pure, as does shifting left and proper between abstract screens. An alphabetical listing of put in apps is straightforward to navigate, and you’ll obtain extra on to the watch through the Google Play Retailer. 

Nevertheless, Mobvoi has additionally pre-installed a couple of of its personal. In complete, there are 10 further ‘Tic’ instruments, together with these for beginning an train, measuring important indicators and doing respiration workouts. 

You could be conscious that Google has its personal ‘Match’ branded variations of those, a lot of that are higher optimised for the small display. When you select to obtain the Google Match app, there are a number of situations the place you might have two apps which do the identical factor. Issues can shortly get cluttered, and there’s no option to take away the Mobvoi variations. 

To arrange the machine, you’ll want to attach it to the Mobvoi Well being companion app in your cellphone. This can be a comparatively easy course of, together with making a Mobvoi account, connecting through Bluetooth and accepting permissions. 

However the expertise after that would do with work. There’s a ton of performance within the Well being app, nevertheless it’s hidden behind a cluttered design and complicated menus. It’s additionally very tough to see key data at a look. 

The best factor to regulate right here is the watch face, each by way of design and the issues which might be displayed. It’s additionally value diving into Settings to decide on which of your cellphone’s apps can ship notifications to your wrist. 

Except for these, it’s simpler to entry the Professional 5’s major options through the watch itself. Alongside the standard well being and health ones, you’ll discover choices for making and receiving calls and texts, taking notes, listening to music and turning the face right into a torch. All are genuinely helpful and work properly. 

Navigation utilizing Google Maps is a superb function, nevertheless it’s not fairly as seamless. Being reliant on the web connection out of your cellphone means you’ll want to remain linked through Bluetooth always. Flip-by-turn instructions might additionally do with work, with a really refined vibration typically not sufficient to get my consideration. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Constructed-in NFC means funds utilizing Google Pay are far more profitable. However you’ll must lock the Professional 5 utilizing a PIN or password to make use of it, which could be fiddly to enter and negates the additional comfort. 

There’s additionally no digital assistant assist, a function you’ll discover on most premium smartwatches.

Health & monitoring

• Help for over 100 exercise sorts
• Spectacular knowledge, however just for some workouts
• Strong sleep monitoring

The TicWatch Professional 5 has three built-in sensors which might be instantly associated to your well being: coronary heart charge, blood oxygen and pores and skin temperature. Solely coronary heart charge could be monitored constantly all through the day. 

However alongside an accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer and GPS, they allow a powerful vary of monitoring options.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

For most individuals, the primary one shall be health. Over 100 totally different exercises are supported by the TicExercise app, with strolling, working and biking all particularly highlighted. I don’t have a motorbike, however was in a position to strive the opposite two.  

Beginning a exercise from the watch is straightforward, though you typically want to attend a couple of seconds for the GPS to register your location. You possibly can set a purpose (time, distance, energy or steps), nevertheless it’s not vital.

A number of knowledge is offered throughout your exercise, however you’ll must swipe as much as discover it. Mobvoi has rightly targeted on the primary particulars on the abstract display: period, pace and distance lined. Your present coronary heart charge can also be displayed, alongside which zone that corresponds to. 

After a couple of seconds of inactivity (in any state of affairs), it’ll shift to the ultra-low-power (ULP) show, a monochrome LCD display which solely shows the necessities. Nevertheless, the color of the panel as you increase your wrist will correspond to the center charge zone you’re in, which is a pleasant contact. 

Ending a exercise requires you to bodily activate the machine, then swipe proper and hit cease. It’s a bit fiddly, however I’d a lot want this to a watch which might by accident finish the exercise. 

Even for one thing so simple as a stroll or run, there’s a powerful quantity of data within the Mobvoi Well being app. You get an outline of your tempo, steps, time taken for every kilometre and modifications in elevation. A map exhibiting the place you’ve been is a pleasant contact, whereas Mobvoi even offers an estimate of restoration time. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Sadly, the knowledge relating to my two-hour tennis session was far more restricted. Period, energy burned and coronary heart charge knowledge is all you get, and isn’t very informative. It seems to be an identical story for lots of the much less well-liked workouts, with very fundamental knowledge. The scores of exercise sorts serve extra to make observe of the kind of train you probably did slightly than present any attention-grabbing knowledge insights.

Fortuitously, much more thought has gone into sleep monitoring, which is trigged mechanically when in mattress. It offers an outline of how lengthy you spend in every sleep stage, plus how your coronary heart charge and blood oxygen ranges modified all through the night time.  

You additionally get a sleep high quality share rating, plus some suggestions on the way to enhance. It thought the primary couple of hours had been a nap, slightly than simply waking up within the night time, however this didn’t appear to have an effect on the general knowledge. It appears to be like to be pretty correct. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Specs & efficiency

• Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chip
• Nice efficiency
• No LTE mannequin

The TicWatch Professional 5 is powered by the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1, Qualcomm’s strongest chip for wearables, plus 2GB of RAM.

Because of this, efficiency is about pretty much as good as you’ll get from any smartwatch. The Professional 5 is quick and responsive, whereas scrolling and shifting between screens stays fluid and responsive. There are some occasional hesitations whereas opening some apps, however not sufficient to ever trigger a problem.  

Crucially, this is applicable to each the touchscreen and two bodily buttons. The refined haptic suggestions whereas utilizing the digital crown is a selected spotlight. 

Constructed-in Wi-Fi permits the Professional 5 to be self-sufficient in some conditions, however all too typically you’ll have to be linked to your cellphone through Bluetooth 5.2. There’s additionally no LTE mannequin, which severely limits its usability whereas out and about. In fact, you possibly can hotspot out of your cellphone, nevertheless it’s nowhere close to as seamless. 

Battery life & charging

• 628mAh battery
• True multi-day battery life
• Spectacular charging speeds

Inside the TicWatch Professional 5, you’ll discover a 628mAh battery. That’s one of many largest you’ll discover in any smartwatch, and greater than even Apple’s rugged Watch Extremely (542mAh).  

So, you possibly can see why I had excessive hopes for battery life. Did Mobvoi ship? Sure, and emphatically so. 

The corporate claims as much as 80 hours of utilization on a single cost – properly over three full days. You need to truly be capable of get near that determine, offered you’re not utilizing GPS or monitoring exercises on a regular basis. Even should you use it for sleep monitoring, anticipate true multi-day battery life. 

Nevertheless, you won’t like how Mobvoi achieves this. By default, the Professional 5 shifts to its ultra-low-power (ULP) show after 10 seconds, providing solely fundamental data in black and white. You possibly can improve this to 30 seconds or change it to a real always-on show, however battery life received’t be anyplace close to pretty much as good.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

It’s additionally value noting that standby time isn’t nice. After initially setting it up, I left the Professional 5 on a desk for a couple of days, with round half its battery left. By the point I began testing it, the machine had run out of cost. When you solely use a smartwatch sometimes, it’s value being conscious of. 

By default, the watch shifts to ‘Important mode’ whenever you hit 5%. This limits you to the ULP show till you plug it in, maximising what you might have left. You too can set Important mode to mechanically allow whereas sleeping or off your wrist for greater than half-hour. 

While you do ultimately get spherical to charging, it’ll be utilizing the proprietary cable within the field. Sturdy magnets safe it to the watch, however you’ll want one thing to plug the USB-A into on the different finish.  

Charging speeds are superb: I went from 32% to 92% in half-hour. That’s spectacular.

Worth & availability

The TicWatch Professional 5 is a premium smartwatch, and its worth actually displays that.

For a 48mm case and silicone strap, the one model out there, you’ll pay $349.99/£329.99. You should purchase one direct from Mobvoi (US/UK) and at Amazon (US/UK)

Amongst rugged smartwatches, the Apple Watch Extremely ($799/£849) is extra succesful but in addition far more costly. The Watch Sequence 8 (from $399/£419) is a extra real looking choice, however neither work properly with Android gadgets. 

Due to this fact, your finest options are the similarly-priced Google Pixel Watch (from $349/£339) and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Professional (from $449/£429), which additionally makes sturdiness a high precedence. There are different nice smartwatches, however the Professional 5 can maintain its personal.

Verdict

The TicWatch Professional 5 is Mobvoi’s finest smartwatch but, making a compelling case for anybody with an Android cellphone.  

That begins with the design, which meets navy requirements for sturdiness but nonetheless appears to be like trendy and classy. Its OLED show is arguably much more spectacular, serving to content material to come back alive regardless of the dimensions of the display. 

Battery life, a weak spot of 2022’s TicWatch Professional 3 Extremely, now turns into a significant energy, whereas Google’s Put on OS software program is optimised for each contact and use with the bodily button and rotating crown. 

Nevertheless, Mobvoi’s companion app is cluttered and complicated, and there’s no digital assistant assist. A scarcity of LTE choice additionally means it’s very reliant in your cellphone when out and about. 

However should you’re in search of a substitute for smartwatches from cellphone corporations, the TicWatch Professional 5 is properly value contemplating.  

Specs

• WearOS 3.5 (requires Android 8 or newer) 
• 1.43in, 466×460 AMOLED show, 326ppi 
• Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 + Gen 1 
• 2GB RAM 
• 32GB storage 
• 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 
• Bluetooth 5.2 
• GPS 
• NFC (funds through Google Pay) 
• Mic 
• Speaker 
• Coronary heart charge sensor 
• Blood oxygen sensor 
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, pores and skin temperature sensor, off-body sensor, barometer, compass 
• 100 train modes 
• 628mAh battery 
• Waterproof to 5ATM / 50m 
• MIL-STD-810H 
• Aluminium, nylon and fibreglass case  
• Corning Gorilla cowl glass 
• Rotating crown 
• Facet button 
• 44.3g (physique solely) 
• Obsidian end (physique)