Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 test: Wear OS smartwatch with long runtime

Back in 2021, manufacturer Mobvoi released the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS (our review), an excellent smartwatch with WearOS operating system. However, the manufacturer has a lot to make up for with customers, because the promised Wear OS 3 update is still pending. Instead, the manufacturer is now launching a new smartwatch (for now) that directly uses the current Google OS. Our Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 review explains what it has in store.

Inhaltsverzeichnis / Table of contents

At first glance, the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 hardly differs from its direct predecessor in the test. Once again, we are dealing with a classy, round smartwatch that scores with a chic and simple design.

However, there are some differences when we take a closer look. These are mainly found on the right side of the 48 mm case (dimensions: 50.1 mm x 48.0 mm x 12.2 mm). A rotatable and pressable crown, which we already know from the Apple Watch in a similar form, is located in the center with a red ring. Above it is a pleasantly grippy, ribbed button that is also responsible for the touchscreen's operation.

The smartwatch's casing is made of stainless steel and aluminum and is supposed to be correspondingly robust. The manufacturer advertises aerospace and surgical quality and a certification according to MIL-STD-810H military standard, so we are dealing with a really robust wearable.

You can actually feel that, because with 44.3 grams, the TicWatch is truly no lightweight, and the size might not be to everyone's liking either. However, there is absolutely nothing to criticize about the build quality, which is on an extremely high level. Positive: The glass is made of Corning Gorilla anti-fingerprint cover glass and is actually comparatively well protected against fingerprints.

Besides the obligatory speakers, the sensors and the magnetic charging port on the smartwatch's underside, which have also been taken over from the predecessor, catch the eye. The 24 mm wristband can be replaced quickly and easily.

When it comes to the display, the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 relies on two panels at once. A 1.43-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 466 x 466 pixels and 326 ppi is complemented by a power-saving ULP (ultra low power) display, as was the case with the Pro 3 Ultra.

As an always-on display, it shows information such as the date, time, battery status and more in black and white, but it gets a blue backlight when the wrist is lifted or rotated, which makes it easier to read outdoors and under direct sunlight.

The color of the backlight can be adjusted, while other tiles can be displayed by turning the crown. A clear step forward compared to the predecessor.

The normal AMOLED display scores with rich colors and convincing contrasts and looks even sharper than its predecessor thanks to the increased resolution. You can choose from various watch faces, whose widgets can be customized quite freely. Additional free or paid designs can be downloaded via an additional app.

All in all, it is a really nice, colorful and bright display. The smartwatch's operation is also convincing across the board. The touchscreen responds quickly and smoothly, while the rotating crown actually marks a relief and can show its advantages when navigating through menus, for example.

Under the hood of the TicWatch Pro 5 is Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon W5+ Gen1, which is supported by 2 GB of working memory and 32 GB of system memory. A puristic version of Google's Wear OS 3.5 is used as the operating system, which Mobvoi only spices up with a whole series of its own apps, but does not change the design.

Mobvoi does not yet offer a model with a built-in modem (at least not yet). However, calls can be made directly via the smartwatch thanks to integrated speakers and microphones. Provided you have your cell phone with you.

The combination ensures impeccable and fast performance in practice. If the predecessor still had occasional hangs or jerky animations, these are now finally a thing of the past.

Even with active sports tracking in the background, simultaneous music control and scrolling through other apps, the wearable runs smoothly. In fact, the pure system performance is on par with my Apple Watch Series 8, which already speaks volumes.

On par, moreover, are the built-in sensors, at least in their sum. Pedometer, heartbeat, blood oxygen saturation and sleep tracking are all in the mix. Runs or exercises in the fresh air can also be recorded thanks to GPS, Beidou, Glonass, Galileo and QZSS. A compass and a barometer are also available as special treats.

However, the smartwatch takes a bit longer to find the GPS signal than its counterparts from Apple or Garmin in the case of the Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar (our review).

Various workouts can also be recorded via the "Tic Exercise" app, which takes some getting used to. The watch provides information about laps, training duration, calorie consumption and much more. Unfortunately, the automatic recognition does not always work flawlessly.

In addition, I found that not all sensors record completely accurately. The pedometer, for example, counts more steps than I actually walked and the sleep tracking also reveals certain deviations compared to Apple Watch and co – even if only minimally.

It is also somewhat annoying that the complete evaluation and analysis of the data requires a free Mobvoi account. The Mobvoi Health app serves as the hub for everything that has to do with the smartwatch. Including setup and analysis. This also has to contend with a few translation errors, where the manufacturer should definitely still improve.

On the positive side, the TicWatch Pro 5 also has an NFC module and thus allows mobile payments via Google Pay. This also works flawlessly.

A clear selling point for the TicWatch Pro 5 is also the battery life, especially if you are used to an Apple Watch. The battery holds a whopping 628 mAh, which lasts up to 80 hours without additional settings. With permanently activated blood oxygen and pulse measurement, we still end up with just under 50 hours.

Charging is also pleasantly fast. 60 percent battery power can be filled up in 30 minutes, a full charging process takes about an hour. On the other hand, it is a bit unfortunate that a wireless charging option is not offered. So the magnetic connection is always mandatory.

Mobvoi's TicWatch Pro 5 presents itself as an excellent Wear OS smartwatch in the test, which hardly allows itself any notable slip-ups. Besides the high-quality and robust build and the simple, elegant design, the wearable scores especially with a convincing dual display and a long battery life.

Compared with the already convincing predecessor, the manufacturer has also eliminated the most important points of criticism. The always-on display is now easier to read in the sun, the latest Google operating system is used, and the performance of the watch does not show any flaws.

Only the account constraint and the apps with translation errors are annoying. Otherwise, there is almost nothing to complain about. So, if you are looking for an excellent smartwatch in the Android segment, the TicWatch Pro 5 will serve you very well.

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 is currently the best smartwatch with Wear OS. Design, build quality, performance and battery are impeccable, but the tracking could be a bit more accurate.

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