TicWatch Pro 2020 review: Good blend of premium and utility

TicWatch Pro 2020's results using Google Assistant (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)

When you look at high-end smartwatch options there are either square-shaped sleek-looking models like the Apple Watch series or the ones which have a rugged build for fitness enthusiasts. Mobvoi Watch Pro 2020 seems to be targeting users who want a smartwatch that kills two birds with one stone. The 2020 version of the smartwatch is able to track fitness activities, is good for workouts, and at the same time offers a premium feel so that you can wear it to office, parties and probably make people ask you the question, “Which watch is this?”.

Mobvoi entered the Indian smartwatch market last year. One of the watches launched was the Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro, a premium timepiece that got its successor this year. The TicWatch Pro 2020 has some important upgrades over the previous version.

I used the Ticwatch Pro 2020 for over two weeks and I have got to tell you, this does feel different from the other smartwatches in the market. Before we delve into the experience of using this smartwatch let’s take a look at the basic information.

Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 2020 price: Rs 23,999

Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro specifications: Operating System – Wear OS by Google | Dimensions – D45mm x 12.6mm | Display – 1.39” AMOLED 400 x 400 + FSTN display | Chipset – Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear, Memory – RAM: 1GB / Storage: 4GB | GPS + GLONASS + Beidou + Galileo | Connectivity – Bluetooth: 4.2 / Wi-Fi: 802.11bgn 2.4GHz | NFC payments – Google Pay | Water and Dust Resistance – IP68 | Sensors – Accelerometer, Gyro, Magnetic Sensor, PPG Heart Rate sensor, Ambient Light Sensor, Low Latency Off-Body Sensor | 415mAH battery with dock charger

What’s good and not so good

If you want a smartwatch with minimum bezels, you may not be happy about the design of the Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro 2020. But if you want a watch with a slightly bigger dial, it may look appealing to you. It really comes down to one’s own preference. Also, the faux number dial protects the screen even if you drop the watch or your wrist hits some object. The high-quality matte black plastic used around the dial looks good and feels sturdy. The strap has leather on the outside for a premium look and rubber on the inside to make it comfortable and sweat-resistant. The watch does feel bulkier on the wrist, something we were used to before the advent of smartwatches. (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)

Like the previous version, this one also has a 1.39-inch OLED display but with a 400×400 pixel resolution. It also has a secondary LCD display which is on when you are not using any apps or not looking at the watch. Nevertheless, the display is bright enough and I was able to read emails, WhatsApp messages easily in every light condition. Even the notifications with photos looked crisp enough for a smartwatch. When you turn on the essential mode, the LCD display takes over to conserve battery which is one of the advantages of having a dual-layer display. However, in the essential mode, it does look like a pretty ordinary digital watch. Mostly, I used it without the essential mode turned on because the chronograph watch face looks really good on the TicWatch Pro. (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)

The battery life on the watch is impressive given the brightness. Mobvoi claims that it can go up to 30 days on essential mode which I did not get time to test. Using it in the smart mode, I got 40-45 hours of battery life from the smartwatch after a full charge. The magnetic charger is impressive making the charging hassle-free.

TicWatch Pro 2020 runs on Wear OS and has a Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip under the hood coupled with 1GB of RAM and 4GB of storage. The RAM has been upgraded and the watch does feel snappy. During the time I used the watch, there were clearly no lags visible. Setting up is easy. You just need to download the WearOS app on your phone and connect the watch. (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)

Mobvoi has introduced its own set of fitness apps including TicExcercise, TicPulse, and TicMotion. There is also a Hand-Wash Timer which is relevant in the Covid-19 era we live in. It has a huge number of fitness modes including walking, running, biking, strength training, aerobics, skiing, badminton, basketball, baseball, beach volleyball, biathlon, Zumba, cricket, stair climbing, and whatnot. For now, I could only test walking which produced good results. The pedometer does a good job keeping the step count almost accurate. It also has a heart rate sensor on the back of the watch which monitors the heart rate round the clock.

One feature which I really liked was the translation mode where you get accurate results if your pronunciation is right. I tried responding to messages with default replies or give voice input which will convert speech to text which produced impressive results. The connectivity distance is as advertised. I was able to take calls using the smartwatch’s speaker as well. Even though I would advise picking up the phone to answer the calls as the speaker is not loud enough.

Why you should buy TicWatch Pro 2020

If you want a watch that stands out from the existing square-shaped models and rugged designs, TicWatch Pro 2020 is a good pick. From workouts to official meetings, it is a good looking watch that will turn heads. One can easily say that it is not for buyers who are looking for value for money smartwatch but Mobvoi is clearly targeting a different segment with this watch. TicWatch Pro 2020 does not really excel in each department but can be categorised as a good all-rounder at this price point. The final decision will come down to the user’s choice as there are plenty of smartwatches available with Wear OS in the same price range or lower as the TicWatch Pro 2020.

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