Google’s Wear OS has had its fair share of successes and failures, but the platform has continued to evolve, resulting in a more mature operating system. Major players like Samsung and Google themselves have embraced Wear OS in their smartwatches, including the latest Samsung Watch 6 and the highly anticipated Google Pixel watch. Another notable smartwatch utilizing Wear OS is the TicWatch Pro 5, which I have been testing for the past few months for this in-depth review.
The TicWatch Pro 5 features a circular face and a black silicone band, giving it a sleek and modern look. The rotating crown on the right side of the watch, adorned with a red ring, adds a touch of elegance. Above the crown, there is a long button with small grooves, providing a textured surface. The watch case has a raised bezel with a textured finish, leading to beveled edges with a shiny finish. The rest of the body boasts a stylish matte black design. While the overall styling may not be overly striking, it has a subtle appeal that never gets old. The included black silicone band is rather plain, but it can be easily swapped out for a different look.
In terms of durability, the TicWatch Pro 5 has proven to be resilient, with no signs of wear and tear on the case and Corning Gorilla Glass screen. The glass also features a fingerprint-resistant coating, maintaining its sleek appearance. The 1.43-inch display may not be ideal for those with delicate wrists, but it is the perfect size for medium-sized wrists like mine.
One of the standout features of the TicWatch Pro 5 is its water resistance of up to 5ATM, making it suitable for swimming. Additionally, it boasts a MIL-STD-810H durability grade, ensuring it can withstand various environmental factors such as pressure, temperature, waterproofing, humidity, and shock.
Under the hood, the TicWatch Pro 5 is powered by the latest Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1, 2GB RAM, and 32GB storage, delivering a snappy and responsive user experience. The 628mAh battery, in smart mode, can last up to 80 hours and charges up to 65% in just 30 minutes. While the proprietary magnetic charger may be a slight inconvenience, it is worth noting that extra chargers can be purchased at an affordable price. The battery life of the TicWatch Pro 5 has exceeded expectations, lasting up to four days on a single charge and sometimes even five. While this may not be class-leading in the smartwatch market, it is more than sufficient for a long weekend getaway without the need for a charger.
The impressive battery life can be attributed to the combination of a large battery and smart features and optimizations implemented in the operating system. One of the key features that contribute to the battery efficiency is the dual-layer display. The dual-layer screen allows for an always-on display that shows essential information, such as the time, date, heart rate, step count, and battery level. The main display is a vibrant OLED display, while the second screen is monochrome and conserves power. The backlight only turns on when you raise your wrist, ensuring that it does not unnecessarily light up a dark room. Interacting with the main display can be done through taps or button presses.
The TicWatch Pro 5 runs on Wear OS 3.5, which provides access to a range of Google features. This includes contactless payments with Google Wallet, media playback controls, Google Play Store, Google Maps navigation, and smart home control with Google Home. The full compatibility with the Play Store offers a wide selection of apps, including popular ones like Keep Notes, WhatsApp, Spotify, and Strava. Navigating the watch is intuitive, with swiping and tapping gestures, as well as the rotating crown control, which provides haptic feedback and makes scrolling through notifications and the app drawer a breeze, even with wet hands.
To access all the features of the TicWatch Pro 5, including health and activity monitoring data, watch faces, tiles, and essential settings, the Mobvoi Health app is available. The app offers a variety of pre-installed watch faces and additional options for both free and paid watch faces. The layout of the app is simple and easy to navigate, providing a wealth of information for those who want to delve deeper into their health and fitness data. Sleep tracking has been accurate, offering insights into sleep stages. The watch also displays sleep heart rate, blood oxygen levels, respiratory rate, and skin temperature deviations for each sleep session. Fitness tracking features include step counting, all-day heart rate monitoring, and the ability to manually check blood oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and stress levels with just a few taps.
Over the past few months, I have extensively used the TicWatch Pro 5 to track various activities and monitor my overall health. The watch has consistently delivered an excellent user experience, with its stylish design, impressive battery life, and comprehensive health and fitness features. While it may not be the most groundbreaking smartwatch on the market, it offers a solid and reliable option for those looking for a Wear OS device. With its competitive pricing and robust performance, the TicWatch Pro 5 is definitely worth considering for anyone in the market for a new smartwatch.