Mobvoi has more competition in Wear OS this year, but it’s not changing its approach just yet. Incremental changes are the name of the game with the launch of the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS, though the continued lack of Wear OS 3.0 is a notable pain point. While Mobvoi’s newest smartwatch is expected to receive an update to Wear OS 3.0 sometime in 2022, this certainly puts Mobvoi at a disadvantage compared to Samsung and its Galaxy Watch 4. Still, Mobvoi is a known name in the Wear arena for a reason, and that reason is that it continually releases capable smartwatches year after year at satisfactory price points.
So, while the software experience on the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is somewhat lacking compared to Samsung’s offerings, Mobvoi has filled the gaps quite competently with its range of tracking software, which means the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is the closest you’re going to get to a Galaxy Watch 4 competitor in 2021, and that’s not a bad thing.
The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS offers an updated casing now made out of stainless steel and nylon (strengthened with glass fiber), a minimum of two days battery life that can easily stretch into a week with the included monochrome LCD screen.
- Brand: TicWatch
- Operating System: Wear OS 2.33
- Onboard GPS: GPS+Beidou+Glonass+Galileo+QZSS
- Customizable Strap: Yes
- Lens Material: Corning Gorilla Anti-Fingerprint Cover Glass
- Case Material: Stainless steel and high-strength nylon with glass fiber
- Water Rating : IP68, Pool Swim/MIL-STD-810G
- Display: 1.4“ 454*454 326ppi Full Color Always On Display AMOLED + FSTN
- CPU: Snapdragon Wear 4100+ Dual System Platform
- RAM: 1GB
- Storage: 8GB
- Battery: 577mAh
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi:802.11b/g/n
- Health sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro Sensor, HD PPG Heart Rate Sensor, SpO2 Sensor, Low Latency Off-Body Sensor, Barometer, Compass
- Strap: Fluoro Rubber (interchangeable), 22mm
- Dimensions: 47 x 48 x 12.3 mm
- Weight: 41 grams
- Audio: Built-in speaker and microphone
- Price: $299
- Solid performance thanks to the 4100+ Dual System Platform
- Interesting and useful dual display to conserve battery in a pinch
- All the sensors anyone will ever need
- No Wear OS 3.0 update until 2022
- Bulky, may not appeal to those with small wrists
- Haptics can feel weak
Design, hardware, what’s in the box
Much like the TicWatch E3, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is an absolute unit. It’s 12.3mm thick, clocking in at 41 grams. But despite the chunky housing needed to fit the sizeable 1.4-inch OLED screen and 577mAh battery, it’s a surprisingly comfortable smartwatch (unlike the E3). It comes with a 22mm black Fluoro Rubber band that feels great as it slides smoothly against your arm. The overall design looks fine; though there’s no confusing this smartwatch with a fancier jewelry watch—it looks more like a beefed-up Timex.
The stainless steel housing offers a dark grey tone similar to the color of the new glass-reinforced nylon rear housing (the back on last year’s TicWatch Pro 3 was plastic). The face is encircled by what looks like a rotatable knurled ring with 5-minute increments etched in it, but it doesn’t move. This outer edge is raised slightly, so you can set your smartwatch face down without having to worry about scratching the glass. There is a bit of black bezel around the OLED screen, but it’s nowhere near as pronounced as it is on the TicWatch E3. So if you hate bezels, the outer knurled ring helps to disguise the dead space of the black bezel a bit.
A very unique characteristic of the TicWatch Pro line is that it actually comes with two screens. There’s an FSTN monochrome LCD that sits underneath the color OLED screen, which can be used to conserve battery when your watch enters ambient mode. You can also toggle the Ticwatch’s optional low-power mode that utilizes the monochrome screen at all times, which is handy when you’re low on battery but still need a functional watch. Visibility for both screens is perfectly acceptable outdoors.
On the right edge of the watch, you’ll find two hardware buttons. These buttons have a knurled surface and are easily pressed. The top button brings you to the Wear OS app drawer, and the bottom button quickly brings you to a screen that houses all of Mobvoi’s exercise tracking software. You’ll also find a couple of speaker slots on the left edge, with a mic hole on the right. The rear casing houses the proprietary charging port and sensor slots.
Inside of the watch is a Snapdragon Wear 4100+ Dual System Platform chip, designed to offer increased battery life and faster app loading. Performance is indeed snappy while navigating the UI, though I can’t say there is a perceptible difference between the standard 4100 found in the E3 and the new 4100+ in the Pro 3 Ultra GPS, at least as far as performance goes. Assuredly the included 1GB of RAM helps to keep things moving.
As far as storage goes, you get 8GB, but not the whole 8GB. Oh no, the OS and Mobvoi’s suite of tracking apps takes up some of this room. As it stands, I have 4.15GB left after installing a few apps and faces, so don’t count on being able to use all 8GB.
Inside the box you get the watch,a single rubber watch strap, a proprietary charging cable, and a safety information booklet. That’s it.
Software, performance, and battery
The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS comes with Wear OS 2.33, and despite the dated software, performance is excellent. Navigation hardly ever feels delayed or slow. Apps open quickly, though waking the watch sometimes feels delayed by a second or two, not that this is out of the ordinary for Wear devices.
The app drawer offers two rows of apps, making it easy to select what you want without scrolling forever. The drawer is filled with many TicWatch apps, like TicExercise, TicSleep, TicHealth, TicPulse, TicOxygen, TicZen, TicBreathe, TicHearing, and TicCare. Whether you want to track your sleep or a quick run, this watch comes packed with the ability to record your comings and goings with ease.
As for the typical functionality one would expect of a Wear OS smartwatch, on-device notifications work a treat. Google Pay is actually functional, though a pin is needed for each purchase, which cuts down on ease-of-use. Assistant is sadly another story, but since it has issues across all Wear devices, you almost can’t blame Mobvoi. Maybe one day Google will get around to ensuring Assistant works on Wear, but today is not that day.
Thanks to the included speaker and mic, you can take calls or listen to music straight from the watch. GPS tracking is also built in, which allows you to track your exercise without the need for your phone, cutting down on how much you have to bring with you to the gym.
Battery life is also excellent, so if you need something that will last two to three days on a charge while collecting continuous health metrics, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is plenty capable. You can even stretch the battery to a week if you forgo tracking and the color screen, ensuring you can use the watch however you need to.
Should you buy it?
Maybe. Everyone but Samsung is in a precarious position without access to Wear OS 3.0. This includes the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS. While an update to 3.0 is expected to roll out to the device sometime next year, actual dates are unavailable, which means we all could be waiting a year for this hardware to receive the latest software. This makes purchasing a new Wear OS smartwatch from Mobvoi, Fossil, or anyone else who isn’t Samsung a tough sell.
Thankfully Mobvoi has done a swell job filling the gaps with its built-in tracking options, and with the included Snapdragon Wear 4100+ Dual System Platform paired with 1GB of RAM, performance is great. Battery life is another big one, and the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS excels in this area, all thanks to its dual screens. Whether you need full tracking for several days or simply want to eke out an entire week with a monochrome screen and no tracking, both options, as well as plenty of in-betweens, are available on this device.
Keep in mind, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is a large watch, bordering on bulky but still comfortable to wear. The lack of Wear OS 3.0 is a sticking point, but Mobvoi does what it can to provide custom functionality. This is why I’ll continue to use the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS. It’s a high-end device that’s highly versatile, whether you’re a sports nut who wants to track their heart at all times, or you simply want to track your steps and sleep. You can do it all, and without ever worrying about battery life. The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is a solid choice at $299, even if you’ve been eyeballing a Galaxy Watch 4.
Buy it if…
- You require the latest and greatest hardware currently available
- Long battery life is of the utmost importance
- Future proofing is a concern
Don’t buy it if…
- You can’t stand large smartwatches
- You’re impatient and want the latest software right now
We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! AndroidPolice has affiliate
and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This
won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.
About The Author
