TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS Review
Summary
The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is a dependable, high-quality smartwatch with three day battery life and great speed. It has all of your basic workout needs covered by having Wear OS software installed on it as well some branded apps for health purposes which makes this device perfect if you want to save money when buying an expensive watch but still get everything that they offer!
Overall
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Battery Life
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Durability
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OS Features
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Price
Pros
- Longer Battery Life per single charge
- Good Overall Performance for a variety of uses
- Good for outdoor activities
- Great Health Tracking
- Large screen
- Full range of Google Features
Cons
- Vibration alerts are not as good as other devices
- Large watch for smaller wrists
- Sleep stages tracking had some inconsistencies
With all of the competition in technology you can wear, it is refreshing to see a company keeping Wear OS afloat. The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is an excellent example of Google assistant wristwatch wear product line that offers a ton of features, excellent screen display, and long-lasting battery life without having to spend the crazy high prices of an Apple or other major brand Product.
The new TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is probably one of the best alternatives to Apple and FitBit on the market. It offers all the same options and is designed for active use. We were thrilled to get our hands on some of these excellent watches because many of us are used to Apple products.
If you are looking for a rugged smartwatch with decent battery life and a vibrant screen display, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is a great way to go and looks great when you wear it out and about.
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS Review
The first thing you probably want to know is where the TicWatch comes from. This is a smartwatch anyone can use operating on Google’s Wear OS and made by the AI-focused company Mobvoi.
Usually, Mobvoi is known for AI to human speech interactive products and architecture. However, after working in that niche since 2012, the company wanted to expand into products users could wear and started work on items like the TicWatch, TicPods, TicMirror, and TicKasa.
The goal was to take the native AI capabilities of Wear OS and transpose it to a rugged watch anyone can wear during any kind of activity with the screen display and battery life that are market competitive. This is a Chinese-based company headquartered in Beijing with international offices in Taipei and Seattle, WA using a Google-based Wear OS platform.
Design & Features
When we unwrapped our shipment of TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS, we were not surprised to see a similar design to previous Google Wear OS watches. That is kind of a signature move from Mobvoi. They know the TicWatch has a market segment because of its dual-material rugged-like look. These are not low-profile sleek watches that are meant for active use and feature a larger screen.
You get a stainless steel case with a plastic inner dome to keep out debris, water, and dust. TicWatch did update the bezel a bit by making that thinner, but the overall weight and size are going to be larger than an Apple, FitBit, or Samsung product.
With that larger size, you also get a huge dual-layer display screen. This is a 1.4” AMOLED panel with a transparent FSTN display. In other words, it is big, it is bright, and it is durable. The fact that TicWatch went with a transparent display also helps with the battery life.
Like most other smartwatches on the market, there are plenty of accessories to mix and match when you wear your watch band. The default issue strap does look more premium than previous models, and we appreciated the option for a sewn strap.
TicWatch Specifications
You get all the sensors that you could want to measure daily activity. This includes your heart rate and a gyroscope for tracking daily step count when you wear the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS.
Everything is connected through Bluetooth to your other mobile devices, and the watch has WiFi available for updating or using the many apps available on the Google Store.
The processor is the real difference between the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS and previous versions. You will be rocking Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 4100 with a lightning-fast screen display based on Google infrastructure. That helps a lot when tracking your body biometrics and does not suck up all the battery life like previous versions.
The TicWatch does have IP68 water resistance, which means you can submerge the device in no more than 1.5m of water for about 30 minutes. So if you are swimming laps, you are probably good.
We were impressed with the battery life of the TicWatch. Many of the smartwatches you wear do not last as long as you would like them to. With the TicWatch, we were able to about 3 days of continual use. There is an “ essential mode ” that only operates the features you want that could make the battery last up to 45 days.
Specifications
Screen | 1.4in AMOLED + LCD dual display |
Case Size | 48mm |
Case Thickness | 12.2mm |
Band Size | 22mm |
Weight | 41.9g |
Battery | Smart Mode up to 72 hours, Essential Mode up to 45 days |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 |
RAM | 1GB of RAM |
Storage | 8GB |
Operating System | Wear OS |
Water Resistance | IP68 |
Sensors | Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Heart Rate, SpO2, Microphone, Speaker NFC, GPS |
Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi |
TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS Wear OS
Here is the part of our TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS review where we had the most fun. This is a Google-run watch operating on Wear OS. That means you get all of the native Google apps adapted to work on the TicWatch display and screen size.
This is a great little watch for keeping up with DMs, messages, Gmail, phone calls, and pretty much anything else you could want communication-wise from a watch.
As for fitness tracking, the TicWatch is first class. You can opt to go with the included Google Fit app from Wear OS, or use the native TicWatch suite of health and fitness apps like TicBreath, TicExcersise, and so on that provide you with fitness stats to monitor your progress.
The advanced watch tracks all your motion, stress levels heart rate, blood oxygen level and will send you alerts if it detects anything abnormal. There is also an ECG sensor for monitoring arrhythmia, which a few testers in the office appreciated. Once you have had a heart scare, actively monitoring heart health is a big deal.
If you are hoping to connect your TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS to your mobile, you will need a phone with Google Play Services enabled. Of course, you can use it with iPhones, but there be some extra steps to take full advantage of all the wear and watch features.
As for apps, you get access to pretty much anything you could want on the Google Play store. In addition, the screen is more than big enough to handle things like Spotify or Google Maps. It may take a few minutes for larger-handed users, but you will get it in the end.
You can also take advantage of Wear OS gestures. Using shortcuts and prearranged task support, you can create specific gestures for doing everything you want, like starting your music or stopping a timer during a run.
We had a few of our testers trying to make Harry Potter wand motions with their TicWatches, and we are happy to announce, yes, that does work.
Be sure to pick up communication apps like Glide, Telegram, and Messenger. TicWatch has a decent microphone and video feature that makes it easy to stay in touch with long-distance relationships.
Our favorite TicWatch Wear OS app was Facer Picker. This is a custom watch face design studio that could transform the appearance of your watch into pretty much anything you can imagine. We had a blast for a week or so, picking out watch faces from the 1980s list of popular movies like Ghostbusters and Dirty Dancing.
TicWatch Pros and Cons
- Longer Battery Life per single charge
- Good Overall Performance for a variety of uses
- Good for outdoor activities
- Great Health Tracking
- Large screen compared to other watches in the same price category
- Integrated Google Pay
- Full range of Google Features
- Vibration Alerts are not as good as other wearable devices
- Large watch for smaller wrists
- Sleep stages tracking had some inconsistencies
Is the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS Worth It?
We found the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS for around $269-$299 on their retail store and Amazon. For comparison, the latest model of the Apple Watch series starts at around $399 and only gets more expensive depending on the strap designs and added features you go for.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch was about the same price point, and FitBit is about $129, but does not include all the added app features or communication options.
Yes, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is definitely worth the price for our money. You are getting many excellent features and a rugged design form factor that allows you to wear the watch anywhere you want to go.
The long battery life is very good, and the screen and display are more than bright enough to handle everyday use.
Wrapping It Up
At the end of the day, you have a watch that is friendly to Android phones and offers a host of options for communication and fitness tracking. It may be a bit big for some people’s wrists, but it gets the job done with health monitoring features that just cannot be beat in this price range. Even if you do not need one for yourself, it’s a great gift idea.
If you’re in the market for a smart watch, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is a good option to check out. With the variety of included features and clean look, it is a solid wear device that will give you many years of service.
If you’re interested in the TicWatch, click the button below.
Click to Buy the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS
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