ZDNET Key Points
- The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro Watch Available in Obsidian Black for $349.99.
- This Google Wear OS smartwatch features long battery life, dual-screen technology, and a sapphire glass display.
- The watch currently runs Wear OS 3.5 and is available in a larger size.
Over the past few years, I’ve switched between several different Google Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch models. to pair with my androidbecause in my opinion, Google’s Wear OS is the best wearable experience. A feature that I really appreciate in a smart watch is a long lasting battery and one of the best in its category. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro Watch.
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I’ve been running, rowing, cycling, and sleeping with the new TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro smartwatch over the past few weeks, and its massive battery life has solved my biggest problem with Wear OS smartwatches.
The phone’s large 628mAh battery uses a unique dual-screen design for low-power standby. That equates to an advertised 90 hours of battery life — nearly four days — in Smart mode and up to 45 days in Essential mode. Even better, a 30-minute quick charge can get you two days of battery life.
When running outdoors, I used outdoor mode with GPS tracking turned on, and my battery life calculations showed that the Pro 5 Enduro could provide up to 15 hours of GPS tracking. I typically run a few times a week (30-45 minutes at a time) and row on the Hydrow a few times while wearing the watch for 24/7 activity and sleep tracking. With this type of use, I charged the watch once a week, so four days and 90 hours of typical use seems about right.
For comparison, Google Pixel Watch 2 died on me on the second day, while Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro The TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro is the clear winner in terms of battery life, and if long battery life is your primary need, I couldn’t recommend this $349.99 watch more.
The Snapdragon W5 Plus Gen 1 wearable platform contributes to the impressive battery life and will support an upgrade to Wear OS 4 in the future, although it currently runs on Wear OS 3.5. This is something to keep in mind, as Mobvoi unfortunately has a poor track record of timely updates. Since Wear OS is set to launch in the fall of 2023, this new model should have launched with Wear OS 4 out of the box.
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Beyond battery life, the dual-screen technology with its customizable and interactive ultra-low-power display options is incredibly useful. You can choose from 18 background colors to highlight the always-on display, and that display on the top layer of the watch shows you key metrics like steps taken, heart rate, battery life, time, and date. Turning the large crown will show you your overall heart rate, blood oxygen level, and compass direction in this dual-screen mode.
During your workout, this ultra-low power display will light up in six colors that reflect your current heart rate zone. This is super useful for checking which zone you’re in at a glance, without having to focus on tiny numbers mid-workout. The mode also integrates with third parties like Strava and Nike Run Club, which will display data like heart rate, speed, and elevation on the ultra-low power display.
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The TicExercise app offers over 100 workout types with a variety of metrics like recovery time, GPS tracking, speed, and VO2 Max. Unfortunately, you can’t customize the data screens for different workouts. This might be fine for casual athletes, but I’d like to see some basic customization to prioritize the most important data. Thankfully, since this is a Wear OS watch, you can download third-party services like Strava to optimize your experience.
After your workout is complete, the TicHealth app provides a full breakdown of your performance and health metrics, such as daily and weekly goals, sleep details, heart rate history, and more. TicHealth is one of the major updates to the watch compared to the TicWatch Pro 5 model that launched in late 2023.
Other improvements found on the Enduro model over the Pro 5 are a redesigned dial, the use of sapphire glass on the display instead of Gorilla Glass, a larger and clearer user interface screen, and the ability to add third-party integration with the ultra-low power display.
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Additionally, the TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro has over 7,000 watch faces available, and if you use the TimeShow app, the watch face can be changed daily. The large 1.43-inch display supports all Wear OS apps, including Google Maps, Messages, Wallet, Keep Notes, and more. Phone calls and messages work well through a connected phone, and the voice-to-text feature also works perfectly.
The Pro 5 Enduro Measuring 50.15 x 48 x 11.95 mm and weighing just 44.7 grams with a 7000 series aluminum and nylon glass fiber case. The sapphire crystal display is scratch-resistant and the 24 mm watch strap is comfortable with a convenient quick-release clasp. The watch is also quite durable with a 5 ATM rating and MIL-STD-810H certification.
The device’s global positioning satellite system (GNSS) is built in for accurate tracking, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2 provide easy connectivity to your phone and network. However, the watch itself lacks cellular capabilities.
ZDNET Buying Advice
If you are looking for a Google Wear OS smartwatch with long battery life, then Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro Watch is your best bet. The dual display offers some interesting use cases for ultra-low power mode, and the watch app provides comprehensive data.
It has a more traditional watch form factor than the compact and elegant Google Pixel Watch 2, which seems built for a more robust experience. Still, it’s a great-looking watch with plenty of customization options.
That depends largely on what phone you’re pairing your watch to. Keep in mind that Android smartwatches work better with Android phones (including app support). And since there are so many brands making Android watches, they come in a wider variety of styles and finishes than what Apple offers. However, if you’re most comfortable using iOS, the Apple Watch may be the best choice for you.
