Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS: Which wearable works for you?

Mobvoi makes both of these watches, but they're not necessarily aimed at the same people

The TicWatch Pro 5 is Mobvoi's most versatile smartwatch with newer features and software that makes it a really intriguing choice for your wrist. Its dual-layer display takes the concept a little further, making it easier to see and save on battery life.

The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS may not be the newest kid on the block anymore, but it's no less capable, given the hardware and software involved. It's still waiting for an update to Wear OS 3, but once done, it should keep this going for longer.

Mobvoi finds itself in an interesting place in the wearables market and routinely finds itself among the best in the business. Look at the best smartwatches for Android, and you'll find at least one of the TicWatch models there. The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra already made the cut, and it's probably only a matter of time before the newer TicWatch Pro 5 also finds its way there.

They have similarities in what they can do, but they also offer significant contrasts to consider before you commit to strapping either one on your wrist. Here are some details to help you make the best choice.

The TicWatch Pro 5 is the newer model, but you'll notice the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS is available in the same places, namely Mobvoi's own site and Amazon. Otherwise, retail availability is scarce, though you won't have to deal with a scavenger hunt to find either of these watches. They also don't come in multiple variants, which explains why the TicWatch Pro 5 only comes in Obsidian while the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS only comes in Shadow Black.

That leads us to the differences that exist between them, which you can see from the specs here:

Mobvoi tends to stick to the same design principles for a while before overhauling things to sport a different look. Hence, these two watches bear enough resemblance that you can guess they came from the same manufacturer. The most noticeable difference is that the TicWatch Pro 5 is quite large by any smartwatch standard, with a 50mm body. However, you could argue it has a more refined look, partly because the digital crown has been moved to the middle, along with a lower-profile button above it. In contrast, the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra has two crowns that are actually buttons. (They may rotate on the watch but do nothing for you when you twirl the button.) So, for the first time, on the TicWatch Pro 5, Mobvoi has included a rotating crown to navigate the interface.

There are a few other material differences, like the aluminum on the Pro 5 and stainless steel on the Pro 3 Ultra. Also, the Pro 5 uses straps 2mm thicker than those on the other watch. Although a 7-gram weight difference may not be very noticeable, it's a consequence of using a heavier metal on the newer Pro 5. That, among other design points, is why the Pro 5 comes with 5ATM waterproof protection for a step up over the Pro 3 Ultra's IP68 protection.

The Pro 3 Ultra shares most of the same sensors, meaning the two watches largely track the same things, but only the Pro 5 brings in a skin temperature sensor and a compass. When you include the internal component upgrades, the newer watch simply does things faster, which you tend to appreciate over time. At that point, getting more out of the second display becomes much easier.

On paper and at first glance, it would appear both watches use the same display, but that's not entirely true. Mobvoi's dual-layer display technology places an LCD on top of the OLED panel to handle always-on information you might want to see at all times, such as the date, time, steps taken, heart rate, battery life, and notifications.

The TicWatch Pro 5 takes this a step further by adding tiles to display more health data points, like calorie burn, blood oxygen, and a compass. Part of the idea is to save battery life, but there are other reasons for it, too, such as providing helpful information in a quick view. Also, the Pro 5 watch went with the speedy Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chipset, which is a major upgrade from the previous Snapdragon 4100 processor, and it doesn't hurt that the company doubled memory to 2GB of RAM and quadrupled storage to 32GB on the TicWatch Pro 5.

This affects the software when you factor in how Wear OS fits in. The Pro 5 runs on Wear OS 3.5, so it's up-to-date, whereas the Pro 3 Ultra is stuck on Wear OS 2, despite Mobvoi's claims of an upcoming upgrade to version 3. In addition, the company has yet to explain when Google Assistant will come to the Pro 5, leaving you without a voice assistant on your wrist for now.

Both watches use the same Mobvoi mobile app to collect data and run through settings. They also share many of the same tracking abilities, including automatic exercise tracking for a select few among the 100+ activities you can choose from. Both watches offer sleep tracking and stress monitoring, with neither one really standing out as a big-time performer in this regard.

There aren't dramatic differences here because the two watches track the same health and fitness metrics. The TicWatch Pro 5 may be a tad more elaborate in how it displays the data because of the dual-layer display, but they otherwise share many of the same features and functions.

Low-power displays generally help keep other lights on for longer stretches, and that's where the TicWatch Pro 5 has an edge. Its bigger battery gives it a head start over the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra, but even if that drips because of more intense usage (especially with GPS), the Pro 5 outlasts its sibling by more than a full day. Mobvoi rates it at up to 80 hours per charge, but don't be shocked if you can eke out an extra day with milder use.

You always have ways to maximize battery life during those times when you won't be near a charger for a while. Turning off GPS is an easy option; however, if you toggle on Essential mode on either watch — to turn off the OLED and only leave the LCD on — battery life may last for weeks. Either way, both watches use a proprietary charger and don't support wireless charging, so you don't want to lose that charger.

As per usual, you consider the value of what you're buying, which naturally brings up the price. The TicWatch Pro 5 costs $349, while the TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra continues to drop. That discrepancy feels about right for what you get between these two, but when you look at them in the grander scheme relative to the rest of the market, they're both tough competitors.

A bigger push forward

Mobvoi threw everything it could at the TicWatch Pro 5, including the latest Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chipset and significant bumps in memory and storage to complement the best of Wear OS.

Mobvoi indicates that it intends to support older watches like the Pro 3 Ultra, so it's not like the Pro 5 renders it obsolete, especially considering how well it holds up against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. But absent the promised update to Wear OS 3, the gap between these two may feel wider. Given the specs and performance, the Pro 5 is set to be among the best Wear OS smartwatches available.

Still doing its thing

The TicWatch Pro 3 Ultra GPS has been a tone-setter for Mobvoi since it first launched, so it's no surprise that many of its features found their way into some of the brand's other models.

Ted has been covering the tech industry for 20 years and seen a whole lot evolve in that time. As much as he loves writing and taking photos for business or pleasure, wearables, health and fitness, mobile, headphones, automotive, and photography devices keep him busy these days. Having contributed to dozens of publications over the years, he's learned a lot about how to test devices and analyze the market. He does a lot of it from his home in Toronto, but you can find him jet-setting as an avid traveler, too.