TicWatch Pro 5 VS Apple Watch Series 8 smartwatch: features, differences and price

Samsung got the Apple Watch to have rivals to reckon with after launching its Galaxy Watch4, the first “smart” watches from the South Korean company to reuse Google’s operating system for this type of device, Wear OS.

This movement, born of a direct collaboration with Google, was a declaration of intent: Wear OS was still alive and they were going to get organized with new features (Wear OS 4’s next big update is coming soon.) Since then, other models with this system and apps as interesting as WhatsApp have gone on sale.

Apart from the Galaxy Watch or the Google Pixel Watch, some of the most popular proposals with Wear OS come from Mobvoi with its TicWatch watches. The company has announced the TicWatch Pro 5, its new flagship, which incorporates a powerful processor and numerous health and sports related functions. Is it a good alternative to the Apple Watch Series 8? We put them face to face to know their characteristics, their differences and their prices.

Features TicWatch Pro 5 and Apple Watch Series 8

• Filter: Apple Watch Series 8 is available in two sizes, the 41mm version having a 1.69-inch OLED LTPO panel and the 45mm version having a 1.9-inch panel. They reach a maximum brightness of one thousand nits and have the AOD function. The TicWatch Pro 5 mounts a dual screen. The most important is the 1.43-inch AMOLED, and the secondary is low power, when you want to use basic functions like checking the time and health metrics. This saves power and your battery lasts longer.
• Chip: The TicWatch Pro 5 integrates the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1, which includes improved battery life, performance and connectivity. This processor is intended for use in the latest “smart” watches. The Apple Watch Series 8 relies on the dual-core S8 chip, one of the best on the market and which offers extraordinary performance to the Series 8.
• RAM and storage: watchOS and Wear OS manage RAM differently. 1GB on the Apple Watch Series 8 is more than enough for a smooth experience. In smartwatches with the Google operating system there are different configurations, but Mobvoi decided to use 2 GB of RAM in the TicWatch Pro 5 so there are no performance issues. Both watches mount 32GB of storage, which is a milestone in Wear OS watches.
• connectivity: both proposals have WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and NFC. There is a higher 8-series model with LTE/4G cellular connectivitybeing non-existent in the TicWatch Pro 5.
• Sensors: the two “smart” watches offer similar health measures (without going into which is the most precise), but the Apple Watch integrates ECG for electrocardiograms, a function that can be very useful for some users.
• Battery: Apple assures that the Apple Watch Series 8 has an autonomy of approximately 18 hours with a mixed use of sport and daily physical activity. The TicWatch 5 Pro, depending on the brand, can contain up to 80 hours.
• Operating system: Apple Watch Series 8 comes with watchOS 9 and the TicWatch Pro 5 comes with Wear OS 3. Both operating systems are developed for this type of device and have useful applications for “smart” watches.
• Price: the TicWatch Pro 5 is available for 359.99 dollars. The Apple Watch Series 8 starts at 499 dollars (GPS, 41 mm).

Apple Watch Series 8 VS TicWatch Pro 5, which “smart” watch to buy?

The Apple Watch Series 8 is one of the best “smart” watches on the market, but it has a “problem”: can only be used if you have an iPhone. Users who do not have an Apple smartphone cannot use it because it is in no way possible to pair it, so it is excluded for anyone with an Android terminal.

However, the TicWatch Pro 5 yes it offers iPhone compatibility, but not all of its functions are available by associating it with the bitten Apple phone. For example, the quick reply, reserved for Android phones, is lost. If for some reason you don’t like the Apple Watch, maybe because of its design or some other reason, you’ll find at least one alternative in the TicWatch Pro 5, although it doesn’t even offer not remotely the same level of integration as the Cupertino watch. with its ecosystem.

Round or square screen?

The design is one of the main differences between the two watches, since Apple’s is square and Mobvoi’s is round. This one gives the screens these shapes. It is believed that square panels display information better by not having to cut it out, but round panels offer a more classic and conventional design that makes watches look more understated, which some users are looking for.

While the Apple Watch Series 8 screen is spectacular and has a very good level of brightness, the TicWatch Pro 5 has two: an AMOLED when you want to use the “intelligent” functions, and another with low consumption, transflective, in which you can consult data such as the time and health measurements without negatively impacting the battery of the watch (since it is another point that we will deal with later and which is important).

¿Wear OS or watchOS?

Wear OS has long been in limbo, but Google put the batteries with the news, and manufacturers have again bet on “smart” watches with this operating system. The TicWatch Pro 5 is one of the best Wear OS smartwatches in terms of performance, features, and battery life. Moreover, it is not tied to any smartphone brand to unlock all features.

The level of customization in Wear OS is much higher than in watchOS, and it is possible to find applications that Apple would not allow in its app store. But, in general, both systems offer similar possibilities, although with updates and improvements from Apple are more common, as is support for Apple Watch. They hold up better over time.

sensors. Is the ECG necessary?

We are used to the fact that the most popular “smart” watches have similar functions: heart rate measurement, sleep monitoring, counting calories lost during the day, blood oxygen… but there are some, such as the ECG to perform electrocardiogramswhich is available on a limited number of devices, and the Apple Watch Series 8 has it, while the TicWatch Pro 5 lacks it.

Is it strictly necessary? No, although with nuances. Although it should not be used for medical purposes, many people have found that they suffered from certain pathologies thanks to it, because the measurements suggested that something was wrong. It’s a nice addition, and for some users it may be essential if they have certain ailments.

Regarding the other sensors, the Apple Watch has a reputation for having very good. Especially the heart rate, which is quite accurate even when exercising. Those used in TicWatch watches in the past have not stood out for their accuracy when playing sports.

Autonomy, recharge it every day?

“Smart” watches that have operating systems where you can respond to messages using the keypad or install apps have very limited battery life. Rare is the smartwatch that lasts a little more than a day and a half without going through the socket. Samsung managed to overcome this barrier with its Watch5 Pro, and Apple with its Ultra, but this is not the case with the Series 8… while it is the case with the TicWatch Pro 5.

Using the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor and mounting a battery over 600 mAh This was key for the TicWatch 5 Pro to reach 80 hours of battery life. This of course depends on the use made, because the more the GPS is active or the screen is on, the faster the battery will drain. And also to mention that the low-power screen plays another fundamental role in this feat.

The Apple Watch Series 8, according to Apple, is about 18 hours with normal use everyday life and sports. That translates to about a day and a half, which isn’t much, and it will be less if used for a lot of location-based races. This is undoubtedly one of the weak points of this Apple watch.

And the price

The TicWatch Pro 5, without being a very cheap “smart” watch either, is available for 359.99 dollars, which puts it on a par with other proposals from Samsung or Huawei. The Apple Watch Series 8 in its 41 mm version with GPS, which is the one with the lowest price, starts at 499 dollars.

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