The Mobvoi TicWatch E3 launches at an awkward time as the second Snapdragon Wear 4100 smartwatch

What you need to know

• Mobvoi launches its new TicWatch E3 with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chipset.
• The new Wear OS watch offers many of the features found in its higher-end predecessor but at a cheaper price point.
• The Mobvoi TicWatch E3 is available today for $200.

Two years after Mobvoi launched the TicWatch E2, the company has announced the new Mobvoi TicWatch E3, which comes equipped with the latest Wear OS software and Qualcomm processor.

The new Mobvoi TicWatch E3 brings many improvements over its predecessor, including a more streamlined design that's akin to the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. The display is slightly smaller at 1.3-inches and has a slightly lower resolution at 360x360, but the reduced size should make it an easier fit for more people. However, the real story is what's underneath the hood.

Mobvoi has equipped the TicWatch E3 with the newer Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100, marking a huge jump from the Snapdragon Wear 2100 on the E2. This also makes it the second smartwatch to include the latest Qualcomm chip after the flagship Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3 GPS launched last year. The E2 ran relatively smooth despite missing out on the Wear 3100, but the newer chip should prove quite impressive, promising 85% better performance while using 25% less power.

As for power, Mobvoi decided to reduce the battery capacity down from 415mAh to just 380mAh, but the company promises the same two-day battery life as its predecessor thanks to the new chip, the latest version of Wear OS, and the help of useful features like Essential Mode. And the 1GB of RAM should also help keep things running smoothly, along with 8GB of internal storage.

The TicWatch E3 is equipped with many of the features expected in a Mobvoi smartwatch, including a suite of health and fitness apps like TicHealth and TicExercise. Users can enable Vo2Max tracking and 24-hour SpO2 monitoring with TicOxygen, and TicMotion will automatically detect certain activity. The TicWatch E3 is also ready to join you at the pool this summer thanks to IP68 water and dust resistance, and there's also built-in GPS and NFC for Google Pay, making it easier to keep your phone at home or in your pocket.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that even with the newer chipset, no one is sure if the current Wear OS smartwatches will be eligible for the new Wear OS update that's expected to launch later this year. Fossil has already stated that its current watches won't be updated, but Mobvoi has yet to confirm anything. Still, the new TicWatch E3 is a more-than-capable device and is easily one of the best Wear OS watches on the market after the TicWatch Pro 3 GPS.

The new Mobvoi TicWatch E3 retails for $200 and is available today through Mobvoi and Amazon. The watch is sold with two additional color straps, so you can easily switch up your style.