Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Which smartwatch is better?
Are you okay with Zepp OS or do you need the power of Wear OS?
The Amazfit GTR 3 Pro might have been succeeded by the GTR 4, but it's still a sleek and gorgeous smartwatch. You'll just need to decide whether you're okay with missing out on the Play Store.
For
- Much more affordable
- Beautiful AMOLED display
- Up to 12-days of battery life
- 5ATM water resistance
Against
- Unable to download third-party apps
- Notifications are limited and not actionable
Wear OS 3 is finally becoming more prevalent, and Mobvoi has shown what a company can do to take on the likes of Google and Samsung. But the extra functionality comes at a steep cost compared to Amazfit's more budget-friendly solution.
For
- Multi-day battery life from a Wear OS smartwatch
- Access to the Play Store
- Essential mode is a game-changer
- Incredible performance
- 5ATM water resistance
Against
- More expensive
- 24mm bands are hard to come by
- No onboard Google Assistant
Over the years, both Amazfit and Mobvoi have been making waves in the wearable space, offering some of the best Android smartwatch options. When it comes to comparing the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5, these smartwatches are more than capable of monitoring your various health metrics, while looking pretty darn great at the same time. But let's dive a bit deeper to see which you should consider for your next smartwatch.
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Where the GTR 3 Pro excels
It might come as a bit of a surprise, but Amazfit has actually been in the wearable game since 2017 when it released the Amazfit Health Band. Since then, the company's lineup has exploded, offering everything from fitness trackers to smartwatches and even some with a specific focus.
The Amazfit GTR 3 Pro was released back in October 2021 but is still readily available from Amazon and other retailers. Even now that the GTR 4 series has been released, the GTR 3 Pro is hanging around, and for good reason as it still offers a great experience.
But the real appeal of the GTR 3 Pro comes in the way of battery life, as this wearable is capable of lasting for up to 12 days on a single charge. Naturally, this depends on how frequently you are tracking workouts, but it's still damn impressive to have almost two weeks of battery on a smartwatch.
With the GTR 3 Pro, you'll find a 1.45-inch AMOLED display, complete with a rotating digital crown, paired with another button for making selections. Other features of the GTR 3 Pro include built-in Amazon Alexa, "high-precision GPS," and the ability to track over 150 different activities right on your watch.
The biggest reason why this is possible is simply due to the fact that Amazfit relies on Zepp OS for the software, as opposed to Wear OS. Zepp OS is designed to be simple and lightweight, giving you access to different watch faces and making it easy to track your workouts or view metrics after the fact.
Unfortunately, this means that you aren't able to download and install third-party apps, as you're limited to only what's available from the accompanying Zepp app on your phone. Surprisingly, Amazfit has worked with Amazon to bring Alexa to many of its smartwatches, including the GTR 3 Pro. So as long as you set up some Alexa skills, you'll be able to enjoy some additional functionality that you might not have expected.
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Going with the TicWatch
In terms of functionality, there's really no comparison between the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5. The TicWatch Pro 5 is Mobvoi's latest flagship smartwatch, powered by the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chip and running Wear OS 3. With this, you'll have access to all of your favorite Android apps on your wrist and Google's redesigned take on the wearable platform.
If you're a fan of big smartwatches, you won't be disappointed with either of these, as the TicWatch Pro 5 is equipped with a 1.43-inch AMOLED display of its own. Mobvoi also introduced a rotating crown for the first time on the Pro 5, making it much easier to scroll through menus and apps without touching the screen.
While the TicWatch Pro 5 can't quite match up with the GTR 3 Pro in terms of battery life, it's still rated for at least 80 hours on a single charge. Considering that Google's own Pixel Watch only lasts for about a day, this is simply incredible.
But if there's one feature that the TicWatch Pro 5 has over the entirety of the best Android smartwatches, it's the ultra-low-power display. There's actually a second display that lets you continue using the Pro 5 as a watch, even when there's not enough battery life to power Wear OS. And it will still show you various metrics such as your heart rate, bloody oxygen, steps, and more.
There are two complaints that we had with the TicWatch, with the first being the limited band options. The Pro 5 uses a 24mm quick-release band, but the truth is that the majority of smartwatches rely on either 20mm or 22mm. So there just aren't as many band options as you would find elsewhere.
The second complaint is the fact that there's no Google Assistant onboard. We can only assume this was done in an effort to improve battery life, but it's still disappointing for a Wear OS 3 smartwatch to not have quick and easy access to Assistant.
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Which should you buy?
The final consideration to make when comparing the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 is the price. Currently, the GTR Pro 3 can be had for about $190 and is regularly on sale for around $160. Meanwhile, the TicWatch Pro 5 retails for $350, and because it was only just released in May 2023, there haven't been any significant sales or discounts yet. So it really comes down to whether you're willing to pay the extra $140 for Wear OS, while also being okay with the larger and bulkier size.
Both the GTR Pro 3 and TicWatch Pro 5 are great health and fitness-tracking wearables, so you won't be disappointed with your decision either way in that regard. If you want a better smartwatch, the Pro 5 is the way to go, but if you want something akin to the Fitbit Sense 2, or are on a limited budget, then the GTR Pro 3 will be almost perfect.
Almost two weeks of juice
Because of Amazfit's decision to rely on Zepp OS, the GTR 3 Pro can last up to 12 days on a single charge. It also helps keep the cost of this smartwatch to under $200, making it one of the best budget wearables.
An absolute beast
The TicWatch Pro 5 has just about everything you could want from a smartwatch. It includes unique features, access to the Play Store courtesy of Wear OS 3, but misses out on Google Assistant and might be out of your budget.
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Andrew Myrick is a Senior Editor at Android Central. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is collecting different headphones, even if they all end up in the same drawer.