Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

It took Mobvoi almost a year from the time when it initially teased the TicWatch Pro 5 to actually releasing it to the world. Meanwhile, Samsung is well-known for operating on a tight schedule, offering a new smartwatch on a yearly basis. But when it comes to comparing the Pro 5 to Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, there are plenty of similarities to make you think twice about which smartwatch to get. 

TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Design and display

Without a doubt, both the TicWatch Pro 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are two of the largest smartwatches on the market today. The former comes equipped with a 1.43-inch OLED display complete with a 466 x 466 resolution. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features a slightly-smaller 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display, with its defining feature being able to reach up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness.

When it comes to navigation, Mobvoi and Samsung took different approaches. Starting with the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, Samsung removed the iconic rotating bezel from the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic and previous models. Instead, you can try your luck at scrolling through notifications with the touch-sensitive bezel. But even almost a year later, this isn't extremely reliable and you're better off just using the touch screen.

At first glance, you might think that the TicWatch Pro 5 has a rotating bezel, but instead, Mobvoi went the Apple Watch route with the rotating digital crown. You can still scroll through your apps and notifications using the touch screen, but the digital crown offers more fine-tune control when interacting with the watch.

One area where the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro excels is in the case size, as you can use most 20mm watch bands if you don't like the one that Samsung includes. Unfortunately, this isn't the case with the TicWatch Pro 5 due to its 24mm case size, and while there are some compatible watch bands out there, the 24mm watch band size is nowhere near as popular as the 20mm or even 22mm size.

TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Specs, performance, and battery life

If you're wondering which of the best Android smartwatches is actually the more performant option, look no further than the TicWatch Pro 5. Mobvoi is using Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon W5+ wearable platform, which debuted in 2022. This is paired with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, matching up with what is offered by the Pixel Watch.

What this means is ultra-fast and snappy performance, no matter what it is that you're trying to do. As noted in our review, the TicWatch Pro 5 didn't stutter once and has continued to be quite impressive, for the most part.

Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is powered by the company's Exynos W920 chip, which is paired with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. While Samsung has done an excellent job with One UI 4.5 overall, you'll still occasionally run into some apps not opening immediately, and trying to move from one app to another can be slower than expected.

Without burying the lede, both of these smartwatches are incredible if you want a wearable with long battery life. Both Mobvoi and Samsung tout up to 80 hours on a single charge, a claim that each wearable comes pretty darn close to.

But the TicWatch Pro 5 has an extra trick up its sleeve thanks to its ultra-low-power display. When enabled, this presents a bunch of information on your screen, including the time, steps, heart rate, and more. So if you run out of juice, you won't just be wearing an oversized bracelet, compared to many other smartwatches.

TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Software and future updates

Out of the gate, both the TicWatch Pro 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are powered by Wear OS 3, but with a catch. Mobvoi's software interface more closely resembles what you would find on something like the Pixel Watch, with a few tweaks made here and there, along with some of Mobvoi's own apps. Of note, both watches do support Google Pay, which is a plus when you forget your wallet!

As you might suspect, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is running a modified version of Wear OS 3, courtesy of One UI 4.5. This pretty much just gives you the "Samsung-ifcation" of Google's wearable platform, while still being reminiscent of Tizen OS from a few years ago. No matter which watch you choose, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with either option.

Instead, you might be concerned about future Wear OS versions coming to the TicWatch Pro 5, as evidenced by the company's continued delays in bringing Wear OS 3 to previous iterations. Samsung, on the other hand, has already announced One UI 5 for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5, along with releasing a beta program.

Mobvoi's commitment to future updates isn't quite a deal breaker for the TicWatch Pro 5, but it's definitely something to keep in mind.

TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Which should you buy?

It would be easy to sit here and just tell you to go get the TicWatch Pro 5. It's less expensive, includes an incredible ultra-low-power display, and offers better performance than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Throw in the fact that Samsung is expected to launch its next lineup of wearables alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5, and it's a more difficult decision.

However, something to remember is Samsung's track record in recent years when it comes to software updates for its phones, tablets, and wearables. Wear OS 4 might not seem like a game-changer, but you can rest easy knowing that the Galaxy Watch 5 will get it.

With that in mind, we are still recommending the TicWatch Pro 5 over the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, and you definitely won't regret picking one up.