TicWatch Pro 3 goes official w/ 72-hr battery, Snapdragon 4100, Wear OS, $299 price

Ben Schoon | Sep 24 2020 - 7:00 am PT

The latest Qualcomm chipset for smartwatches, the Snapdragon Wear 4100, represents the biggest leap in power Wear OS has ever seen. Today, the first watch with that chip is hitting the market. The TicWatch Pro 3 is official — here’s what you need to know about it.

Mobvoi’s TicWatch lineup has long represented the affordable segment of Wear OS, but its Pro models have also helped push the boundaries of the platform with clever methods of extending battery life. Now, the latest generation is making a huge push on the performance factor.

TicWatch Pro 3’s claim to fame is that it’s the first Wear OS smartwatch using a Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor. That newer, much more efficient chipset lends itself to 85% better performance and a GPU that’s over twice as powerful. In practice, that should in theory eliminate the long-standing performance qualms with Google’s Wear OS with things such as Google Assistant lagging or apps taking a while to open, something the 1GB of RAM only partially solves. How is it in practice? Stay tuned, we’ve got a full hands-on to detail that in action coming today.

Outside of that chip, the TicWatch Pro 3 makes some other big upgrades from the previous models. It retains the dual-layer display but increases the size while making the watch itself thinner and lighter. Still, this watch is not small with dimensions of 47x48x12.2mm.

That bigger size, though, makes room for a bigger battery at 577 mAh in capacity, a total Mobvoi says will equate to 72 hours between charges with normal use. Thanks to the low-power second display, too, “Essential Mode” can last up to 45 days while still tracking steps, telling time, and capturing other health data.

Also new on the TicWatch 3 Pro, you’ll find an enhanced health suite. Previous offerings such as TicHealth, TicMotion, TicExercise, and TicSleep are all here, but alongside them, you’ll find a few new additions. That starts with TicOxygen which enables blood oxygen readings (SpO2). TicZen helps monitor stress using SDNN and HRV readings. TicBreathe can be used to relax through breathing exercises. TicHearing can monitor noise around you to help you avoid damaging your hearing. Finally, TicSleep has been upgraded to work in Essential Mode. Overall, it seems like a solid suite of health features.

Rounding out the TicWatch Pro 3, there’s of course the latest version of Google’s Wear OS. Mobvoi has also included a special custom watchface that can use pictures uploaded through a companion app on your phone. There’s also built-in GPS, NFC for Google Pay, workout detection, and everything is wrapped up in an IP68 water-resistant body made up of stainless steel and nylon.

TicWatch Pro 3 is available starting today from both Mobvoi’s website and Amazon. Pricing for the watch lands at $299. Stay tuned for our full review coming soon.