Our Verdict
In November 2018, Mobvoi rocked the smartwatch market with the release of the luxury Ticwatch C2. The C2 is a feature-packed marvel that rivals its competitors with both its impressive design and its competitive price.
While this watch packs a punch, can Mobvoi compare to the likes of Samsung and Apple with their budget-friendly smartwatch? Let’s find out with our Ticwatch C2 review.
If like us, you love the rounded design of the Ticwatch C2, then take a look at our list of the best round smartwatches here.
Ticwatch C2 Specifications
- Display: 1.3 inch, 360 x 360-pixel display with 391 ppi.
- Operating system: Wear OS by Google
- Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyro, Heart rate monitor, GPS.
- Color: Onyx, platinum and rose gold.
- Material: Stainless steel.
- Weight: 42g.
- Dimensions: 42.8 x 42.8 x 12.7mm.
- Battery life: 400mAh – 2-day battery life.
- Compatibility: Android and Apple iPhone IOS.
- Warranty: 2 years.
Price & Availability
The Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 was released for pre-order in November 2018 and came in two variants, the Ticwatch C2 20mm, and the Ticwatch C2 18mm. The specs between the 2 are identical, with the only differences being the strap size and different color options for each. The price at launch was set at $199.99 / £179.99, which is relatively average for a smartwatch, but is worthwhile for the features included. The C2 is the successor to the Ticwatch Pro, released mid-2018.
The Ticwatch C2 can be purchased directly from Mobvoi, or it can be found at other third-party retailers like Amazon.
How We Tested
My first experience with the Ticwatch C2 was a good one, with both the watch and accessories arriving undamaged and all neatly packed in a stylish Ticwatch box. Pairing the watch was also really simple; it involves downloading the Mobvoi app to my smartphone and searching for the watch in the Bluetooth settings, which was quick and easy to do.
Wearing the watch on my wrist was comfortable; it fit nicely and didn’t feel bulky at all. My only complaint is with the leather strap included with the watch, as it felt cheaply made and began to show some minor signs of wear with everyday usages, such as taking the watch on and off.
Navigating the watch was quite simple since it incorporates a standard setup of a touch screen alongside two buttons mounted on the side of the watch. While using the watch, I did occasionally come across some interface lag and stutters when using the watch for long periods, but this wasn’t a regular occurrence and didn’t affect my use of the watch.
After wearing the watch every day for a few weeks, I tested the watch’s navigation and fitness features and was pleasantly surprised by how the watch performed. The GPS was generally accurate, and the fitness sensors all worked as expected and accurately recorded my workouts.
What’s In The Box
Inside the box are the Ticwatch C2, a user guide to help you get started on setting up your watch, and a magnetic charging dock. The proprietary charging dock for the Ticwatch C2 has a simple design, both small and sleek-looking, so it doesn’t take up much room. While some people complain about the lack of wireless charging for the C2, as long as you remember your magnetic charging dock when going on long trips, it won’t pose a problem.
Design & Build Quality
Earlier releases from Mobvoi like the Ticwatch E were made of polycarbonate plastic, and since then, the company has moved away from this decision with the stainless steel finish on the Ticwatch C2. The C2 looks and feels more premium, with a sleeker bezel and more attractive casing, making the watch more suitable to those seeking a more classic watch design.
Despite weighing in at only 42g, this watch is as robust as ever, featuring anti-scratch glass and IP68 water and dust resistance. These features help to keep your watch looking as good as new, for as long as possible.
The Ticwatch C2 has two pronounced buttons located on the right-hand side of the watch, which is there to help you navigate the interface. Although the top-side of the watch is made of stainless steel, giving it a premium finish, the underside is strangely made of plastic. While wearing the watch, this won’t be noticeable, but it is still an odd design choice from Mobvoi.
The screen is an average 1.3-inches and uses an AMOLED display to reach a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. The display is also a touchscreen, which can be used alongside the buttons on the side to navigate the UI.
Bands & Accessories
When the Ticwatch C2 was released, the strap options felt somewhat limited, with Mobvoi only offering a variety of leather-based straps. Mobvoi has since added some silicone-based ones, but the designs on offer are still relatively limited. Luckily, you can pick-up a wider variety of compatible straps from third-party retailers, as long as you get the corresponding sizes.
Mobvoi doesn’t offer many accessories for their watches, other than a few straps and replacement magnetic charging docks.
Features & Performance
Software/OS
Much like on the Ticwatch E, Mobvoi have steered clear of their old proprietary OS, Ticwear. This means they have used Google’s Wear OS, which adds increased support for Google-based apps and improved compatibility. Wear OS also gives you access to the Google Play Store, which hosts a myriad of apps and watch faces for you to choose from and install at the click of a button. To find out more about the Ticwatch E, which is a cheaper alternative to the C2, read our review here.
One confusing decision from Mobvoi was the use of a three-year-old processor, namely, the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100. The new generation of processor, the Snapdragon Wear 3100, has two new display features, and five years of added research into creating a power-optimized chip which doesn’t negatively impact performance.
Mobvoi opted for the older generation of the processor on their Ticwatch C2, which is perfectly suitable to do the job, just not as well.
One feature we are happy to see added to the Ticwatch C2 is NFC. This addition allows you to use your smartwatch with Google Pay to turn your watch into a portable payment method, much like your contactless bank cards. Making purchases on-the-go has never been easier.
Another feature bundled in with Wear OS is Google Assistant. However, while the Ticwatch C2 has an onboard microphone, it doesn’t feature a speaker, so local music or voice playback isn’t available. Connecting a Bluetooth headset does solve this issue, though, so it isn’t a huge setback.
Activity Tracking
Mobvoi have included all the features they need to create a watch suited to fitness tracking, from a heart rate monitor to GPS, this watch allows you to track everything from your step count to general exercise. Unfortunately, the watch isn’t fully waterproof either, and can’t be taken in a pool, so swim-tracking isn’t an option for the C2. In terms of fitness apps, you have two options, Google Fit, or TicExercise, both of which provide very similar functionality.
Google Fit has been reported to be less buggy on Android Wear watches, however.
While this smart watch does work as a fitness tracker, it isn’t comparable to say, a Fitbit. Not only is the Ticwatch C2 bulkier, but it lacks the feature depth present in Fitbit’s wearables. Since Mobvoi includes a leather strap by default, that isn’t the best choice to get sweaty in either.
Battery Life
The battery life on the Ticwatch C2 is considered average for a smartwatch, at 400mAh, it lasts between 1-2 days with mixed usage. With the AMOLED screen technology running on the Ticwatch Classic 2, the watch ensures greater power efficiency, whilst still offering vivid and vibrant colors. While some wearables like the Fitbit Charge 3 offer up to 7-day battery life, the C2 is still significantly better than the Apple Watch Series 4, which despite being released at a similar time, only offers a battery life of up to 18 hours.
To see more information on the Fitbit Charge 3, you can read our review here. To read about the Apple Watch Series 4, you can take a look at this article to compare some of the latest smartwatches from Apple, which can be found here.
Apps
Since the Ticwatch is a Wear OS smartwatch, it supports all the Google-based apps, as well as some of their proprietary apps. TicExercise, as discussed above, is a fitness monitoring app similar to google fit, which offers various fitness tracking options ranging from heart rate monitoring to run tracking.
TicPlus is another preinstalled app that is used alongside the heart rate sensor to offer 24-hour heart rate tracking. This feature is entirely optional, but when enabled, it does impact the battery life somewhat.
TicRanking is another of Mobvoi’s proprietary apps, which helps to promote some healthy competition amongst other Ticwatch users in the area. It helps you compete against others to see who can gain the highest step count, but much like TicPlus, this is optional, and no data will be shared without your explicit consent.
Other apps like Spotify, Uber, and Shazam are also available to download from the Google Play Store, as well as a host of other apps and watch faces. All these applications are easily accessible with a click of a button or a quick swipe of the screen.
Who is it for?
You will love Ticwatch C2 if you…
- Want an affordable Wear OS smartwatch
- Want a sleek and classic design of watch
- Enjoy the premium watch colors on offer from Mobvoi
You might not like Ticwatch C2 if you…
- Want a waterproof watch that offers swim-tracking
- Want a watch with the latest Snapdragon Wear processor
Is Ticwatch C2 Worth Buying?
The Ticwatch C2 is a small package that packs a hefty punch, offering all the essential features needed in a smartwatch, at an affordable price. The build of the Ticwatch is also very sturdy, and it comes in three different colors to give more flexibility when finding what suits you best. The watch design feels premium, sporting a stainless steel finish and a choice of elegant colors, to help create a classic style watch for anyone to enjoy.
This feature-packed watch, paired with its eye-catching design, definitely makes it a worthwhile purchase, as long as you can overlook a few things. If you can overlook the occasional interface stutter and the cheap-feeling of Mobvoi’s watch straps, then you should be good to go.
Are there Better Alternatives?
Depending on what you intend to use your smartwatch for the most, there will most likely be a better alternative. Below is a list of other options that you may find more suitable.
Fitbit Charge 3
The Fitbit Charge 3 functions as more than just a watch; it is a top-class fitness tracker that not only has the capability to track your swimming sessions but has a countless number of different features. It also has a battery life of up to 7-days, which further increases its capabilities by staying powered on for a much longer time between charges.
Samsung Gear S3 Frontier
The Gear S3 Frontier is a Samsung Galaxy Watch that takes a top spot in today’s wearable market. The Frontier focuses on a rugged-looking design, as opposed to the simplicity of the C2, which offers a different perspective for those who want an alternative design. To find out more about the Gear S3, read our review here.
Ticwatch E
Although the Ticwatch E lacks NFC, it still functions in a very similar way to the Ticwatch C2, without the added capability of Google Pay. This watch is a cheaper alternative to the C2, which may be more suitable for those who aren’t looking to spend as much on a smartwatch but don’t want to lose too many essential features.
Final Thoughts
If you’re searching for a budget-friendly smartwatch that doesn’t lack features, then the Ticwatch C2 is a strong contender. However, depending on how you use your watch or intend to use it, there may be better alternatives, such as the ones listed above. The watch overall is fantastic in quality and leaves little to be desired with its sleek style and feature-rich design.
I hope our Ticwatch C2 review has shed some light on the depth of the smartwatch market and has shown you the most suitable smartwatch contenders for any situation.
