Mobvoi‘s TicWatch range is where you go if you want high-quality Android Wear smartwatches at reasonable prices. We reviewed several of its offerings before, including the TicWatch Pro and the TicWatch C2. At CES 2019, Mobvoi took the limelight to announce that two new TicWatches will be gracing our wrists in 2019 and now, the two new devices are now available for purchase. Say hello to the TicWatch E2 and the TicWatch S2.
More CES 2019 coverage
- Garmin’s updated Vivoactive 3 adds Verizon 4G LTE for always-on connectivity
- Withings takes on Apple with ECG-equipped smartwatch, blood pressure monitor
- The Matrix PowerWatch 2 harvests your body heat, the power of the sun to stay charged
Aimed at those with an active lifestyle, both the TicWatch E2 (short for “Express 2”) and the TicWatch S2 (short for “Sport 2”) come with a range of features perfect for those of an athletic nature. Both have a heart rate sensor beneath the phone’s body, and both come with a waterproof rating of 5 ATM — making them perfect for normal swimming or even surfing. Adding to this is TicWatch’s pre-loaded swimming monitoring mode, which helps keep track of your fitness while you’re in the water.
It’s not all about fitness though, and even if you’re not a keen swimmer, you will find plenty to enjoy here. Both are full-fledged smartwatches running Google’s Wear OS — so you will have access to all the usual smartwatch apps and watch faces, as well as support from the Google Assistant. Unfortunately, there has been no upgrade to the new Snapdragon Wear 3100 chip though — both stick with the tried-and-tested Snapdragon Wear 2100 chip.
Being second-generation models, you will find some improvements here from the previous TicWatch E and TicWatch S. One of the most major changes is the increased battery life. Mobvoi claims to have increased battery capacity by 30 percent, making it possible to get one to two days on a single charge. Since a poor battery life was one of the TicWatch E’s major failings, this change could help the E2 to really shine.
Other elements, like the design, have stayed similar across the generations. You’ll find the same polycarbonate build on both of these watches and they still both look to be chunkier than competitors. Still, at this price range, you may be willing to accept these minor downsides. On the plus side, that design also includes a 1.39-inch AMOLED display on both, and support for playing music through Bluetooth
If your eye has been caught by either of these smartwatches, then good news — they’re now available to buy. The TicWatch E2 is available for $160, with the TicWatch S2 coming in at $180. They’re both available from the Mobvoi website, or you can buy the TicWatch E2 and TicWatch S2 from Amazon.
Updated on January 22, 2019: The Mobvoi TicWatch E2 and S2 are now available.
