MensWatchesUK guide to the best Smartwatches available (2020)
Looking for a smartwatch can be a challenging experience. If you have narrowed it down and have now decided it is time to dip in to the realms of a smartwatch then look no further. Here are our favourite smartwatches from the Sport and Professional fashioned Wear OS watches to Samsung’s Galaxy Active, running off of its own efficient operating system.
Contents
10 - Fossil Gen 5 The Carlyle HR Smoke Stainless Steel 9 - Fossil Gen 5 The Carlyle HR Black Silicone 8 - Fossil Mens Sport Smartwatch 7 - Fossil Gen 4 Explorist HR 6 - TicWatch Pro Smartwatch non 4G 5 - Samsung Galaxy Watch Active (Green) 4 - TicWatch C2 Classic Smartwatch 3 - HUAWEI Watch GT 2 2 - HUAWEI Watch 2 4G Sport 1 - TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE edition
Number 10 (Professional) – Gen 5 The Carlyle HR Smoke Stainless Steel FTW4024
- Smartwatches powered with Wear OS by Google work with iPhoneⓇ ¹ and Android Phones
- Go multiple days on a single charge in Extended Battery Mode.
- Heart Rate & Activity Tracking, Built-in GPS for distance tracking, Swimproof design
Fossil are innovators of design when it comes to men’s smartwatches. They have upped their game in terms of producing some quality designs recently and the Gen 5 Smartwatch The Carlyle HR edition is no exception. It looks sleek, modern and handsome for the modern man. Compared to the other editions of the Gen 5 that utilise a silicon strap, this watch contains a stainless steel band and watch case that oozes with style and masculinity. Powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Wear 3100 and 1gb RAM, this watch unlocks far superior hardware to its Gen 4 predecessor with only 512mb RAM and the Wear 2100.
Health and fitness
The top features of this smartwatch include the software it utilises so effortlessly. With access to the google play store, you can download multiple different WearOs enabled apps which monitor your current condition. You can utilise Sleep Apps to track and monitor your sleep. Use the built in Cardiogram to monitor your heart rate throughout the day and link your watch up to Google Fit to monitor your daily activities and track steps and distance moved.
Convenience
Whether you are you a firm believer in using apps and technology to save you time and increase efficiency as we do, then one of the best features is that the Fossil Gen 5 uses NFC. NFC is integrated directly into the Gen 5 smartwatch enabling you to make a quick payment. When you are queuing for coffee, using a vending machine or just paying for something in the store, just setting your watch to the NFC google pay shortcut enables a quick press of a button and you are ready to pay, no more routing through pockets or bags looking for change or your payment card. This saves massive amounts of time and gets you in with your day without hassle.
Another fantastic feature for convenience is quick replies to text messages or WhatsApp messages. If your phone isn’t directly to hand or you are in the middle of something, you can easily send an emoji, write a short message or use a pre-generated phrase for a quick reply. I wouldn’t necessarily say you can do anything more that, for me personally I am unable to write anything more than a few words due to the size of the onscreen keyboard and the tedious nature of it. But none the less, a speedy reply is always welcome.
Media use and control
Using the watch as a media remote is great. For instance if you are out and about and listening to music, you can just access your watch and change the song or pause it yourself. Unfortunately Wear OS is still fairly limited when it comes to integration of other music apps so there are some limited functions. I regularly use my Fossil Gen 5 smartwatch at work or when out walking the dog. I have it synced to my phone via Bluetooth and when my phone is rooted within my pocket I can just access my watch to change the track, simply and effortlessly without the need to use my phone to do so. This feature alone is great for productivity as the temptation to pull out your phone is always there to browse the internet, reddit or any other media product you regularly use to pass the time with.
Battery life
If you are looking for a watch that will last days on a single charge then this watch isn’t for you, I don’t think the industry is quite ready yet from a manufacturing perspective to provide affordable, fashionable smartwatches with premium parts that don’t require charging regularly. One of the only smartwatches that appears to try to combat this problem is the Mobvoi Ticwatch Pro with its Smart and Essential battery modes claiming to last 2 to 5 days depending on mode.
Saying that, I found the battery to be much better than what I expected it to be but with minimal use, I found that you still require charging it at least once a day or once every 36 hours.
As I type this, my Gen 5 watch currently sits at 63% battery and estimates that I have a 23 hour charge left, which to me isn’t too bad. My morning routine would often consist of popping the watch on the charger whilst I got ready for work in the morning. This gave my watch ample battery life for the remainder of the day and the night. You can extend the battery life by disabling some of the features like the always on display and tilt to wake but this kind of defeats the purpose of having it right? If you have to push buttons to see the time you may as well just use your phone.
Charging before work didn’t hinder its use at all, just like your mobile phone or tablet, these all require charging so it’s only normal that a smartwatch of such capability would require a boost of charge here and there.
Number 9 (Professional) – Fossil Gen 5 The Carlyle HR Black Silicone Smartwatch FTW4025
- Smartwatches powered with Wear OS by Google work with iPhoneⓇ ¹ and Android Phones
- Go multiple days on a single charge in Extended Battery Mode.
- Heart Rate & Activity Tracking, Built-in GPS for distance tracking, Swimproof design
This is the second time the Fossil Gen 5 The Carlyle HR watch features on our best smartwatches for men list. Only this time it’s featured due to the style and versatility of its design. This watch is my go to watch for everyday use as it looks fashionable in both professional and casual environments. Accompanying the watch with a selection of different straps gives it that extra functionality to mix and match with any outfit you may have chosen for any particular day of the week or occasion.
The silicone strap that comes with it is both durable and great to use for any sweat driven environment. If you are working out or doing anything strenuous then using this strap enables you to trust that there will be minimal damage to the strap long term. A simple wipe down of the strap with warm water maintains the intended look. For work, I swap the silicone strap out for a clean looking leather strap with red stitching. The leather on the Barton Quick Release watch strap was particularly tough to begin with but after wearing it in for a few weeks the strap became softer and moulded to the shape of my wrist and is incredibly comfortable.
Additional features
The Fossil Gen 5 smartwatch has a strong Mineral dial window but like any watch, try to avoid direct blows to your watch. To minimise risk of damage, I purchased a pack of watch screen protectors that seem to be doing their job just fine. I’ve had to replace them a couple of times due to collisions with solid objects, but overall they seem to be doing what they are intended for.
The sporty Gen 5 Carlyle HR Black Silicone Smartwatch also sports a built in speaker for notifications, phone calls and utilises the google assistant extremely well. If you are like me and are currently investing in smart gadgets throughout your home, then having quick access to enable the device via your wrist is like something out of the future. At first you might think it is a bit gimmicky, but over time it becomes a natural way of life. I use mine to turn lights off, turn my AV Receiver on and send messages instead of typing them out.
Overview of the Gen 5
The Gen 5 is a magnificent watch and has such great features. We think you will be impressed by how versatile it is. We found that after familiarising yourself with it and adjusting the settings to boost the battery it ended up feeling like a natural time piece that you didn’t want to let go. When it was off the wrist on charge, we felt a longing to have it there.
Worthy mention – Fossil Gen 5 The Carlyle HR Dark Brown Leather FTW4026
- Smartwatches powered with Wear OS by Google work with iPhoneⓇ ¹ and Android Phones
- Go multiple days on a single charge in Extended Battery Mode.
- Heart Rate & Activity Tracking, Built-in GPS for distance tracking, Swimproof design
This model of the Gen 5 The Carlyle HR edition watch features a brown leather strap which is both sleek and comfy in design. This is a worthy edition to the Fossil Gen 5 family but out of the Black Silicon and Stainless Steel editions, this would definitely be our last choice based on style alone.
Number 8 (Sport/Activity) – Fossil Mens Sport Smartwatch with Silicone Strap FTW4021
- Fossil sport - Men's display smartwatch - Diameter: 43 mm, thickness: 12 mm, band width:...
- Functions: Heart rate tracking, GPS, Google Pay, swimproof, notifications, personalise...
- Compatibility: Android 6.0+ (excluding Go edition), iOS 10.0+
The Fossil Gen Sport Smartwatch also contains a speedy Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ Wear 3100, identical to the one found in the Gen 5 The Carlyle HR. This makes it almost a must have watch for a much cheaper price. If you are on the lookout for getting your first smartwatch, this is not a bad choice. You get to experience the Wear OS platform in a well-rounded watch. The 3100 processor is well optimised for battery consumption and also allows a much snappier use of the android apps.
The look of this watch really has been designed to reflect the ‘sport’ apparel look. It comes with a silicone strap as standard which emphasises the desired target audience. There are various colours and styles to choose from within the collection which makes it a quirky must have. Of course this watch runs the latest Wear OS operating system which means you’ll get the latest but does however lack in other aspects. It has less storage space when compared to the Gen 5, doesn’t have a speaker and due to its design, doesn’t have the versatility to be worn as a professional watch (unless your profession involves sport).
Great GPS functions and fitness apps
Using GPS, you can use this watch to track your workouts when out and about. Linked in with google maps and other fitness apps you can identify your run times and estimated calories burnt.
An additional selling point for this watch which puts it above the older Fossil Smartwatches is the addition of the NFC Google Pay™. The lack of this in the Gen 3 or below makes this watch much preferred choice. Especially if you are an adopter of using Google Pay™ and your mobile devices to pay for items instead of the more traditional method of using change or a credit/debit card.
The Fossil Sport Smartwatch also has the added benefit of 5ATM waterproofing which allows you to take this watch for a swim without fear of it breaking.
Overview
If you are looking for a decent experience with a Fossil smartwatch then the Fossil Sport is a superb choice. Containing the watch specific Wear 3100 chip you’ll find it’s snappy and functions as expected. It works well without the premium price of the Fossil Gen 5.
Number 7 (Professional) – Fossil Gen 4 Explorist HR Silicone Smartwatch in Black FTW4018
- Smartwatches powered with Wear OS by Google work with iPhone and Android Phones
- Heart Rate & Activity Tracking using Google Fit; Built-in GPS for distance tracking;...
- This is one smart watch - receive smartphone notifications and app alerts, manage your...
A cheaper alternative to the Gen 5 Smartwatch (only just), the Gen 4 sits in the middle ground for us. It’s a fantastic stylish watch that is similar to the Gen 5 in that it makes a great watch for the office and more smart casual attire. However it does not quite fit the style of the sportier person. Lacking in certain functions when compared to the Gen 5, the Gen 4 doesn’t contain an internal speaker which means you are unable to make calls by using just the watch or a direct google assistant.
The styling of the Gen 4 smartwatches and especially the Gen 4 Explorist HR in black with a silicone strap provide a great choice for selecting the best looking one to match your own personal styling and with the addition of interchangeable straps, it gives you the ability to make your watch even more unique to you.
Although this watch is not particularly styled directly for collaboration with sport wear it does still contains great fitness and health tracking functionality. Similar to the Fossil Sport it is also waterproof and swim proof up to 5ATM. With this great smartwatch you can utilise the media functionality and connect headphones directly to the watch and listen to stored music whilst you are out on a run or commuting.
Design features
The case diameter is slightly larger than the Gen 5 and Sport but only just. 45mm is quite a large watch but adds for a greater viewing experience of the screen. The processor is the older more outdated Qualcomm® Snapdragon ™ Wear 2100 which is more noticeable when flicking between apps on the watch as there is a tiny bit more lag but not by much. Without the integrated speaker you may find that your only means of identifying a notification is from the built in vibration which is apt.
What we think
Ultimately this watch fills the gap between the Fossil Sport and the Fossil gen 5. If you are serious about a smartwatch from Fossil and don’t want to spend copious amounts then the Gen 4 Fossil watch is the one to go for.
Number 6 (Sport) – TicWatch Pro Smartwatch non 4G
- LONG BATTERY LIFE: 2-30 days on a single charge is achieved by dual layered technology and...
- SMART MODE: Wear OS by Google, AMOLED display, Google Assistant, thousands of apps and...
- ESSENTIAL MODE: Power saving FSTN LCD display, high sunlight visibility, shows essential...
Overview of the Ticwatch Pro
The TicWatch Pro smartwatch is probably one of the best smartwatches on the market to date in terms of value for money and available features. Unlike the Fossil smartwatches, it uses a dual layered display which consists of an AMOLED screen and FSTN LCD screen. The latter enables the device to last up to 30 days on a single charge – perfect for the traveller in you.
This TicWatch is brilliant by design and has full integrated Wear OS. Mobvoi have their own sleep tracking software to help you decipher your sleep pattern and understand your routine. It has full access to Wear OS Google play apps from the Google Play Music app to the Google Fit and Spotify apps. Our only criticism of this version of the TicWatch Pro is the 512mb which unfortunately makes the device show a tiny bit of lag. However they have released the TicWatch Pro 4G edition which has boosted RAM.
Great features
It supports Google Pay via NFC, great for quick purchases on the go modernising the payment system and enabling you to get on with your day with minimal effort. One of the great features that comes with the TicWatch Pro is the amount of watch faces available, with Fossil you only have access to a few preloaded, whereas TicWatch provide over a thousand.
Made from carbon fibre and reinforced high strength nylon, you know you will get a durable smartwatch resistant to most bumps and knocks. This smartwatch comes with a hybrid leather and silicone strap making it both comfortable and pleasant to wear.
Waterproof to IP68 rating meaning it has some resistance to water such as splashes and is also resistant to dust.
Thoughts
This is in fact one of our favourite smartwatches, however TicWatch recently launched the 4G/LTE variety which just about takes this watches place due to its mobility and increase of RAM.
Number 5 (Sport) – Samsung Galaxy Watch Active (Green)
![Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 40 mm Green [Amazon Exclusive] (UK Version)](https://menswatchesuk.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/aawp/public/image.php?url=aHR0cHM6Ly9tLm1lZGlhLWFtYXpvbi5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL0kvNDErUHNpd1JhMUwuX1NMMTYwXy5qcGc)
- A smart essential - thin, lightweight and tough, the stylish Galaxy Active watch fits in...
- Samsung's new smartwatch comes in a range of colours and interchangeable straps....
- The dynamic Galaxy Watch Active will make every move count by tracking and automatically...
Overview of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active
If you are purely looking for something to compliment your active lifestyle we found the Galaxy Watch Active to be a perfect fit. The sporty exterior and sleek simple design makes this a great companion when tackling those high intensity workouts or casual activities. The colour palette mixes both mature and masculine tones and the digitally interchangeable watch faces allows for your watch to avoid becoming stale.
Unlike the other smartwatches, the Samsung Galaxy Active doesn’t include Wear OS but contains Samsung’s own unique operating system Tizen which works extremely well with their own smartphones as well as other Android operated phones.
Great features for health tracking
The Samsung Galaxy Active is the perfect companion watch for those with an active lifestyle or those that want to monitor the health consistently and accurately. Built in sensors monitors your heart rate and will alert you for any abnormal heart rates if detected. The built in sensors also monitors you for increased stress levels and encourages you to take part in a Breath Session to decrease the stress. Sleep tracking can be enabled to monitor your four stages of sleep and give you a detailed rundown of how well you slept and what percentages you visited each mode of sleep.
Great battery, quick functions and Wireless charging
Similar to the Wear OS devices, the watch connects directly to your mobile phone via Bluetooth giving you flexibility to reply to messages on the go without having to retrieve your main device.
Boasting wireless charging via Wireless Power Share, and up to 45hours on a single charge, the Galaxy Watch Active is a smartwatch you can be proud to come to rely on. It has a built in daily activity tracker, is waterproof to 5ATM and has MIL-STD- 810 rated durability.
Final thoughts on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active
True challenger for one of the best smartwatches of the last couple of years, especially with its simple quick design and feature packed intuition. Our only disappointment is that the watch doesn’t have all the apps available to you that other smartwatch operating systems have available. But then what really do you want from a smartwatch?
Number 4 (Professional) – TicWatch C2 Classic Smartwatch
- Perfectly round display and large screen
- Track your health and power you throughout your day
- Supports swimming in shallow waters
Overview of the TicWatch C2 Classic Smartwatch
If you are looking for a smartwatch that contains a more classic award winning styling then we found the TicWatch C2 to be just that. The complete leather strap and stainless steel watch casing is elegant and sophisticated making it a good looking choice to wrap around your wrist. The three designs are fantastic and matched with a multitude of watch faces you can personalise this to your hearts content.
Features including custom watch faces and straps
The TicWatch C2 Classic Smartwatch is literally built for general everyday smartwatch use. It doesn’t contain the dual layers like the TicWatch Pro but the battery can reach 2 days on a single charge. IP68 rating means it can withstand water and can resist taking in dust. It has a built in dynamic heart-rate monitoring, gyroscope and accelerometer which makes it a good watch for using during fitness sessions. Like most smartwatches, one of their main emphases is customisability of both watch faces and straps changed with ease. Well this is no exception as you can make your smartwatch even more personable to you.
Access to the Wear OS Google Play Store
Unlike the Galaxy Watch Active, this smartwatch utilises Wear OS which contains a multitude of great apps to choose from like Facebook messenger, Google Maps, Google Fit and the Google Assistant. However it does lack sleep tracking unlike what is available in the TicWatch Pro.
This TicWatch utilises NFC for Google Payments which we think all smartwatches should have, especially in 2020. It has GPS which works great with Google Maps when navigating routes on foot or during a run.
Thoughts on the C2
If you are simply looking for a smartwatch that has some of the main features of Wear OS then the C2 is a decent choice, we are not going to over sell it as being the best available as we don’t think it is. By design alone it really is an appealing choice and for the price range it definitely is a great edition to any man’s collection. Like many smartwatches, the 512m RAM hampers it only slightly but if you want something snappy, go for a smartwatch with at least 1gb RAM.
Number 3 (Sport/Activity) – Huawei Watch GT 2
- 【HUAWEI Kirin A1 Self-developed Chip】This new smart watch comes with HUAWEI's...
- 【1.39" AMOLED Display with 3D Glass Screen】HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 (46mm) adopting the 3D...
- 【Bluetooth Calling All the Time】You can use Bluetooth calling with HUAWEI WATCH GT 2...
The Huawei Watch GT 2 is a fantastic alternative to the Wear OS watch really when it comes to it. It does everything you can expect a smartwatch to do and does it very well and without all the bells and whistles that you often come to expect from Wear OS watches. It contains a Kirin A1 processor which was developed by Huawei. The Kirin A1 promotes long lasting battery life by automatically adjusting itself for optimal use. This is another smartwatch that will compliment any man who has a lust for physical adventure and strives to push their limits. If the smartwatch you are looking for is purely for round the clock monitoring of your health then this is a must have.
Features
One great feature depending on the watch size that you get is that you can experience different battery longevity. For instance the 46mm model has up to 2 weeks life with certain settings enabled including the Heartrate monitor. However, if you use music for more than 30 minutes and exercise for more than 90 minutes per week you will find that the battery life will drain much quicker. With the 42mm series you can expect the battery to last up to half the amount of time which is still pretty good indeed.
Similar to other smartwatches, you would always expect to have a variety of face to choose from and you can expect that with this Huawei Smartwatch. The AMOLED display provides accurate touch experience and enjoy.
Notifications are synced with your phone, so if you receive a text message, email or other social media notification then this will pop up on the display of the HUAWEI Watch GT 2. Other functions include checking the weather, setting alarms, a flashlight, setting timers, and Find My Phone.
Health and fitness features
The HUAWEI Watch GT 2 contains TruSleep™ 2.0 which boasts the ability to scientifically track your sleep and identify 6 common sleep issues. This smartwatch will monitor your breathing, heartrate and provides you a score based on your experience during sleep.
Similar to the Fossil Gen 5 and other Wear OS watches, you will find a stress reducing app available which is designed to coach you through breathing exercises over a couple of minutes.
Like the Wear OS and Google Fit app, you can find that your day is monitored in terms of steps taken, calories burned and how often you move around from a sitting position. If you are a keen runner and regularly track your routes you’ll find that Precise Position System a wonderful addition. You’ll be able to pin point you route using the GPS and GLONASS satellite positioning systems.
Precise monitoring of your heart rate in real-time is a feature that’s great for checking for heart rate spikes throughout the day which helps to identify stressful situations or areas that you might need to work on in terms of fitness. The information this watch gathers from being on your wrist is phenomenal, especially with the built in training apps which enable you to train better by monitoring your activities. Setups within the watch allow you to adjust the workouts based on your ability or particular goal like losing weight.
The HUAWEI Watch GT2 is 5ATM water resistant which means you can continue your health tracking whilst swimming lengths in the pool.
Final thoughts on the HUAWEI Watch GT 2
This watch is our top choice for the man that wants a device that will last for longer than a day and half and will provide accurate health monitoring consistently. It’s stylish with its 3D Glass screen and AMOLED display, it has great functions in terms of fitness coaching and training and with the tracking of outdoor activities it makes for the perfect stylish exercise accessory. The one thing lacking we found was the inability to use NFC as a payment tool. You’d expect most smartwatches to incorporate this method, especially in the last couple of years.
Check out the smaller 42mm HUAWEI Watch GT 2
- HUAWEI Kirin A1 Self-developed Chip: This smart watch comes with HUAWEI's self-developed...
- 1.2 Inch AMOLED Display with 3D Glass Screen: HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 (42 mm) adopting the 3D...
- 15 Workout Modes and Full-time Fitness Trainer: Multiple professional training courses...
Number 2 (Sport/Activity) – HUAWEI Watch 2 4G Sport Smartwatch
- Huawei Watch 2 4G supports a SIM card. Get calls and messages whenever you go, NFC support...
- Sports optimized tailored training plans, reports, and suggestions with multiple exercises...
- Compatible with Android Wear 2.0 and iOS. See important details at a glance including...
Overview
This smartwatch is truly one of the most versatile smartwatches available on the market. From a design perspective, the build is solid and sporty and you can tell instantly that it was designed specifically for the active customer. It has specific apps designed to coach you in all aspects of running and cycling. This specific watch has the capacity to utilise an additional SIM card to enable you to go hands free on the go, especially if you are a rambler or hiker and don’t want to be burden with a smartphone.
Features of the HUAWEI Watch 2 4G
Designed specifically for the sports person, this watch provides live guidance during a workout and enables true evaluation and performance including the recovery time. It provides detailed reports including V02max (maximal oxygen uptake), heart rate, mapping, speed travelled, distance, floors climbed, steps, cadence and many more to help you get the best out of your workouts. The continuous heart rate monitoring adds to the detailed reports provided by the watch.
The sturdy ceramic bezel which is harder than stainless steel is scratch resistant; the Watch 2 is also up to IP68 water resistant and can easily resist dust and sweat. With Google Play Music, you can store approximately 200 songs to enable offline playback. If you utilise the SIM card slot and get a great deal for data, you can stream music to your hearts content. A great Wear OS smartwatch
Thoughts of Watch 2
Up to 2 days battery life appears to be a target for most smartwatch manufactures and Huawei market the Watch 2 of providing just that. However, it’s good to point out that reaching 2 days will not be possible with all the features the Watch 2 brags about. With GPS enabled, you can expect the battery to last up to a measly 6 hours, which isn’t great but it certainly isn’t that bad. It is definitely packed with features including the use of Trusleep for sleep tracking and has a much better amount of RAM at 768MB but if you are looking for something that packs just that little bit more then check out the HUAWEI Watch GT 2.
Number 1 (Sport/Activity) – TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE edition
- Upgraded Premium Design - Stylish and functional design with knurled stainless-steel...
- Long Battery Life - Dual-layered ALOMED/LCD screens and two display mode options, Smart...
- Works with Vodafone OneNumber. Connect your TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE to your Vodafone account...
Our favourite Wear OS smartwatch at the moment is the TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE edition, not only because it is packed full of essential activity tracking features you’d expect from a smartwatch but because it also has the RAM to back it. The earlier edition of the TicWatch Pro comes with 512mb and with the increased RAM now at 1gb you will definitely see a difference. The basic features are still the same but the end user experience is so much better.
Great features including the independent SIM
One of the standout features is the ability to use a sim card with this watch. You can have a standalone number with a different network provider or if you are a Vodafone customer you can use Number Sharing which enables you to use your watch as you would your mobile phone, just configure the setup via the Vodafone OneNumber website to get things going.
The watch is made to be durable, rated at MLT-STD-810G it can withstand temperature shock, solar radiation, humidity, dust and pressure shock – making it a great companion smartwatch for most environments. It is made from polyamide and glass fibre with a knurled stainless-steel bezel. The back of the watch is constructed from aluminium meaning any nickel allergy sufferers will benefit. It has a water and dust resistance rating of IP68 making it suitable for swimming pool use, great for tracking those water based workouts.
Typical with any Wear OS watch, you can find a large library of apps to use with your device. The Google Assistant is great for using with home smart devices, checking the weather or dictating a quick message to a friend. Google Maps is great for navigating the streets if you are out and about and don’t want to risk having your phone out. Music apps including Spotify and Google Play Music which can be used on the go, just pair your headphones or use the built in speaker. Other apps include quick replies with Whatsapp and Facebook messenger.
As this is smartwatch model is basically an upgrade to the original TicWatch Pro, you can expect to find the dual layered display (FSTN screen and AMOLED screen), making it possible for this watch to last up to 30 days on a single charge. Supporting two different modes, the Smart Mode and Essential Mode, you can switch depending on your intended use.
Smart Mode
Smart Mode enables Google Assistant, notifications, tilt-to-wake and voice assistant, NFC contactless payments, GPS, built-in sports modes and numerous apps available through the Google play store.
Essential Mode
Essential Mode takes you back to basics. This mode enables the 30-day battery life and is easily read under high sunlight conditions. You have a more traditional LCD display showing the date and time plus the additions of 24 hour heart rate monitoring and step counting (steps sync to apps once Smart Mode has been selected).
A great fitness monitor and exercise tracker from Mobvoi
TicPulse is a great piece of technology which monitors your heart rate throughout the day and can be adjusted when working out. You get details reports identifying heart rate zones throughout the day and see how your heart rate fairs throughout a 7 day week. By setting your own parameters you can identify abnormal heart rates and be prompted by a warning if detected.
Different sport modes can be activities, like the Run mode which is triggered when you just start running (once activated in the settings). It tracks your distance travelled, your time taken and also heart rate. If you are not much of a runner but like to walk fast, then there is a Fast Walking Mode that can be automatically triggered which monitors how you walk similar to the Run Mode. You can use Swim Mode to monitor your swimming rate and soon you will find additional sport modes including proactive cycling tracking.
TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE 1gb RAM final thoughts
TicWatch Pro has definitely improved from the original Pro released. If you are looking for a watch that is both respectful and full of additional health and fitness monitoring features, then this is definitely it.
We would like to ask one question though, why only upgrade the RAM and not the processor. Unlike the most recent Fossil generation 5, this watch only supports a Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 2100 making it just that little but slower and less efficient. Don’t let this put you off though as you can expect lots when it comes to a TicWatch. We look forward to seeing the next edition in the TicWatch family.
Professional or Sport Smartwatch, which one is best?
It comes down to two smartwatches on our list, especially when it comes to using the Wear OS system by Google.
For the more professional man, then using the Fossil Gen 5 is the ideal choice. The general style of this watch appeals more to the man dressed in professional/smart casual attire and can definitely be taken seriously.
The TicWatch Pro 4G/LTE perhaps has a little too much bulk (47.4g) to be used in the office work environment compared to the Fossil Gen 5’s lighter weight. However, the ability to use your watch untethered to your phone is a useful feature, especially if you want to travel light and adding that extra durability with its MLT-STD-810g rating adds that peace of mind you need. The additional feature to extend the battery mode is also bonus. It’s a tough call really, but depending on what your interests, hobbies and work environment is depends on the watch that is right for you
Last update on 2021-01-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API