OnePlus Watch 2 vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Which one is worth the cash?

When it comes to excellent smartwatches, Mobvoi TicWatch is not a name you think of right away. However, it's certainly a brand that comes to mind a little while later. On the other hand, OnePlus has been missing from the wearable game for the past three years.

Now that the long-awaited OnePlus Watch 2 is here, it seems like it's one of the best Wear OS smartwatches when it comes to battery life. The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 meets the Watch 2 in this arena, proving to be an excellent alternative if battery life is your top priority. Which watch should you opt for? Here's what you need to know to make your decision.

OnePlus Watch 2 vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Design and display

The OnePlus Watch 2 and the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 are two different devices but they do have a couple of things in common. For one, they both come in one size and have a stainless steel design, and both may be considered big and bulky for people with smaller wrists.

The OnePlus Watch 2 features a more common 22mm strap, while the TicWatch Pro 5 has a slightly bigger 24mm. The strap is interchangeable, so if you are not happy with the one it came with, you can always check out the best OnePlusWatch 2 bands and choose one that fits your style. The watch also features a circular and bulky design with programmable side buttons and a rotating bezel. You can get the Watch 2 in Black Steel and Radiant Steel.

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 comes in a stainless-steel chassis, a fluor rubber band, and a stainless steel buckle. You can get the TicWatch Pro 5 in Obsidian and Sandstone, which are black and light cream shades respectively.

In terms of the display, both the Watch 2 and the TicWatch Pro 5 have a 1.43-inch 466x466 resolution AMOLED display. They also share a 326 ppi pixel density. But the TicWatch Pro 5 one-ups the Watch 2 by having an ultra-low-power display that is always on and displays information such as blood oxygen levels, the date, your step count, the Bluetooth status, the NFC status, your heart rate, and the time. By spinning the digital crown you can access more information.

The display for the OnePlus Watch 2 is only 1mm bigger than the previous model and can reach 1,000 nits of brightness, which is half of what other competitors, such as the Galaxy Watch 6, offer. The smartwatch has a 60Hz refresh rate and comes with an always-on display mode.

You can give the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5's ULP screen the desired color by choosing from one of the 18 colors.

OnePlus Watch 2 vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Hardware and battery

The OnePlus Watch 2 has a dual-engine system with its Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 and BES 2700 chips. The Snapdragon SoC takes care of Wear OS 4, while the BES 2700 chip only works with the RTOS (real-time operating system).

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 only has one processor: the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 + Gen 1. This processor won't disappoint you since it gives you fast performance and a great user experience. You won't have to deal with moderate load times.

The smartwatch that gives you more battery life between the two models would be the OnePlus Watch 2. It promises 100 hours of uptime thanks to its 500mAh battery and power-saving features. But, to get this kind of battery power, you will need to make some sacrifices, such as turning off the Always On Display and lowering the screen brightness. On average, you get two days of uptime with intense use.

The TicWatch Pro 5, on the other hand, offers you 80 hours of usage thanks to its 628mAh battery. It lacks Google Assistant, which is disappointing but a major reason the battery can last as long as it does. Essential Mode is an exciting feature that lets you use your smartwatch and continue using the basic features. This mode kicks in when your smartwatch battery level is below 5%. When charging, you can go from nill to 65% in 30 minutes or get a day's battery life with a 10-minute charge.

OnePlus Watch 2 vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Connectivity and software

Regarding connectivity for the OnePlus Watch 2, you can count on using a dual-band GPS (L5 + L1), which is great if you like outdoor activities such as hiking or running since it can better pinpoint your location. It also features Bluetooth and QZSS support, so you get more accurate location data when using certain outdoor fitness apps.

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 only works on single-band Wi-Fi but has NFC, so you can quickly pay with your smartwatch. It comes with Bluetooth 5.2, but like the OnePlus Watch 2, the TicWatch doesn't have a cellular version. To get cellular on a TicWatch, you would have to try its predecessor, the TicWatch Pro 3, which does have that option.

On the software side, the Oneplus Watch 2 comes with Wear OS 4 and RTOS. When you only need to do some basic tasks, the smartwatch runs RTOS, saving you as much battery as possible. These basic tasks include calls and notifications, but the Watch 2 switches to Wear OS 4 when installing a third-party app.

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 has a less recent Wear OS 3.5 but supports both Google Wallet and Google Pay. After this year, you'll be using Google Wallet since there are plans to shut down Google Pay. There is not much trust in Mobvoi regarding getting Wear OS 4 to the TicWatch Pro 5; time will tell if it receives the much-anticipated update.

OnePlus Watch 2 vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5: Which is more appealing?

The OnePlus Watch 2 vs. Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 winner might not be so clear, but considering both models don't have a cellular version, what will determine which smartwatch you'll want to get may have to do with the battery and other factors. The OnePlus Watch 2 promises 100 hours of use, while the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 promises 80 hours.

If you like changing straps often, the OnePlus Watch 2 comes in the more common 22mm option, giving you more options, unlike the TicWatch Pro 5, which comes with a 24mm band.

The TicWatch Pro 5 has a digital crown that is useful and does something to improve the user experience, while the Watch 2's rotating crown is just for show. But the OnePlus Watch 2 is more appealing despite the slight delay in showing notifications.