TicWatch C2 Plus vs. TicWatch C2: Should you upgrade?

TicWatch C2 +

By doubling the RAM of the C2, Mobvoi made the C2+ one of the best smartwatches on the market today. The performance boost from the increased RAM also brings added stability. It's got a classic minimal look with exceptional finishes to choose from, and with two watch bands in the box, it's ready for even more situations.

TicWatch C2

With the same look as the upgraded C2+, the C2 is still a great looking watch for those looking to save some cash. It brings style and smarts to folks who want to dip their toes into the smartwatch world without breaking the bank. With only 512MB RAM, the performance expectations will need to be tempered though.

Mobvoi has been updating some fan favorites by increasing the amount of RAM built-in, and the TicWatch C2 is the latest to get the bump. It's becoming very apparent that Wear OS smartwatches greatly benefit from a minimum of 1GB RAM, but is it worth the added cost to upgrade?

Is the TicWatch C2+ upgrade worth it?

If you put these two watches side by side, you won't be able to see any physical differences. That's because they truly are identical in every way. That is except for one significant change that can't be seen until you use the device. The TicWatch C2+ got the much-needed increase in RAM to a full 1GB.

As you can see above, there's actually nothing different between the two watches except for the RAM. In case you're unaware, RAM (Random Access Memory) is a very fast temporary storage area for computers. It allows the processor to send and receive the info it needs immediately back and forth extremely fast. If there isn't enough space, then info has to be dropped and then rewritten to memory when needed again. In other words, more is better.

You might think that this isn't enough of a change to warrant the additional cost to upgrade, and it might not be — until you use the C2+. After the first time I used a Wear OS smartwatch that had 1GB RAM, I decided I could not use a watch that didn't have it. The experience of moving around the interface is so much better. Changing between screens glides along the way many of us are used to on our phones. The jittery interactions that most watches have with less memory is a big reason why many people give up on their smartwatch.

Since technology has become such a major part of our lives now, we know how we expect interactions to go. When you tap or swipe on the display you want it to be recognized and acted upon, and the C2+ does that. It's not to say that the TicWatch C2 is a bad smartwatch. In fact, it is a good watch, which is why it got the upgrade.

The design of the TicWatch C2 line-up is minimal and classic. The size of the watch is large enough to view the information on the screen easily but small enough to be comfortable in any situation. With its clean lines and dual-buttons on the side, the C2 watches look great for work or play in each of the finishes. So then it all comes down to how the watch performs.

Should you upgrade to the TicWatch C2+?

If you enjoy your original C2 and want to continue to use that watch for the next couple of years, you can likely do that. However, your experience will only degrade more and more as the Wear OS platform expands. Moving to the C2+ will improve using the watch now as well as ensure the longevity of your favorite smartwatch going forward.

The TicWatch C2 and C2+ watches are both great-looking devices that bring a wide array of smarts to your wrist. Each of them run the same software and offer the same apps. They both offer automatic workout detection using Mobvoi's TicMotion. However, the experience of using them is very different. For the best and smoothest experience, the TicWatch C2+ is worth the upgrade.