Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch are available for a similar price and both come powered by Google Wear OS, with access to lots of Google apps and features. So, how do you choose between them? We’re here to help with this side-by-side comparison.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch: The look and basics

When it comes to how these two smartwatches look, they both have rounded faces, but that’s about where the similarities end. 

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 is much more rugged looking with a 1.43-inch 466 x 466 full-color always-on AMOLED display combined with a second ultra-low power display that sits overtop it. The latter allows you to access critical information when the battery is low, or even dead, via switchable tiles that include heart rate, blood oxygen, calories, and compass. That’s a pretty neat feature. 

For the main screen, you can update the face by choosing from more than 1,000 options. It is a larger watch, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The band is also 24mm, slightly larger than the typical 22mm you’ll find with the aftermarket. So, while it is swappable, you might have a hard time finding one that will fit correctly. 

It meets US-MIL-STD 810H standards for the ability to withstand rain, sand, ice, shock, and vibrations, meeting the 5ATM rating, which means you can even swim with it. Finished in Obsidian, it has a metal case with aluminum and high-strength nylon with fiberglass, combined with anti-fingerprint Corning Gorilla Glass and silicone interchangeable straps. It also has a side button for navigation with a haptic crown. 

The 628mAh battery offers up to 80 hours of use per charge (or just over three days), but you can use the Essential Mode to extend battery life. Charge it for just half an hour in a pinch to get the battery up to 65 percent. 

Compatible with Android phones running 8.0 OS or later, it is powered by Google Wear OS 3, though it’s unclear if it will support Wear OS 4 once that is released. Nonetheless, you get access to apps through Google Play as well as popular ones like Google Maps, Google Wallet, Google Pay, and YouTube Music. Indeed, both the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 and the Google Pixel Watch are two devices that support Google Pay, formerly known as Android Pay. 

Speaking of the Google Pixel Watch, it’s much sleeker and more elegant in design. Also with a rounded face, it has a smaller 1.24-inch AMOLED always-on display that offers an impressive 1,000 nits of brightness. Customize the screen by choosing from eight different watch faces and adjust accent colors and add complications as well. 

Scratch and splash-resistant with a 5ATM rating (yes, you can swim with it as well), it comes in four color options: A champagne gold case with a Hazel Active band, a matte black case with an Obsidian Active band, a polished silver case with a Chalk Active band, or a polished silver case with a Charcoal Active band. 

It’s made of recycled stainless steel and the bands are interchangeable as well, with more than 20 colors, styles, and materials from which to choose, and both small and large sizes. It has a side rotating crown, which Android Central’s Andrew Myrick says in his review is “both subtle and satisfying” thanks to the haptic feedback. There’s also a hidden button above the crown you can use to access recent apps or press and hold to call up Google Assistant. 

Running Google Wear OS 3.5, like the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5, you can access plenty of Google apps, including Maps, Wallet, Assistant, Gmail, and Calendar, and add more from the Google Play store, like Calm, Runtastic, and Spotify. 

The Google Pixel Watch also comes in a 4G LTE variant so you can connect to a cellular network (with a plan) as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It has Bluetooth 5.0, however, whereas the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 has Bluetooth 5.2 for a presumably more stable, reliable Bluetooth connection. But the 294 mAh battery only runs for up to 24 hours per charge, which could be a dealbreaker for some. You can, however, charge it up to 50 percent in 30 minutes, 80 percent in 55 minutes, or 100 percent in 80 minutes.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch: Specs

Let's take a look at how these two smartwatches compare when it comes to the specifications. 

There are plenty of features that are the same among these two smartwatches, but a handful of noticeable differences.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch: Health, fitness, and more

When it comes down to it, how do these two watches compare and what can they do? 

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 runs on a Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor that offers fast performance, power efficiency, and an overall seamless experience. Indeed, in his review of this smartwatch, Myrick says he had no issues with performance or slow load times and found the processor to be better than he expected. 

With a five-satellite system, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, and Beidou, you’ll get ultra-precise location tracking, great for hikers or those who run, walk, cycle, or perform other outdoor adventures in more remote locations. 

In addition to a built-in compass which, as noted, you can access even when the watch isn’t charged using the ultra-low-power overlay display, it can track biometric pressure and altitude fluctuations with linear progression graphs, further making this a perfect watch for outdoor adventurers. 

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 tracks heart rate 24/7, including providing high and low alerts along with resting and exercise rates, irregular heartbeat notifications, and real-time alerts. You can also take a one-tap measurement of heart rate, blood oxygen, respiratory rate, stress level, and heart health in just 90 seconds for an instant snapshot of your health and wellness at any point in time. 

In addition to detailed sleep analysis, including duration and time spent in light, deep, REM, and awake periods, you can monitor skin temperature as well. 

For exercising, there are more than 100 workout modes built into the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5, including one for open-water swimming. Monitor everything in the Mobvoi Health app, including Vo2 Max, which estimates how well your heart and lungs are doing, and get recovery time insights so you can adjust your training plan accordingly, pushing hard when your body is up for it and taking a rest day when it isn’t.

With the Google Pixel Watch, which runs on an Exynos 9110 SoC Cortex M33 co-processor, all the fitness features come with deep integration with Fitbit. This means you can access all the same data and metrics you would with a Fitbit tracker or smartwatch using the same Fitbit app to which you might already be accustomed. 

The Watch even comes with a free six-month trial to Fitbit Premium, which provides even deeper insights, like a Readiness Score (similar to the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5’s recovery time insights), and downloadable, detailed health reports. With Fitbit Premium, you can also access a wealth of workouts, ranging from yoga to HIIT. (There is a limited selection for free as well). There’s also nutritional information, meditation workouts, and more. 

Through Fitbit, you get heart rate and heart rate variability with notifications, breathing rate measurements, ECG app access, and detailed sleep tracking with a sleep score. It has a four-satellite system for GPS, which is still pretty good, including all the same ones as the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 minus QZSS.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch: Other features

Both these smartwatches can be used to access other Google apps, pay for items using built-in NFC and Google Pay, and access tons of other Google features. You can access apps like YouTube Music, for example. 

The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 not only lets you see notifications from a connected phone, you can also send smart replies with compatible devices. It has a built-in speaker and mic, so you can browse through, dismiss, or even act on incoming messages. However oddly, it does not support Google Assistant. 

The Google Pixel Watch also comes with three months of YouTube Music Premium for listening to music. Along with the seamless integration with other Pixel devices, including Pixel phones and Google Pixel earbuds, you can use the Watch to control compatible smart home devices, doing things like turning the lights on and off from your wrist. 

Additionally, you can ring your phone from the Pixel Watch, ring the Watch from your Pixel Buds, and use Find my Device if you have misplaced something. The Watch also has fall detection and emergency SOS.

Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch: Which should you buy?

It’s a tough decision when looking at the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 vs. Google Pixel Watch. The Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 is perfect for outdoor adventurers who love to hike, swim, cycle, run, or all of the above. The rugged design, decent battery life, powerful satellite system, and clever ultra-low-power secondary display means it will keep up with all your activities, and still provide useful information even if the watch’s battery is running low or you forgot to charge it. In his review, Myrick calls the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 a “beast of a smartwatch,” lauding the battery life, smooth and snappy performance, and “excellent Wear OS experience.” 

The Google Pixel Watch, by contrast, is more of a fashionable statement piece. Don’t get me wrong: it can do a lot of the same things the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 can do, and even comes loaded with a newer version of Wear OS. But it does so with a more understated design. It’s a great watch for connectivity, especially with the 4G LTE version as well as the deep integration with Google features. 

The Fitbit fitness features are great as well, with the free trials a big incentive to jump on board. But the battery life might hold you back, especially if you prefer not to charge your watch daily. And with a potential Google Pixel 2 rumored to be on the horizon, if you’re interested in that watch instead, you actually might be better off waiting for the second-gen model. 

It comes down to personal preference in terms of how they look and these specific differences and what means most to you. But from a features perspective, the dual display, longer battery life, rugged design, Bluetooth 5.2, bigger and higher resolution display, and snappy processor would have me leaning more towards the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 versus the Google Pixel Watch. With that said, the Google Pixel Watch 2 could have some exciting upgrades, including improved battery life, that make it worthwhile to wait if you prefer the design and Fitbit integration.