TicWatch GTX is priced at Rs 5,999 (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)The budget smartwatch segment has got crowded in the past two years. They are targeted at people who want to upgrade from fitness bands or looking for a smartwatch experience on a budget. A few months back, Mobvoi launched their budget segment smartwatch TicWatch GTX in India going up against the likes of Amazfit, Noise, Honor, Huami and others. I used the TicWatch GTX for almost a month and here’s my review.
Mobvoi TicWatch GTX price: Rs 5,999
Mobvoi TicWatch GTX specifications: TicWatch in-house OS | Dimensions – 48.7x11mm | Display – 1.28-inch TFT display with 240 x 240 resolution | Chipset – RLC8762C (40 Mhz), Memory – 160KB RAM / 160MB storage | Connectivity – Bluetooth 5.0 | Water Resistance – IP68 | Sensors – Heart Rate: VCare VC31, Accelerometer: Bosch BMA421 | 200 mAh battery with magnetic charger
TicWatch GTX review: What’s good?
The first thing you will notice about TicWatch GTX is its design and build quality. The dial gives it a sporty look and the strap adds a nice touch. The smartwatch is not lightweight but comfortable to wear and the user can switch between watch faces as per the occasion. Mobvoi did not cut corners as the build quality is robust on the TicWatch GTX and the matte finish makes it look more appealing and expensive than it is. The two buttons look robust and the hint of red on one button adds to the look of the smartwatch. I would give it full marks in this area.
TicWatch Gtx is a smartwatch with sturdy build (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)
It has a 1.28-inch TFT display with 240 x 240 resolution. Mobvoi has gone for its in-house OS. The user interface is very basic, but colourful with all the important information available in a few swipes. There are dedicated widgets on the watch face for step count, heart rate and weather. The notifications on the smartwatch don’t look crisp, but it is something you would expect from a budget smartwatch.
Mobvoi has its own set of apps for tracking fitness and day-to-day activities like TicExercise, TicPulse, TicSleep and others. It has 14 sports modes — outdoor Run, outdoor cycling, jump rope, swimming, indoor walking, rowing, free style, mountain climbing, indoor run, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, indoor cycling and yoga. The indoor options are helpful especially for those who are still reluctant to workout outside due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The heart rate monitor does a good job monitoring it round the clock.
TicWatch GTX menu (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)
The battery back up of the smartwatch is impressive as it almost lasts as advertised. The battery consumption is subjective depending upon how many notifications you receive in a day and for how many apps you have turned notifications on. It lasted more than six days easily on a single charge for me. It was easy to juice up the smartwatch with the magnetic charger it comes with. The smartwatch takes two hours to get fully charged and be ready for almost a week’s use.
TicWatch GTX runs on its proprietary OS (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)
TicWatch GTX review: What’s not good?
There is a visible lag when you are scrolling through the watch’s interface, which is hard to ignore. The display looks dull when you are using it in sunlight and the absence of an always-on display makes it less promising. I noticed that it did not always record the steps when I walked up and down the staircase. If you are one of the users who wants more variety in watch faces, you may be a bit disappointed. There is no SpO2 monitor on the smartwatch either which has become a popular feature to have even on a budget smartwatch.
TicWatch GTX is not lightweight but comfortable enough (Express Photo: Arun Rawal)
TicWatch GTX review: Should you buy it?
On a budget, TicWatch GTX is a good smartwatch that gets the job done, from tracking your fitness activities to helping you stay connected to your phone. Its build quality and looks make it more appealing for customers as it shows the promise of being durable for a long period of time. From a style perspective, it can be a companion for your gym, cycling, other fitness activities and perhaps your office meetings and outings if you still have a lot of those.
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