I just learnt that in China the number 4 is associated with bad luck, seems this is why Mobvoi skipped the number 4 and preferred to call their most recent watch Ticwatch Pro 5 which succeeds the Ticwatch Pro 3. Samsung on the other hand surprised everyone in 2022 when they decided to release a Galaxy Watch 5 alongside Galaxy Watch 5 Pro in place of a Galaxy Watch 5 Classic. However, they returned back to the status quo in 2023 by releasing a Galaxy Watch 6 and a Galaxy Watch 6 Classic which is the true successor to Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.
For reference purposes, I still think the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic despite having a newer chip, still falls behind the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro which has a superior build quality and longer battery life. So you might want to agree with me that the Watch5 Pro still holds sway as the best Samsung watch even in 2023.
On the other hand, the Ticwatch Pro 5 which is already rated as one of the best smartwatches of 2023 has all the attributes of a modern watch. It’s beautifully designed and has an awesome display, plus loads of health-tracking features and a decent battery life. Above all, it’s packed with a monster Snapdragon W5+ chip that delivers an incredible performance.
Main Differences Between Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and Ticwatch Pro 5
Evidently, the decision between the Ticwatch Pro 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a very daisy one. So which is better?
In summary, despite being $150 more expensive, I’ll pick the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro over the Ticwatch Pro 5. This is absolutely my personal opinion, and I’ll state my reasons. Although the Ticwatch Pro 5 has a very durable build, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro with a titanium frame and sapphire glass is sturdier.
Secondly, while the Pro 5 has loads of interesting features, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features ECG and blood pressure measurements. It also features a route import function that will allow you to import and explore your favorite routes directly on the watch.
Thirdly, it’s true that Ticwatch Pro 5 ships with Wear OS 3.5 out of the box, but going by Mobvoi’s culture of delay in updating their watches one can’t really say when the Pro 5 will receive Wear OS 4. In fact, it took Mobvoi over 18 months to announce beta testing for their older watches.
Meanwhile, Samsung is already rolling out Wear OS 4 on the Galaxy Watch 4 and 5 series. This is laced with One UI 5 Watch – Samsung’s proprietary software that modifies Wear OS to improve user experience. In other words, even though both watches run on the Wear OS platform, the user interface on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is slightly different from that of the Ticwatch Pro 5.
Wear OS 4 is the latest operating system for Wear OS watches. It brings Material You to your wrist, has more apps and has less impact on battery life.
There is also no Google Assistant on the Ticwatch Pro 5. However, according to 9to5, Mobvoi is working with Google to add Assistant to their watches.
So, those are my reasons for choosing the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro over the Ticwatch Pro 5. However, being powered by a more advanced 4nm W5+ chip paired with 2GB of RAM, the Ticwatch Pro 5 boasts a slightly better performance. It also has higher 32GB onboard storage which is twice of the Watch5 Pro, and the icing on the cake, is it’s dual display architecture which will ensure you can go longer from a single charge. Yet, it’s $350 compared to $450 of Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Like I said earlier, it’s a very daisy call but I’ll go with Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Galaxy Watch 5 Pro vs Ticwatch Pro 5 Full Specifications
| Product Info |
 Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Full Specifications, Features, Price |
 Ticwatch Pro 5 Full Smartwatch Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $265.00 | $349.99 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro | Ticwatch Pro 5 |
| Device type | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Classic smartwatch |
| Gender | Men, Unisex | Men |
| Release date | August 2022 | May, 2023 |
| Predecessor | Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic | Ticwatch Pro 3 |
| Successor | — | — |
| Versions | Bluetooth/WiFi only, LTE | — |
| BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 45.4 x 45.4 x 10.5 mm | 48 x 50.1 x 12.2 mm |
| Weight | 46.5g (excluding straps) | (excluding straps), 44.3g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular, Curved |
| Case material | Titanium | Aluminum/high-strength nylon |
| Strap material | Silicone | Fluororubber |
| Bezel material | Titanium | Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 20 mm | 24mm |
| Interchangeable strap | 20mm, Yes | 24mm, Yes |
| Screen protection | Sapphire glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Durability test | MIL-STD-810G | MIL-STD-810H |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color | Black, Gray | Sandstone, Obsidan |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.4 inches | 1.43 inches |
| Display type | Super AMOLED, Full color | AMOLED, FSTN, Full color |
| Display resolution | 450 x 450 | 466 x 466 pixels |
| Pixel density | 454.5 PPI | 326 ppi |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 2 Physical buttons, Digital rotating bezel, Touchscreen | 1 Haptic rotating crown, 1 Physical button, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v5.2 |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | A-GPS/GLONASS/Beidou/Galileo | BEIDOU, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 1.5GB | 2GB RAM |
| ROM | 16GB | 32GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | No | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | - | Yes |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No |
| Radio | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Sensor(s) | BIA sensor | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Latency off-body sensor, PPG Heart rate sensor, Skin temperature sensor, Spo2 sensor |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | Yes | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | Yes | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | Yes | No |
| Menstrual cycle | No | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | — | Yes |
| On-screen workout | Yes | No |
| Sport modes | 90 | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | 590mAh | 628mAh |
| Battery life | Up to 80hrs | Up to 45 days (FSTN display), Up to 80hrs (AMOLED display) |
| Charging type | Charging dock, WPC based wireless charging | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 30min-1hr | 30min-1hr, (Fast charging) |
| Solar charging | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | Exynos W920 | Snapdragon W5+ |
| CPU | 1.18GHz Dual-core (Cortex-A55) | 1.7GHz Quad-core CPU ARM Cortex A53 |
| GPU | Mali™-G68 MP2 | Adreno 702 |
| Operating system | Wear OS 3.5 | Wear OS 3.5 |
| MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Samsung Galaxy Wearable app | Ticwatch App |
| Compatibility | Android 6.0+, RAM 1.5GB+ | Android OS 8.0+ |
| Payment system | Google Pay, Samsung Pay | Google Pay |
| Voice command | Google Assistant, Yes, Bixby | Yes, Alexa, Google Assistant (to be added in future) |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Manual, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, Straps | Charger, Manual, Straps, Ticwatch Pro 5 |
Galaxy Watch 5 Pro vs Ticwatch Pro 5 Features Compared
Design
Taking a look at the designs of the Pro 5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro, it’s very obvious that both watches are durably built. Both watches are rated 5ATM which means these two are water resistant up to 50 meters. Both watches are also certified MIL-STD-810H – a US military grade rating that certifies a device as rugged and ready to withstand harsh weather conditions. So clearly, each of these is rugged and tough.
However, while Ticwatch Pro 5 has an aluminum/high-strength nylon frame with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protecting the display, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has a superior build. The frame is titanium and the screen is sapphire glass – these are premium materials seen only on premium watches. One advantage of sapphire is that it’s highly scratch-resistant. This is why despite having no screen guard and having used the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro for the past 8 months, there is no single scratch on the glass.
In terms of comfortability, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is slightly more compact, though thanks to its aluminum frame, the Pro 5 weighs a little less. Going by their respective case sizes, it’s still within the average of 45mm. On that note, I would say both watches are comfortable to wear. Reaffirming that claim, I haven’t had any problem wearing my GW5 Pro all day.
The strap sizes differ. Samsung since 2021 adopted the 20mm strap size for their watches while Mobvoi chose a 24mm strap size for the Pro 5. While both watches have interchangeable straps, 24mm isn’t very common. Meanwhile, 20mm and 22mm are the industry standards, so you will have loads of choices to choose from.
Based on the design, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has a superior build to the Ticwatch Pro 5.
Display
Each of the watches has an AMOLED-powered display that’s very colorful and easy to read. I haven’t had any issues reading complications on my Galaxy Watch 5 Pro even when I’m outdoors. Though the Pro 5 has a 0.3 inch bigger display which might seem insignificant, but for a watch, every inch matters.
The Ticwatch Pro series is popularly known for its dual display architecture that lets users easily swap between two displays. With the Pro 5 you have the option to choose between a more colorful AMOLED and low-power FSTN display also referred to as the secondary display. The FSTN display has a low impact on battery which will allow the device to last up to 45 days.
It’s even better now as unlike Ticwatch Pro 3 where the secondary display only offers one color option, the secondary display on the Pro 5 features 18 different color pallets. Moreover, even when the secondary display is activated, the watch can still track your steps, heart rate and even sleep.
Interacting with both watches is also easy. You have two physical buttons on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro while the Pro 5 like Apply watches has a rotating digital crown in addition to a flat physical button. Both watches also have touch-sensitive displays, and in addition, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features a digital rotating bezel which I often find very useful.
No doubt, both watches have awesome displays, however, the dual display architecture of the Pro 5 gives it an edge over that of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Health Tracking
One of the major selling points of smartwatches is their ability to track your daily activities, and in this regard, both the Pro 5 and Watch 5 Pro are well-equipped to track your daily activities.
Both watches will track your steps, calories, sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen and stress. Both watches also have inbuilt GPS and feature loads of preloaded sports modes.
However, like older Galaxy Watches, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features ECG and blood pressure measurements which are not available on the Pro 5. Moreover, with the route import function, you can import and explore your favorite routes directly on the Watch 5 Pro. That’s not possible yet with the Ticwatch Pro 5.
So, as par activity tracking, while both watches are well equipped to track your daily activities, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro offers more features. You should also note that while Samsung offers all its sleep tracking features for free, Mobvoi like Fitbit (now owned by Google) wants you to pay to get more sleep insights.
Performance and Operating System
In all honesty, I have enjoyed an awesome experience with the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro – it responded fast to every request. However, I kid you not, the Snapdragon W5+ chip powering the Pro 5 is a monster. In contrast to the 5nm process and 1.18GHz of Exynos W920 in the GW5 Pro, the W5+ chip is based on a 4nm process and boasts up to 1.7GHz clock speed. Moreover, while the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has 1.5GB RAM, it’s 2GB RAM for the Pro 5 which certainly makes it a faster device.
In terms of the operating system, both watches run on Wear OS 3.5, however, Samsung is already rolling out Wear OS 4 to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Considering that it took Mobvoi over 18 months to start bringing Wear OS 3 to older Ticwatches, it is obvious that Wear OS 4 won’t come to the Pro 5 any soon.
Meanwhile, there isn’t much difference between Wear 4 and 3. However, the former brings Material You to your wrists which improves users’ experience. It also improves battery life and makes backup a lot easier.
Media Storage and Bluetooth Calls
Music in my ears is a golden experience, it’s also the motivation I need to write and do almost every task. The ability to enjoy music directly on your watch is a major factor for smartwatches. On this note, the Pro 5 with a massive 32GB storage capacity dwarfs the 16GB of Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. You can transfer your personal music to both watches or you can use music streaming services like YouTube Music and Spotify to enjoy music. Personally, Spotify has been my preferred choice.
Both watches also have a microphone and speaker that will allow you to take calls directly from the watch when your phone is nearby. Though, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro like older Galaxy Watches is available in Bluetooth and LTE models. The LTE model is a standalone watch that’s equipped with an eSIM that enables the watch to make and receive calls totally independent of your phone.
There is an LTE model of the Ticwatch Pro 3, but not for the Pro 5. Perhaps, Mobvoi might release an LTE version in the Future.
As a result of the microphone in both watches, you should be able to use your voice to perform simple tasks using services like Google Assistant. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has both Google Assistant and Samsung’s proprietary Bixby. In contrast, the Pro 5 doesn’t have any voice assistant. Though, Mobvoi is working with Google to bring Google Assistant to the Pro 5.
Battery Life
When the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro was released last year, its battery life was one of the main talking points. It packs a big 590mAh and on average I get about 3 days. It’s up to 80hrs with the Pro 5 – thanks to its big 628mAh battery capacity. Moreover, when the essential FSTN display is activated, you can get up to 45 days of battery life, yet the Pro 5 will still be able to track your steps, sleep and heart rate.
On that note, while the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has a decent battery life, the Ticwatch Pro 5 wins as far as battery life is concerned.
My Verdict
Like I said earlier, the decision between these two watches is a very daisy one. However, for me, I’ll go with the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. The performance is great and the battery life is also awesome. Moreover, it has a superior build and more activity-tracking features.
On the other hand, the Ticwatch Pro 5 is $100 cheaper, yet it has a superior chipset that ensures better performance, storage is bigger and the battery life is longer. The build quality is also great and it is a comprehensive activity tracker. It’s certainly a better bargain.
