Reviews You Can Rely On

Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 Review

This subpar watch is a poor performer across the board that we wouldn't recommend
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Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 Review
Credit: Mobvoi
Price:  $200 List
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Manufacturer:   Mobvoi
By Benjamin Hickok and Jared Eastlick  ⋅  Jan 24, 2023
52
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#6 of 6
  • Ease of Use - 15% 4.4
  • Smart Function - 30% 6.0
  • Display - 15% 5.3
  • Health - 20% 4.5
  • Battery - 20% 5.3

Our Verdict

The Mobvoi TicWatch E3 performance wasn't very exceptional overall. Still, it has a fairly good screen, mobile payment support, a range of features and fitness-tracking functions. While it did not see much improvement in the availability of apps over previous versions, it makes strides in NFC/contactless payment processing and taking phone calls when paired with your phone. It also works well with the Android OS, making it a compatible smartwatch for Android users.
REASONS TO BUY
Extended battery option
REASONS TO AVOID
Bulky
Little bang for your bug
Poor screen quality

Compare to Similar Products

 
mobvoi ticwatch e3
This Product
Mobvoi Ticwatch E3
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Smartwatch for iPhones
Editors' Choice Award
Best Smartwatch for Samsung Phones
 Top Pick Award
Best Battery Life
Price $200 List
$119.99 at Amazon
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$350 List
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Bottom Line This wearable doesn't have much going for it, we recommend looking at other optionsThis juggernaut of a smartwatch blew our testers away with the sheer performance of its smart and health featuresAndroid users will not be disappointed with this product. Samsung improves upon previous models while maintaining what they have done wellGoogle's first smartwatch has a lot going for it but lacks a competitive edgeA worthy choice if you are looking for a top-tier Android-compatible option, but definitely not the best model we have tested
Rating Categories Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 Apple Watch Series 8 Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Google Pixel Watch Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3
Ease of Use (15%)
4.4
9.1
8.5
8.6
4.6
Smart Function (30%)
6.0
9.4
8.1
7.3
6.4
Display (15%)
5.3
8.1
8.5
7.7
6.7
Health (20%)
4.5
8.6
7.6
7.4
6.5
Battery (20%)
5.3
6.6
7.5
7.5
7.7
Specs Mobvoi Ticwatch E3 Apple Watch Series 8 Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Google Pixel Watch Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3
Water Resistance IP68 and pool swimming suitable 5 ATM 5 ATM 5 ATM IP68 and pool swimming suitable
NFC (contactless payment) Google Pay Apple Pay Samsung Pay Google Pay Google Pay
GPS Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Built-in Speaker Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Display HD 2.5D curved Always-On Retina LTPO OLED AMOLED AMOLED with DCI-P3 color Dual Display LCD over Retina AMOLED
Resolution 360 x 360 pixels 396 x 484 pixels 396 x 396 pixels 450 x 450 pixels 454 x 454 pixels
HR Monitor Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Other Sensors Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Blood Oxygen
Low Latency Off-Body Sensor
Blood Oxygen
ECG
Skin Temperature
High-g accelerometer
Gyroscope
Compass
Altimeter
Ambient Light
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Barometer
Ambient Light
Compass
ECG
Blood Oxygen
Compass
Altimeter
Blood Oxygen
Multi purpose electrical
ECG
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Ambient Light
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Blood Oxygen
Low Latency Off-Body Sensor
Barometer
Ambient Light
Processor Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 4100 Platform and Mobvoi dual processor system S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor Exynos W920 (Dualcore, 5nm) Exynos 9110 SoC · Cortex M33 co-processor Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 4100 Platform and Mobvoi dual processor system
Operating System WearOS watchOS WearOS WearOS WearOS
Available Sizes 47mm 41 mm, 45mm 40mm, 44mm 41mm 48mm
Size Tested 47mm 45mm 40mm 41mm 48mm

Our Analysis and Test Results

The TicWatch E3 is an improvement over the previous model, but its performance still wasn't exceptional compared to other smartwatches in our lineup.

Performance Comparison


mobvoi ticwatch e3 - a busy watch face with health and fitness tracking metrics.
A busy watch face with health and fitness tracking metrics.
Credit: Laura Casner

Smart Functions


Here we tested the availability and support for popular apps, as well as the ability to take phone calls and control music. We also explored support for wireless payments and the existence (or not) of stand-alone GPS and cellular capabilities.

The app selection on the E3 is smaller than what is supported by our top scorers but still on par with most others. It also makes strides over other wearable models as it can accept and make calls — you can even look at call history. The sound quality is good, making this a great option for those who plan to use their smartwatch to handle phone calls.

Music control overall is on par with higher-end models, Google Pay is supported, and there's a built-in GPS. A minor drawback to the E3 is a lack of independent cellular capability, which would have made the watch a next-level option for handling calls on the move, without the need for a cellphone nearby.

mobvoi ticwatch e3 - the ticwatch doesn't just take calls, it dials out too!
The TicWatch doesn't just take calls, it dials out too!
Credit: Laura Casner

Health


Here we tested the step counter, heart rate monitor, workout tracking, safety features, and additional health features. In our step counting tests, the E3 performed with great accuracy, on par with the best of the best. Unfortunately, when it came to heart rate monitoring, it didn't continue the trend. While it did fine when the user was at rest, it did a poor job monitoring during exercises, often missing a significant number of heartbeats during jumping and high-intensity activities.

The E3 has a good array of default fitness tracking apps, but if you don't enjoy the TicExercise options or experience, you can always use GoogleFit instead. There are no apparent safety features that we could find, so if safety features are important to your smartwatch, you'll want to look at other wearables.

mobvoi ticwatch e3 - the e3 will allow you to track basic health and fitness data, but...
The E3 will allow you to track basic health and fitness data, but there are better options on the market if this is your priority.
Credit: Laura Casner

Battery


Our battery metric tested battery life and recharging performance. We tested the battery life on the E3 under normal use and recorded the time it took to recharge to a 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% charge level. Overall, battery performance left a lot to be desired.

The E3 has an average to below-average battery life of about 21 hours under normal use. The watch's charging performance also proved less than exceptional in our tests. Recharging the device to a 50% charge level took 41 minutes, and a complete charge took 108 minutes. This slow recharge time put the E3 near the bottom of our tests.

mobvoi ticwatch e3 - a fairly bare-bones yet functional device to add convenience to...
A fairly bare-bones yet functional device to add convenience to everyday life.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ease of Use


For this metric, we evaluated water resistance, charging setup, screen responsiveness, and crown or bezel scrolling abilities. The TicWatch E3 was fine in these areas but never exhibited a performance that was more than ordinary.

Unlike other more premium watches with a 50-meter water resistance rating, the E3 is only rated to survive depths of about 1.5 meters, per its IP68 rating. In more general terms, it's probably okay to use during a shallow lap pool workout, but you may be taking a risk by wearing it in the shower or the deep end of a pool.

Mobvoi has stayed with the charging setup used on previous models. Unlike circle chargers on other wearables, where you can simply toss your smartwatch onto a charger, the E3 requires users to align two crescent-shaped pins on the watch. While a bit cumbersome, we do like the security of this setup. The watch stays firmly attached to the charger and, as one of the lightest watches we tested, there is no real danger of it getting knocked off if set precariously on the edge of a desk or nightstand.

Sadly, the E3 lacks any crown or bezel scrolling capabilities, but it excels in regards to screen responsiveness. When turning up the wrist, it performed nearly as well as the top-scorers in our review. The same held true for touch screen and scrolling performance. The watch was again very responsive to touch and swiped screens quickly.

mobvoi ticwatch e3 - physical buttons add ease to touchscreen navigation and interaction...
Physical buttons add ease to touchscreen navigation and interaction on the TicWatch E3.
Credit: Laura Casner

Display


The screen quality on the E3 isn't the best, with stiff competition from premium manufacturers like Apple and Samsung. But, reading text is easy to do in both bright and dark lighting situations, although there's no auto-brightness setting. However, there is an always-on setting available through either the app or the watch, which works well.

mobvoi ticwatch e3 - we've seen better displays on smartwatches.
We've seen better displays on smartwatches.
Credit: Laura Casner

Should You buy the Mobvoi TicWatch E3?


If you are currently an Android user looking for a simple smartwatch that can handle most smart features, the Mobvoi TicWatch E3 is a decent choice. It is a bare-bones smartwatch that builds on the feature set of the previous model. It has the majority of the features you would want from a wearable, and it's also friendly to most budgets. However, increasing your budget a bit will give you a smartwatch that is leagues ahead of it.

What other Smartwatches should you consider?


For those considering spending the extra money for a top-tier Android smartwatch, you can't go wrong with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.

Benjamin Hickok and Jared Eastlick