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Ticwatch 2 vs. Apple Watch

Jerry Li
Updated ·10 min read
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In this comparison I will compare the top 5 difference between the Ticwatch 2 and Apple Watch.

Appearances. Price. Hardware. Software. Fitness.


Appearances



Ticwatch 2 has two bezel designs. One design uses black (Charcoal) or silver (Snow) anodized aluminum. The second, more premium design uses black plated (Onyx) or bare (Oak) cold forged 316L stainless steel. Regardless of which one you choose, they will set you apart from the crowd. All four materials have a silky texture that not only feels good in the hand, but also earns you compliments wherever you go.



The Apple Watch has many design options, ranging from aluminum to gold plating. However, each style is significantly more expensive than the last. It ranges from at two hundred ninety-nine to an upper limit of seventeen thousand US dollars. The higher price tags do not change the internal hardware. The only aspect that changes is material of the watch shell. At the same time, the Ticwatch styles range from one hundred ninety-nine to two hundred ninety-nine US dollars. Is it really worth the extra sixteen thousand-seven-hundred US dollars to have easily damaged gold plating on your watch?

Price

The Ticwatch 2 starts at a Kickstarter super early bird price of ninety-nine to an upper limit of one hundred ninety-nine US dollars. Retail prices for Ticwatch 2 are one hundred ninety-nine to two hundred ninety-nine US dollars. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch starts at two hundred ninety-nine to an upper limit of seventeen thousand US dollars. Yes, it is seventeen thousand, not seventeen hundred. The top of the line Apple Watch costs more than fifty-six times more than the top of the line Ticwatch 2. You will notice some differences in material choice when the Apple Watch is compared to the Ticwatch 2 Onyx model. But, are they really sixteen thousand-seven-hundred US dollars of differences? Lets dig in and find out.

Hardware

The main hardware in the Ticwatch 2 are

  • Strap Width 20mm

  • Shell Anodized Aluminum/Forged 316L Stainless Steel & Polycarbonate

  • OS Ticware 4.0 Global Edition

  • Compatibility iOS 8.0+/Android 4.3+

  • Chipset MTK MT2601, 1.2GHZ dual-core

  • RAM/Rom 512M/4G

  • Display 1.4inch OLED display, 400x400, 287 dpi

  • Always-on Mode Yes

  • Bluetooth Bluetooth v4.1

  • Wifi 802.11 b/g/n

  • GPS Glonass + GPS + Beidou

  • Sensors Optical Heartrate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope

  • Mic/Speaker Yes/Yes

  • Battery 300 mah

  • Charging Magnetic Wireless Charging

The main hardware in the Apple Watch are

  • Strap Width 38mm/42mm

  • Shell Anodized Aluminum/Stainless Steel/18 Karat Gold

  • OS watchOS 2

  • Compatibility iPhone 5 or later

  • Chipset Apple S1 SoC

  • RAM/Rom 512M/8G

  • Display 1.65inch square AMOLED 340x272, 390x312

  • Always-on Mode No

  • Bluetooth Bluetooth v4.0

  • Wifi 802.11 b/g/n

  • GPS None

  • Sensors Heartrate Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope

  • Mic/Speaker Yes/Yes

  • Battery 250mah

  • Charging Wireless Charging

The Shell

The shell of the Ticwatch 2 consists of a combination of Anodized Aluminum, 316L Stainless steel, and Polycarbonate depending on which model that you select. The Apple Watch shell consists of Anodized Aluminum, Stainless Steel or 18 Karat gold depending on which model you select. Yes, the 18 Karat gold plating of the Apple Watch that costs seventeen thousand dollars looks great. However, it has a higher risk of scratches than the 316L Stainless steel on the Ticwatch 2 Oak and Onyx priced at two hundred forty-nine and two hundred ninety-nine. Are the aesthetics of a scratch-prone gold plating worth the higher price?

Display


The display of a smartwatch is as, if not more important than the shell around it. Ticwatch 2 uses a round 1.4inch OLED display with a resolution of 400x400. Apple Watch has a square 1.65 inch AMOLED display with a resolution of either 340x272 or 390x312 depending 38mm or 42mm model. The blacks on each display are the deep blacks that we have come to expect from the OLED display technology. Out of the two watches, Ticwatch 2 is the only one that offers Ambient Display feature. Apple have not officially responded to public questions why they did not include Ambient Display, however in my opinion it is an attempt to increase their battery life.

Display Glass
The Ticwatch 2, Onyx model priced at two hundred ninety-nine dollars has a sapphire crystal display. However, you have to pay six hundred forty-nine dollars for the 38mm Stainless Steel Case Apple Watch with brown leather strap if you would like to have sapphire crystal. Apple charges a minimum of three hundred and fifty dollars to go from anti-scratch glass to sapphire crystal. Ticwatch 2 charges only one hundred dollars on top of base price to purchase a model with sapphire crystal. There are no objective reasons for Apple to charge so much for sapphire crystal if Ticwatch 2 could offer the same material for much less.

Battery
Ticwatch 2 is powered by a 300mah battery and the Apple Watch has a 250mah battery. 50mah may not seem like a lot, however in a smartwatch every bit counts. In this situation, the extra 50mah may be why Ticwatch 2 could offer Ambient Display mode and Apple Watch does not. Ticwatch 2 is rated for up to twenty hours of normal use. Apple Watch is rated for up to eighteen hours of use depending on configurations and settings. The Apple Watch has a shorter battery life, it lacks useful features such as Ambient Display and hands free gesture controls. Ticwatch 2 is the better choice for users that want a watch that will last them all day and offer convenient features.

Connectivity
Ticwatch supports wireless 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.1. Apple Watch supports wireless 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0. Ticwatch 2's Wi-Fi connection can be used by apps to connect to the internet and download firmware updates over Wi-Fi. Similarly, the Apple Watch's Wi-Fi connection can be used by apps that require the internet when it is not connected an iPhone.

Fitness Tracking



The Ticwatch 2 has a whole suite of sensors and antennas that allow you to use it as a standalone fitness tracker and music player. Its Glonass, GPS, and Beidou chipsets makes it possible for users to leave their phone at home and still track their workout and running details. Despite its significantly higher price tag, the Apple Watch does not have any GPS chipsets. The Ticwatch 2 is the best option if you want a versatile fitness tracker that works without being chained to a smartphone.

Software

The Apple Watch runs on watchOS 2.2.2 last updated in July, 2016. The Ticwatch 2 runs on Ticwear OS Global Edition last updated in August, 2016. The Mobvoi team has committed to monthly updates for the Ticwatch 2. Your Ticwatch 2 will always be on the latest operating system.
One of many standout differences between the Ticwatch 2 and Apple Watch is that the Ticwatch 2 supports both Android and iOS devices, whereas the Apple Watch only supports iOS devices. After experiencing a smartwatch compatible with both Android and iOS it is difficult to transition back to a watch that is locked to one ecosystem. You can stop charging two watches. Simply drop the Ticwatch 2 on the pad and walk away. Your watch will work with whichever phone you choose to use the next day. You are in control when you use the Ticwatch 2, not the other way around.



A software feature that is available on the Ticwatch 2, but not the Apple Watch is Ambient mode display. Ambient mode display allows the watch to show the time, date, temperature, and battery level in a low power grayscale mode. It is useful when you want to discreetly check the time without touching it like you would have to with an Apple Watch. You can activate Ambient mode using the Cover gesture or by pressing the crown once.



Ticwatch 2 has a feature called Tickle, a touch sensitive strip on the side opposite from the crown. It offers an intuitive method of navigating through applications and throughout the Ticware OS Global Edition. Apple Watch has a similar feature called the Digital Crown. As its name suggests it is a crown on the right side of the watch that you could use to scroll through menus. It is not as intuitive as the Tickle since you have to think about scrolling it as opposed to intuitively swiping your finger on the Tickle strip.



Another important difference between the two smartwatches is the ability to be used as fitness tracker without requiring the user to pair a phone to it. The Apple Watch is not able to do this, thus if you want to use it as a fully functional fitness tracker you must bring your phone with you. Ticwatch 2 allows you track your workouts without forcing you to bring your phone with you. Despite buying armbands and running vests, it is still very cumbersome to keep my phone on me while running. Using the Ticwatch 2 phone-free fitness tracking with GPS recording solved my issues.

Something small, but immensely annoying is the how you take a screenshot on the Apple Watch. On the Apple Watch you have to first navigate to what you want to screenshot. Then, hold the side button and immediately press and release the Digital Crown or else it will not work. On the Ticwatch 2, all you have to do is double tap the Crown and a screenshot is sent to your phone. It is a better user experience than the Apple Watch.

AI Voice Interaction





Both the Ticwatch 2 and the Apple Watch offers AI (Artificial Intelligence) voice assistants. They can both be called upon using an activation word to perform an array of things such as call friend from your phone book, find a restaurant, or add a reminder to the calendar.

Hands-free Gesture Control



The Ticwatch 2 supports using Flip and Knock gestures to answer phone calls, activate AI voice assistance, and controlling your music players. Despite its announcement nearly two years ago, the Apple Watch still does not offer any hands-free gestures besides lift to wake. There are no technological or hardware limitations that prevent Apple from supporting these features. Thus, in the hands-free gesture control capabilities category Ticwatch 2 is clearly superior.

Phone Companion Apps





Both watches have companion apps on the phone that allow you to control settings on the watch. The Ticwatch 2 companion app allows users to add and change watchfaces, manage notification settings, and launch the Ticwear Store to download more apps for your Ticwatch. The companion app for Apple Watch has feature sets similar to the Ticwatch app. Companion apps for both watches were well made with little to no issues during my testing.

Final Verdict

After spending an extensive amount of time with both smartwatches, I realized that the only thing that matters is, the user experience. Ticwatch 2's hardware and software came together and created a spectacular experience for me. I was impressed by Ticwatch 2's smooth transitions between apps and hands-free gestures that allowed me to safely answer and reject calls while driving. However, the Apple Watch disappointed me despite its massive amount of hype. Therefore, the Ticwatch 2 is a better smartwatch than the Apple Watch.

Please click here for a full review of the Ticwatch 2 (https://www.engadget.com/2016/07/27/ticwatch-2-the-new-gold-standard/)

Please click here for our Announcement of Ticwatch 2's 2 Million Dollar Kickstarter Campaign
(https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/24/ticwatch-2-most-successful-chinese-kickstarter/)