Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas review: Balancing toughness with thoughtful refinements
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas
Pros
- Rugged design with durable materials
- Excellent battery life with multiple power modes
- Dual-display setup for versatility and efficiency
- Comprehensive health and fitness tracking
- Affordable for a Wear OS smartwatch
Cons
- Chunky design may not appeal to everyone
- Only compatible with Android; no iOS support
- No LTE variant for phone-free connectivity
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas: One minute review
If you’re looking for a quality Wear OS smartwatch under $400, the Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas is hard to beat. It offers rugged durability, excellent battery life, and the dual-display setup Mobvoi is known for. These features make it a great choice for anyone who needs a watch that can handle outdoor adventures while doubling as a stylish, everyday accessory.
That said, the Atlas is more of an all-rounder than a dedicated sports watch. While it covers the basics well and adds useful features like VO2 Max, Recovery Time, and a colorful heart rate backlight, it lacks advanced metrics such as HRV tracking and dual-frequency GPS. The absence of an LTE variant and iOS compatibility are other notable gaps in an otherwise strong offering.
Sharing the same internals and software as the Pro 5 and Enduro, the Atlas differentiates itself with its bold and substantial design. For Android users seeking a reliable, feature-packed smartwatch without stretching their budget, the TicWatch Atlas offers an excellent balance of performance and versatility.
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas review: Technical specs
The three iterations of the current generation all typically sell for $350. That’s because they are very similar, as shown in the table below. Pro 5 Enduro and Atlas have the same case build, while all three have identical display specs, chipset, memory, GNSS tech, battery life, water resistance and military standard certifications.
Specification | TicWatch Atlas | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions | 52.2 x 47.8 x 12.05 | 50.15 x 48 x 11.95 mm | 50.15 x 48 x 12.2 mm |
Weight (without straps) | 47.2 grams | 44.7 grams | 44.35 grams |
Lens | Sapphire Crystal | Sapphire Crystal | Corning Gorilla Glass |
Strap | Fluororubber (Interchangeable, 24mm) | Fluororubber (Interchangeable, 24mm) | Solid Silicone (Interchangeable, 24mm) |
Revamped button/crown | Yes | No | No |
SOS / Fall detection | Yes | Firmware update rolling out now | Firmware update rolling out now |
Heatmap feature | Yes | Firmware update rolling out now | Firmware update rolling out now |
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas review: Design, hardware
Look & feel
- Rugged, lightweight design with durable materials
- Dual-display with vibrant AMOLED and power-saving panel
- Scratch-resistant screen, ergonomic buttons, customizable band
The TicWatch Atlas sticks to the rugged DNA of its predecessors. And while it keeps the tough look, a closer inspection reveals a few cosmetic updates.
The build is as great as ever, with a sand-blasted stainless steel case, 7000-series aluminum, and fiberglass-reinforced nylon. The device is tough enough for just about anything, thanks to its 5 ATM waterproof rating and MIL-STD-810H certification, but still lightweight and comfy for all-day wear.
Like before there is only one case size. But its dimensions are a tiny bit chunkier than the other variants, giving it a stronger presence on the wrist. It seems Mobvoi has doubled-down on masculine looking timepieces.
The bezel now features a series of numbers, with bold orange accents pointing to the crown and single pusher. Which gives it a more purposeful appearance. This subtle refinements define Atlas as a thoughtful evolution rather than a dramatic departure.
Having said that, what I would like to see is a more feminine version of the same – a thinner and more lightweight timepiece. I suppose a sacrifice might be battery life, but I am sure there would be a market for such a device.
The display is where the Atlas really shines. In fact it is what Mobvoi is best known for.
The company has retained its signature dual-screen setup, featuring a 1.43-inch AMOLED paired with an Ultra-Low Power (ULP) panel. The AMOLED is vibrant and clear, offering excellent visibility even in bright sunlight. The secondary ULP display provides essential information like time, health metrics, and notifications while conserving battery. It also changes in colour when you are exercising so you know at a glance what heart rate zone you are in.
Just like Pro 5 Enduro and unlike the Pro 5, Atlas has a sapphire crystal cover. This offers exceptional scratch and impact resistance, ensuring it remains pristine even in very demanding environments. That’s one upgrade to keep in mind.
Another noteworthy design element is the fluororubber band. It retains the comfort and breathability familiar from the Enduro, while its interchangeable nature allows for customization, whether you prefer a sportier or more formal look. This adaptability underscores the Atlas’s dual-purpose design, capable of transitioning seamlessly between outdoor pursuits and more polished settings.
Overall, the TicWatch Atlas is a great looking timepiece. It refines the rugged aesthetic established by the Enduro, tweaking it with a few subtle design changes. Think of it as another design iteration of the same device. Available in Black and Silver, the timepiece is built to handle rough conditions but still looks good enough for everyday use.
Under the hood
- Same internals as predecessors with Snapdragon W5+ and full sensor suite
- Exceptional battery life: 90 hours Smart Mode, 45 days Essential Mode
- Great for outdoor use with built-in GPS and efficient power-saving features
This is pretty much the third iteration of a watch with the same internals. Under the hood, the TicWatch Pro Atlas retains the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 chip found in the Pro 5 and Pro 5 Enduro. This ensures a smooth and responsive experience, with fast app loading.
The Atlas also inherits the comprehensive suite of sensors. These include PPG heart rate, SpO2, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, skin temperature, and a compass. There appear to be no changes in this area. Satellite connectivity (GPS + Beidou + Glonass + Galileo + QZSS) support is also there, along with a built-in microphone, speaker, and NFC.
One of the highlights of this watch, though, is it battery life. As far as wearOS watches go, it is a beast. That’s largely thanks to the low-power secondary display and sizeable battery.
In Smart Mode, which is what you will typically use, the thing can keep going for up to 90 hours. Exactly how much – really depends on your settings and usage. A quick 30-minute charge provides nearly two days of use. Refuelling uses the same proprietary magnetic puck with USB-A as before.
With heavy GPS and health tracking, the watch still lasts several days, making it a solid choice for outdoor adventures or busy lifestyles—something rare among Wear OS devices.
There is also an Essential Mode. It keeps the thing going up to 45 days. This mode disables Wear OS, relying on the energy-efficient LCD to conserve power. Then there are other Battery-saving features. For example, you can enable auto-switching to Essential Mode during sleep, which can be reactivated with a long press of the flat button. So quite a few options to play around with.
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas review: Health & fitness tracking
- Mobvoi Health app handles setup and tracking but is Android-only
- Sleep tracking is detailed, including a snoring feature
- SOS and Fall Detection are useful but can be overly sensitive at times
As far as basic health and fitness features, there are no real differences between Atlas and other watches in the Pro 5 range. Everything is managed from the Mobvoi Health app. Which means you do not need to fire up the Google Watch app for setup. Mobvoi’s proprietary software manages the initial pairing, syncs activity data, and provides detailed visualization and analysis of your health metrics.
Currently, the app is only available for Android users, leaving iOS users without support. Hopefully Mobvoi will release an iOS version at some stage.
The watch provides all the essential health data, and it appears to be fairly accurate. Most of this information is viewable directly on the watch, but for more detailed insights, your smartphone is the better option. Mobvoi Health organizes its features into three main sections: Statistics, Device, and Account. The Statistics section gives access to health and activity data, Device allows you to manage watch settings and faces, while Account handles user profile options.
Users can track a wide range of metrics, including steps, calories, heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, and stairs climbed. It’s worth delving into the settings to unlock additional features, like more detailed stress monitoring. After enabling every available option, I found it had minimal impact on battery life.
One notable omission, however, is heart rate variability (HRV) tracking and a comprehensive Recovery Metric. These are becoming standard features, even on fitness bands, so it’s disappointing that the TicWatch Atlas, like its predecessors, lacks them. Since HRV can be tracked via the optical heart rate sensor, there’s hope Mobvoi will address this with a future firmware update.
The sleep tracking is especially detailed, with a snoring function that works surprisingly well. It’s not activated natively from the watch, though—you need to enable it via the smartphone app before sleep and turn it off in the morning.
SOS and Fall Detection
TicWatch Atlas also brings SOS and Fall Detection to the table. Currently, a firmware update is being rolled out for the Pro 5 and Pro 5 Enduro, adding this feature to those devices as well.
This feature is handy when you’re exploring or exercising in remote areas. However, I found it can be a bit too sensitive when it comes to detecting falls. The good news is you can choose whether you want continuous monitoring or just during exercise. If it triggers a false alarm, the watch will ask if you’re okay and give you time to cancel the alert to your emergency contacts. You can also manually trigger a call by pressing the crown multiple times.
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas review: Sports tracking
- Over 100 workout modes with variable GPS and heart rate accuracy
- Color-changing backlight tracks heart rate intensity in real time
- Heat Map feature visualizes sports activities via GPS
Shifting focus to sports, the TicWatch Pro 5 offers over 100 professional workout modes, with some featuring auto-recognition that performs quite well. TicMotion, the auto-workout detection, now displays real-time stats on the low-power screen before you confirm the workout, which is a nice touch.
Mind you, this is no sports watch. The device lacks dual-frequency GPS, the ability to pair with an external heart rate monitor or an option to export workouts as GPX files. Think of TicWatch Atlas as a smartwatch with some basic sports tracking functionality.
As a keen runner, I’m always most interested in run-tracking capabilities of devices. GPS is fairly good, typically it slightly overestimates the distance as compared to the Garmin on my other wrist. But I did test in heavily built-up areas in Central London, and the difference was not big. The Mobvoi was also a bit slower to acquire the initial satellite signal, but the wait was never more than a minute or two long.
As far as heart rate tracking, it is more of a mixed bag. Sometimes it is spot on, but I did have an occasion where one part of the run was clearly not being tracked accurately. I suppose it is to do with the positioning of the watch on your wrist. If you make sure the strap is tight around your wrist and you check that it is accurately capturing heart rate before you start your run – you should be ok.
One standout feature I really appreciate is the way the low-power display’s backlight changes color based on your heart rate during exercise. The colors shift through a gradient, starting with blue and moving to green, yellow, orange, and ultimately red, reflecting the intensity of your workout. This dynamic feedback makes it easy to see at a glance whether you’re within your target heart rate zone or if you need to adjust your pace. It’s an intuitive and practical way to stay on track, and notably, it’s a feature I haven’t encountered on any non-Mobvoi smartwatch.
The data that you get can be seen in the screenshots below. Its all the usual suspects. As far as more advanced performance metrics, you do get Vo2Max and Recovery Time.
Also worth a mention is the new Heat Map feature, also currently rolling out to Pro 5 and Enduro. Using GPS and network connectivity, the watch lets you create heat maps for various sports, including American football, Aussie rules, basketball, rugby, soccer, tennis, and even Frisbee. Your movements are captured and displayed as a satellite image, offering a visual representation of your activity.
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas review: Smartwatch features
- Wear OS 4+ with Google Wallet, Spotify, and smart home controls
- Customizable with Alexa support but no Google Assistant
The TicWatch Atlas runs on Google’s Wear OS 4+, offering a smooth, intuitive experience with straightforward navigation. While Wear OS 5 hasn’t arrived yet, it’s likely to roll out in the coming months. Maybe not such a bad thing they are not rushing out considering the issues some watches are having with the latest version of Google’s operating system.
As a fully-featured smartwatch, the Atlas covers the essentials and more. It supports contactless payments via Google Wallet, offers media playback controls, and allows independent Spotify playback. Google Maps navigation is built-in, as is smart home management, providing a well-rounded suite of tools. Mobvoi has also included a variety of its own health and fitness apps, adding to the watch’s versatility.
Customization is a strong point, with an array of watch faces available to suit individual tastes. Users can even personalize the functionality of the physical button, which adds convenience. While you can install Alexa, there’s still no native support for Google Assistant. A curious omission in an otherwise comprehensive package.
On a final note, the TicWatch Atlas doesn’t offer an LTE option. Being able to stay connected without your phone would make a big difference, especially for those on the go. Hopefully, Mobvoi considers adding this feature as an option in the future.
Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas review: Should I buy?
Buy it if…
- You want a rugged, durable smartwatch with excellent build quality and a dual-display design.
- Long battery life, including up to 90 hours in Smart Mode, is a priority.
- You appreciate versatile features for both fitness tracking and daily smartwatch use.
Dont buy it if…
- Advanced sports metrics like dual-frequency GPS or HRV tracking are a priority.
- You need an LTE connection for phone-free usage.
- You’re an iOS user, as Mobvoi Health is Android-only.
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