Ticwatch s2 review in Spanish (complete analysis)

The Chinese company Mobvoi continues its journey with the launch of the TicWatch S2, one of its new smartwatch models together with the TicWatch E2. Both were presented at this latest CES 2019 with features such as a larger battery than first-generation models or a water resistance of up to 5 atmospheres, allowing it to withstand splashes, rain, showering and even swimming in surface water. These watches that maintain an average price and focus on the sporty aspect, do not outperform the TicWatch Pro in regards to its double screen or autonomy, but they do maintain the same SnapDragon Wear 2100 processor, which we have been seeing for a couple of years, and Google's Wear OS system.

TicWatch S2 Technical Features

Unboxing

A cube-shaped box of about 9 x 9 cm in gray is the first contact we will have when we get the TicWatch S2. Two of its faces show an image of the watch, two others some of its characteristics and the last one, the components included. Interestingly, although our model was the S2 there was some problem with the packaging and it appeared to us as E2, we assume that it would be a specific failure when sending the samples. When opening the box, we find the following elements very well protected:

TicWatch S2. Charging station. Quick guide (Spanish not included). User guide (Spanish not included).

Design

As the TicWatch S2 is approached from a sports point of view, we will not find an elegant watch itself, but rather it has a sober black design and made of polycarbonate with a thick style dial. The E2 model dispenses with this sphere and its design is flatter. In short, it is reminiscent of any classic watch used for sports activities but adapted to a smartwatch. It is not successful but it does its job. I personally like that sobriety and simplicity. As is typical for many watches, the second hand surrounding the dial is not movable.

On the right edge we find a small hole for the microphone and a single physical button, the usefulness of which is to turn on the screen, and if you press it again, you enter the application drawer. Another press returns us to the main screen. Finally, a long press opens the Google Assistant.

The screen off, on the other hand, does not depend on this button, but rather it is necessary to display the shortcuts from above and press the screen off button. Obviously, the screen also turns off automatically after a few seconds.

The back has in the center the sensor in charge of measuring the heart rate, while on its side are the four battery charging pins.

The total measures of the body of the watch of 46.6 x 51.8 x 12.6 mm can be somewhat high but it must be taken into account that, being intended for the sports field, the most important thing is its resistance over elegance. That is why it meets the MIL-STD-810G military standard with resistance to extreme temperatures, dust and water. In the latter case, its level 5 ATM allows the TicWatch S2 to be used for both showering and swimming, as long as a pressure equivalent to 50 meters of water is not exceeded. So we are talking about pressure not depth.

Although the thickness of the watch can give the feeling of a heavy watch, the reality is the opposite, its polycarbonate construction makes it light, so we will not notice a great weight when wearing it on the wrist.

The included strap is made of 22mm wide silicone and can be interchangeable. Its interior has a soft touch while the exterior has an intrinsic rough design made up of lines.

Our model is black but soon another white color will also be on sale.

screen

We find in this TicWatch S2 a 1.39-inch rounded screen with AMOLED technology and a total resolution of 400 x 400 pixels. The capacitive- type display responds correctly to touch.

The viewing angles are good and wide enough to appreciate what is displayed on the screen. No strange tinting is seen either.

Brightness is an even more important aspect in this type of device than in smartphones and it does its job without problems. The outdoor viewing has been satisfactory for as long as we have been testing the TicWatch S2. If necessary, there is always the possibility to change the brightness value from the settings.

There are several other settings related to the screen: turn on the screen by turning the wrist, by touching it or activate the Always On mode. The first few modes are responsive and activate the screen more than the account. Always On mode only displays the time and some other value in black and white.

Sound is one of the features not built into this watch, so it is not possible to play music or receive calls. At the bottom if a microphone has been included with which we can give orders to the Google assistant, although this feature is not quite fine yet.

Hardware

Despite the passing of the months between the previous models and this one, the TicWatch S2 continues to assemble the SoC SnapDragon Wear 2100 with 4 cores and the Adreno 304 GPU. We find a SoC that despite being two years old, has a good performance and there is no lack of power or fluidity.

The internal storage that we will have is 4 GB, although we already know that the OS eats part of the space and we will finally have slightly less than 2 GB. However, it is still enough to store an app or even some songs that we want to listen to through a Bluetooth headset.

Regarding RAM, we find 512MB, somewhat low but enough for what the clock needs, since as we said, the system runs smoothly at all times.

software

Fortunately, an old friend that we meet again in this TicWatch S2 is Google's Wear OS. A system more than known and used in many smart watches. Its main virtue is its minimalist style similar to the latest versions of Android. We can display the shortcuts bar from the top, change the style of the sphere by holding it down, use Google Assistant if we slide to the right and see the latest notifications if we slide up. Finally, if we slide to the left, we can see a quick summary of the steps taken along with the burned kcal and the km traveled. In this section it is also possible to activate the monitoring for the different types of sports that we are going to do.

By pressing the physical button with the screen on, we will enter the drawer of applications ordered in list mode. Many of these apps are the default ones that Wear OS usually includes, such as Google Fit, Calendar, Contacts, etc. Among the pre-installed apps is Google Play, from which we can easily search for and download more applications.

Among the novelties of this TicWatch S2 we must highlight the TicMotion function that, using different algorithms, is able to predict if the user is running, swimming and what style is being used, and even measure our activity while sleeping, although the latter will be added later with an update via OTA. We put this feature to the test by taking a few runs and it wasn't surprising to see how well it works, automatically displaying time, travel and our average speed. As for swimming, we weren't able to test it, but we assume it should work just as well.

Connectivity

The TicWatch S2 comes complete with connection options, it has Bluetooth 4.1 to connect to the smartphone, WiFi 802.11 b / g / n and connection to the GPS, GLONASS and Beidou satellites. The only thing missing is the NFC technology, which is so useful lately to make contactless payments.

To pair it, it is necessary to first download the Wear OS app from Google Play or from the App Store, with this we will perform the initial configuration of the TicWatch S2, which comes guided and is really simple. Once this is done, we must download the Mobvoi app and pair the clock to this app again, with this we will be able to synchronize more data. Requires Android 4.4 or higher or iOS 9.3 or higher.

The Wear OS app is quite complete in terms of configuration options, customization and display of the different sections of the watch.

On the other hand, the Mobvoi app focuses on monitoring our physical activities and sports routines. This app is simply correct and shows just what you need: amounts, history, and only a graph is shown for your heart rate. There are more comprehensive monitoring apps, but of course with this we will not lack the essentials.

Battery

Ticwatch assured an improved autonomy in this model along with its 415 mAh battery. During our tests we have verified that such has been the autonomy making both an intensive use with the monitoring of our sports activities and heart rate and a more leisurely use. In the first case, the battery has gotten tough

penalties a day and a half, something logical considering both the use of the heart rate sensor and the GPS function if we take a tour. However, with less intensive use, the battery lasts for 2 days, even slightly longer on occasion. Taking into account that we are dealing with a smartwatch focused on the sports aspect, it is more common to have autonomy like that of the first case. For those who charge the watch every night, it may not be a problem, but it is still a pending issue in this type of device. Fortunately, each new processor for wereables that comes onto the market offers lower energy consumption.

Charging the battery, on the other hand, takes around two hours to fully charge, an acceptable time. The only drawback we find is having to make use exclusively of the included magnetic charging base, as is often the case with other models.

TicWatch S2 conclusion and final words

TicWatch remains in its tonic, very similar to what Xiaomi achieves: creating quality products at a competitive price, without going through the roof. With the TicWatch S2 they have managed to combine very good characteristics.

The design may not attract everyone's attention since, as we have already said on several occasions, it is a device focused on the sporty aspect, hence its curved and not very elegant shapes. However, the positive thing about this design is its light weight, its military resistance and its resistance to water.

The screen also exceeds, both in its format and resolution and in the good tactile response. Likewise, the maximum brightness puts the icing on the cake, offering sufficient light for outdoors. It is a pity that the sound section is null since it does not include any speaker. The use of the microphone does not respond so precisely either.

Where the TicWatch S2 stands out is in its good performance and fluidity thanks to both Google's Wear OS and Snapdragon Wear 2100, which, even though it is two years old, is still capable of giving of itself. The counterpart to using this processor is given by the higher battery consumption, which is where this watch continues to weaken a little.

Other weak aspects are the Mobvoi own app, which needs to be updated and improved to keep up with others, and the lack of NFC to be able to pay, something almost essential for anyone with a smartwatch.

In conclusion, for its € 180 we find a great smart watch with a great quality and a multitude of functions, although with some small flaws to be polished yet.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ Strong and light.	- It does not have NFC or speaker.
+ Good maximum brightness.	- Somewhat old CPU.
+ Wear OS runs smooth.	- The Mobvoi app can be better.
+ Good quality / price ratio.	- An improvement in autonomy was announced and we expected something better.