T1 Tact Smartwatch Review – 2024 Deep Dive

A Deep Dive Into The T1 Tact Smartwatch

This smartwatch by Ticwatch is part of a new generation of smartwatches that take the device from being just a wrist-mounted terminal for your smartphone to being a smartphone of their own right on your arm.

By following the prevailing trends of miniaturization and including a fully functional SIM port and expandable storage options, manufacturers of this kind of smartwatch have managed to create a device that almost entirely obviates the need for an actual smartphone.

To begin with, this watch has full inbound and outbound cellular service, supported by most major Wireless carriers. A partnership with cell provider Verizon ensures that each smartwatch has a pre-loaded SIM that will be instantly usable on Verizon networks as soon as the watch is activated. On top of this a relatively powerful 16GB Ram has been added alongside a MicroSD card slot putting most of the functions of the phone and computer into one device.

Like most smartwatches this device is designed for a highly active lifestyle and can be taken into shower or pool without a hitch; IP68 waterproofing assures the user that their watch will emerge from the drink entirely functional. Additional hardening and shock resistance have been added to the watch casing and strap, allowing the user to go about their day without fear of the device breaking while on their wrists.

One of the main concerns of any smartwatch user is battery life, as these watches take considerably more power to run than their analog or even simple digital counterparts. To that end this watch includes a layered screen that adjusts different levels of brightness and reflectivity as light conditions dictate to maximize battery efficiency in both day and night conditions. The watch recharges by a proprietary charging station and can last up to 30 days on a single charge, well beyond the two to five days usually seen in comparable smartwatches.

Following the prevailing archetype of smartwatches, this device also includes a full fitness tracker, centered around a high sensitivity heartbeat tracker and body temperature monitor and optimized for up to nine distinct sport modes to help produce a full picture of your lifestyle. This allows the watch’s user to identify healthy or unhealthy habits and make the appropriate changes to their daily routine.

Along with cellular service and fitness tracking, this watch supports a wide variety of third-party apps, including the recently released Wear OS by Google. This operating system optimizes many of the standard Google Apps, such as the Google Play and music stores, for the compact platform the watches are automatically provided by Smartwatch Hardware. This allows the user to download apps right onto their smartwatch as opposed to running them off of a mobile device, greatly increasing view users’ freedom from their larger device.

As mentioned the physical construction of the watch goes well beyond what one would normally expect in a smartwatch, including an 810g military-grade aluminum casing and a Corning Gorilla glass screen that make it impervious to anything short of deliberately destructive behavior.

The watch automatically detects your health state through the integrated fitness sensors and adjusts the tracking modes accordingly, making your fitness report accurate even if you don’t have the time to concentrate on it yourself.

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Who’s It For?

This watch is for the highly active individual, someone who is always on the move and does not necessarily have time to answer calls or get out their phone to check messages. It is also a trustworthy companion in a sporting or outdoors setting, putting a much-needed backup means of communication in constant readiness should something go awry.

It is worth noting that this watch is not for someone who has any doubt whether or not they need all the features offered on this smartwatch, especially considering it is expensive. If there are a few features on this watch that is not of interest then we would not recommend purchasing it.

What We Like About T1 Tact Smartwatch

The T1 Tact Smartwatch has the distinct advantage of putting immediate cellular service into every single device. By partnering with Verizon, Ticwatch, the manufacturer, has guaranteed each buyer immediate cellular service anywhere on the Verizon network as soon as they open the box.

The Tact comes with an integrated SIM card that can both send and receive calls as well as pair with your mobile device. If you don’t happen to be on Verizon then the SIM card can be switched with a modicum of effort to replace with your cell phone provider of choice.

Also noteworthy is the added effort put into making this watch as rugged and durable as possible. Many smartwatches will be waterproof but have little in the way of screen toughness or wristband strength, so it’s always a relief to see one with Gorilla Glass and a toughened rubber strap and metal closure to keep it solidly in place no matter what you decide to do.

That doesn’t mean waterproofing isn’t too much, of course; IP68 means that this watch is fully submersible as opposed to just splash-proof, and so it can accompany you while swimming or bathing if need be.

A final high point of this watch is Google’s Wear OS that puts many more apps than previously possible in a format fully adapted for use with Smartwatch Hardware. Many apps either are not supported or become exceptionally cumbersome to use when loaded onto a smartwatch, so having a device that comes with that problem solved already is a definite plus.

What We Don’t Like About T1 Tact Smartwatch

The main thing not to like about this smartwatch is the price. As mentioned it is prohibitively expensive to anyone who does not absolutely need all the features offered by this particular device or has a sizable amount of disposable income.

Additionally, the integrated SIM card is not particularly easy to get out or unlock, leaving most users stuck with either switching to Verizon or paying an additional service fee for the SIM card to be changed by a professional.

It is also worth noting that some messaging services, especially email servers, may not be supported on this device or may experience significant delays in message delivery. The battery life can be drastically shortened by using GPS or fitness tracker settings. The various automated functions require a diligent eye on your watch settings as the sensors are not foolproof and can often activate the wrong mode or function at the wrong time.

One final thing that this watch should have but does not is a decent quality loudspeaker, microphone, and digital camera. Many other high-end smartwatches include these features while they are missing in this watch which seems to be a significant oversight in a smartwatch that is otherwise jam-packed full of all the latest features one could ask for. The operating system is a similar hindrance. While it makes many apps more accessible, apps not supported by Wear OS become almost impossible to load and run on this device.

What’s Included?

Buying the T1 Tact gets you the watch itself, as well as a proprietary charging dock and detailed user manual. The watch comes with Verizon 24/7 customer support and access to their helpline and account management apps.

Technically speaking, there is a SIM card included as well integrated into the watch. Users should not count this as part of their purchase though, as this SIM card comes locked and is difficult to remove from either the watch or Verizon service.

Not included with this watch is any means of audio playbacks, such as earbuds or headphones, or any way of anchoring them to the user as the user moves about. As one of the main purposes of smartwatches is to support mobile playlists during workouts, driving, or other relatively high dexterity activities, having no support for audio hardware seems something of an oversight.

Additionally many advanced smartwatches these days include a digital camera if only a small one. Many are much cheaper than this device and omitting a camera feels like a bit of a letdown for the cost. There is also no protective case or screen cleaner included, something that many phones and smartwatches have begun to include free of charge.

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Overview Of Features

This watches features start at its connectivity options; with as few manual interfaces as it has, any smartwatch’s usefulness should be measured by what connectivity it supports. This watch can link to other devices by 4G Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, making it compatible with most other devices out there and at relatively high speeds as well.

Although powered by Google Wear OS, this watch is fully compatible with both Android 6.3 + iOS 10.0 and above, so followers of either operating system have something to look forward to. Cellular service is provided by the integrated Verizon 4G LTE SIM card, putting users on one of the leading networks in North America, from a trusted service provider with an established brand name and readily available customer service and account support.

The internal processing unit has 1GB of RAM and 4 ROM making it capable of handling relatively high-performance tasks such as downloading music or plotting navigation. An expandable storage slot can handle up to 16 GB of MicroSD storage allowing one to store photos and files to your heart’s content on your smartwatch.

Installed apps will be adapted by Google’s Wear OS, which has the advantage of making many apps easy to use on a smartwatch but may cause incompatible apps to either slow down or be completely inoperable.

Physically speaking, this watch is exceptionally resilient, packing a tough rubber wristband with metal closure that is less likely to break under stress and a military-grade aluminum casing that can take all but the severest bumps and jolts. The screen is made of Corning Gorilla Glass and will withstand everything but dedicated attempts to break it, and sometimes those as well.

This device contains a wide range of sensors designed to automate its functions and the user experience; these range from the fitness sensors standard in many smartwatches to such things as magnetic sensors and speedometers that can be used to help clock vehicle performance or travel time as well as the user’s own performance.

There is also a GPS system that makes this watch Compatible with apps that require navigation, such as Google Maps, Waze, or even the Uber ride-sharing app.

The battery life on this watch is 415mAh and extends for up to 30 days of ordinary usage. Although impressive, users should take note that this time can be shortened if trying to run more than one app at once particularly on Wi-Fi.

The watch is IP68 water-resistant allowing it to be fully submerged during swimming, bathing, or other aquatic activities. That said, it is not a diving watch and should not be taken any deeper than 10 meters underwater.

Review Summary

This watch is the ideal companion for anyone who needs it; with its wide variety of high accuracy sensors and exceptional performance in many more areas than most smartwatches touch on. It is sure to provide a welcome level of convenience and comfort to those with a highly active lifestyle or the need to be on the go almost constantly.

Adding an integrated SIM card is a welcome change from other watches that require the user to supply their own, and cuts out on much of the confusion and complication that can result from trying to link a single cellular account to multiple devices.

The support for advanced operating systems and high-speed Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection assures connectivity with multiple devices at once, such as in a home office or car radio, phone, laptop, and more may all be hooked into one network.

The T1 Tact Smartwatch is exceptionally sturdy and includes Bose built-in pre-programming to handle a wide variety of sporting activities, and pairs easily with your favorite fitness tracker apps to create a detailed picture of your lifestyle. It has good battery life and two-way cellular service that make it a useful thing to keep around.

This watch should be avoided by anyone who does not have the absolute need or disposable income to justify it. Although its functions can be extremely attractive most are available for less money in other watches.

On top of this, there are many shortcomings in this watch that seem a bit of a letdown in the context of the significant price jump from the competition. The omission of a camera and the rapid drop off in battery life are both disappointing from such a high-end watch.

Frequently Asked Questions

You have said several times not to get this watch if I don’t need it; how do I know what watch I need?

Your best way to judge what smartwatch you need is usually to ask yourself when during the day do you find yourself wishing you had one. If you think that you need a smartwatch every time you work out, look for one with more dedicated fitness sensors and pre-programmed sporting rules.

Perhaps you find yourself wishing that you had a smartwatch during your drive home or routine travel to take care of notes, alarms, and contacts without unpacking your smartphone. In these cases, you should be after a watch with stronger connectivity and a faster performance rating.

Is there anything I should not rely on my smartwatch for? It seems that this device has most bases covered…

Most smartwatches put significant effort into making sure that they are your answer to anything that might arise, but there are some things for which you should make sure to turn to any other device other than a smartwatch. The simplest example of these is emergency services, which should only be contacted with a cell phone to ensure minimum wait time and that you will stay connected throughout the call.

Similarly, any financial information or sensitive topics should be stored on a more secure device in less danger of being lost or stolen then a relatively small smartwatch.