5 Reasons I Went From the Cosmo SE to the PRO

If you're not ready to give your kid a smartphone, but you still need them to reach you, here are five reasons I'd point you to the Cosmo JrTrack PRO. Reason five is why I went from the SE to the PRO.

I'm Ryan. I'm a former fire captain, paramedic, and firefighter in Colorado, and a dad of three. We have been using the JrTrack SE with our kid Bromley for about four months. This is my first look at the PRO, an unboxing, and why I am moving him to it. It is not a long-term review yet. I will come back after he has worn it.

Cosmo is a Denver-based company. They reached out in the summertime and provided the JrTrack PRO free for this review. They are not paying me for the review, and the opinions here are mine.

Check today's price at Cosmo. The Cosmo link on this page is an affiliate link. If you buy through it, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

If you have not seen the original SE review, start here: JrTrack SE review. The fuller product writeup lives on my Cosmo JrTrack PRO page.

What both watches do

Both watches do the same core job. This is a standalone watch your child can use to reach other people. Location is GPS-based through the Cosmo app. It does not have social media, and it does not have access to the open internet. The child does not need a smartphone. A parent does need a phone for the app.

The PRO is the thinner, more capable version of that idea. Here are the five reasons I am moving Bromley over.

Reason 1: A connection without a smartphone

Your kid can send a real text from a real number. You approve the contacts in the Cosmo app. Grandparents do not need a special app. They text from their regular phone.

Papa Kim is always texting Bromley on the SE, and I have only got about three contacts on that watch. We will do the same on the PRO.

You can send photos and short videos, and join group chats with people you have approved. Parents can review those messages in the app. Video calling is not supported on either model, which is fine with me.

Where the PRO pulls ahead is the screen. The SE has a 1.4 inch LCD. The PRO has a larger OLED screen, about 1.7 inches. The bezels are thinner, which helps with typing, and a full keyboard fits. The camera steps up from 2 megapixels on the SE to 5 megapixels on the PRO.

Reason 2: You decide who gets through

Only contacts you approve can call or text the watch. Unknown numbers are blocked, on both models. That is a big part of why I like Cosmo.

There is no open internet browser, no social media, no YouTube, and no open app store. Extra apps come from Cosmo, things like Spotify Kids and a couple of learning apps, with time limits you set. Your child cannot just download whatever they want.

Reason 3: Knowing where they are, without guessing

This is one of the key things I wanted for Bromley, because he is out mowing and I still want to give him freedom. Location runs through Cosmo's HaloGPS in the parent app on both watches. You can draw safe zones and get arrive and leave alerts.

Cosmo's docs say that, by default, the watch checks in every 30 minutes between 7 and 7, unless you change it. You can tighten that, or use live tracking when you need a closer look.

Treat GPS as a tool, not a guarantee. Cosmo notes there is no wear detection: the map shows where the watch is, not just when it is on.

I have tested the tracking on the SE, and it is really good. I was able to find Bromley at a mall when we were in different stores.

On the PRO, Cosmo says live tracking updates every second. On the SE, that live view is every five to ten seconds. I have not run a long-term test on the PRO yet. I am sticking to Cosmo's public specs here, and what we already know from the SE.

Reason 4: School and everyday routines

School-Fi is on both models. If the watch is on campus during school hours, it can lock down distractions at the level you choose: full, partial, or unrestricted. We do not send Bromley's watch to school, but the mode is there.

911 calling is not available in a fully restricted routine, so if you enable 911, set that thoughtfully.

There is basic step tracking in the app, plus alarms on the watch. That is fine for habits, not medical advice.

On the SE, Bromley uses the alarms for real tasks every day. He started a mowing business, and he set a reminder every other day to water a neighbor's house. He set that up on his own.

Reason 5: The PRO is built to be worn

The SE works, and we love it, but it is a thicker watch. The PRO is about 12.8 millimeters thick. The SE is about 15.8. Cosmo calls that roughly 19% thinner, and you can see the difference side by side.

Cosmo rates the SE battery at about 18 to 24 hours in typical use, and the PRO for up to about two days at default settings. I am not inventing that number from a test. I will report what I actually get after living with it.

The PRO has a redesigned speaker and amplifier for clearer calls. The speaker on the SE was a little tough to hear. The PRO also has more storage: 32 GB, compared with 8 GB on the SE.

Cosmo gives the PRO a higher official water rating than the SE. I am still going to treat it as splash resistant. I am not going to have them shower or go swimming with the watch.

Setup, SOS, and 911

Setup is straightforward. Charge it, open the Cosmo family app, create your parent and child profiles, pair the watch, join Wi-Fi, add approved contacts, and make a test call before you rely on it. You choose a service plan, then the watch connects to the cellular network.

A watch is a tool, not a babysitter. It does not replace adult judgment, good habits, or calling in emergencies.

You can call SOS on this, and that will call you directly. You can also have the ability to contact 911 if necessary. Double-check the safety features in the app. Do not rely on this video, or this post, for every one of them.

On the PRO, the child holds the power button for about five seconds, then there is a silent countdown of about 15 seconds so they can cancel a mistake. If you call the watch while SOS is active, Cosmo says it can answer silently so you can listen.

911 calling is separate, and it is off by default. You turn it on in the app when you decide your child is ready, and there is a confirmation step.

Practice the real button with your kids in a calm moment. Try not to learn this for the first time in a crisis.

What I'm doing next

Bromley has loved the SE. I am impressed with the PRO from this first look, and I think this upgrade is going to change things. We are going to get Bromley wearing it, and I will come back with more specific details.

Would you give your kid this watch, or a phone?

Get the JrTrack Pro. That is the same affiliate link as above. If you buy through it, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

For the fuller page, including the SE comparison, go to dadkitcheck.com/watches/cosmo-jrtrack-pro. If you want a simple starting point for the rest of the house, take the free family preparedness quiz.

FAQ

Does my child need a smartphone? No. The child does not need a smartphone. A parent does need a phone for the Cosmo app.

Who can call or text the watch? Only contacts you approve. Unknown numbers are blocked, on both models. Grandparents can text from their regular phone.

Does it have social media or the open internet? No open internet browser, no social media, no YouTube, and no open app store. Extra apps come from Cosmo, with time limits you set.

How does location work? GPS through Cosmo's HaloGPS in the parent app. You can draw safe zones and get arrive and leave alerts. Treat GPS as a tool, not a guarantee. Cosmo notes there is no wear detection: the map shows where the watch is, not just when it is on. I have tested tracking on the SE, not yet on the PRO.

How do SOS and 911 work? SOS will call you directly. 911 calling is separate, and it is off by default. You turn it on in the app when you decide your child is ready, and there is a confirmation step. It is not available in a fully restricted school routine. On the PRO, the child holds the power button for about five seconds, then a silent countdown of about 15 seconds so they can cancel. If you call the watch while SOS is active, Cosmo says it can answer silently so you can listen. Double-check the safety features in the app. Practice the real button in a calm moment.

Can they swim with it? I treat it as splash resistant. I am not going to have them shower or go swimming with the watch.

Have you tested the PRO battery? No. Cosmo rates the PRO for up to about two days at default settings. I will report what I actually get after living with it.

Is this a paid review? No. Cosmo provided the JrTrack PRO free for this review. They are not paying me for the review, and the opinions here are mine. If you buy through my Cosmo link, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.